NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Vermont State University Castleton wrestling team finished third out of 16 teams at Sunday's New England Wrestling Association's (NEWA) Futures tournament. The day was highlighted by Jake Long and Aidan Shufelt's first-place finishes, with nine-place winners total.

Castleton amassed 133 points as a team from the nine place-winners, trailing Johnson & Wales in second with 139.5 team points, while the host team Coast Guard took first with 195.5 team points and the NEWA Futures title.

Long went a perfect 5-0 on the day to claim first place at 184 pounds, taking a 4-3 decision win over Chase Myers of Coast Guard in the championship match to secure first, while Shufelt went 4-0 at 133 pounds, taking a 12-1 major decision over Johnson & Wales' Jahir Aguilar to clinch first. Avi Berg finished second at 125 pounds, ending the day with a 3-1 record. Logan Frank claimed second at 285 pounds after a 4-1 day, falling via pin in the championship match. Jack Voute was the lone third-place finisher for Castleton, going 4-1 at 141 pounds with a 5-2 decision win over teammate Elijah Farias in the third-place match.

Farias finished 3-2 at 141 pounds, taking fourth, while Dom Lapier finished fifth at 157 pounds, going 5-1 with a 3-0 decision over Wesleyan's Silvan Unger in the fifth-place match. At 141 pounds, Hunter Lines took sixth after a 5-2 day, and Colby Celuck claimed sixth at 165 pounds with a 4-2 appearance at the event.

The Spartans are back in action next weekend for the NCAA Regionals hosted by Coast Guard. Action takes place Saturday, February 28, and Sunday, March 1, with the top three finishers from each weight class earning a spot at the 2026 NCAA Division III National Championships.