2026 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

March 20, 2026

Marc-Anthony McGowan

Rocket Arena

Princeton

Semifinals Media Conference

Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton) d. Jacob Moran (Indiana), 4-1

THE MODERATOR: Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the 2026 NCAA Division I wrestling championships. We're excited to be joined by Marc-Anthony McGowan from Princeton. We'll start the press conference with a quick statement. Hoping you can reflect on the past couple days and what the match means to you tonight and competing tomorrow.

MARC-ANTHONY McGOWAN: It's been an exciting past couple days obviously in the national finals. It's the end of the season. I've been challenging myself and talking to a lot of the guys. It really came as an answer to myself in the past week when somebody asked me, are there any matches this year that you're proud of? Like if you were to say what's your proudest performance, what would it be?

In my head, I said, no one has really seen the Marc-Anthony McGowan that I know I can be. So I came into this tournament telling myself, telling the guys this is our last shot. Whether it's good or bad, you have to sit with it for the next six months until the next preseason or whatever. So why not just let it fly?

I feel like I've done a decent job of doing that. Not as much as I'd like, but we're here.

Q. Just talk through that final position. You know you didn't have a lot of time left to take him down. How you were able to get that takedown.

MARC-ANTHONY McGOWAN: Short time. I can't see the clock. I know it's short, so I know I've got to score. It was a little rushed, so it took a little longer. I told myself let's just get it done now. You can take this on to overtime and try to win it there. What's easier than finishing in regulation and the match on top right there? So yeah.

Q. Obviously it looks like you get Lilledahl again. You just wrestled him a few weeks ago. I know that didn't go the way you wanted. What do you have to do differently this time?

MARC-ANTHONY McGOWAN: Just wrestle. It's a match I'm excited for. I need my shot at redemption. No matter what, I think I'm the best 125 in the country. I have an opportunity to show that and get redemption against probably the most embarrassing match of my career.

I'm excited. If there's anybody I wanted to win in the semifinals, it's him. I'm ready for it.

Q. Tell us what it means to you to be a Princeton Tiger.

MARC-ANTHONY McGOWAN: It means everything, right? A lot of people, Princeton isn't known for having as great of wrestling success as some of the schools like a Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State. Telling me I was stupid for going here.

I was like, you know what, first of all, it's the No. 1 school in the country. Even if we were absolutely terrible, had no wrestling success, never be a mistake to go there. The amount of opportunities that school can produce for you is limitless.

I knew when I stepped in that room, when I saw the environment, when I saw the guys in there, Joe Dubuque, a big part of the reason why I came, I know I can win a national title there. That's the reason I chose it. I believe in it 100 percent.

Even after my performance last year, I saw a couple comments talking about transfer portal, whatever, I was like no, this is my squad. This is who I know I can win it with. I'm rolling with them because they rolled with me the entire time.

Q. Have you talked to Pat Glory this week, or do you expect to hear from him?

MARC-ANTHONY McGOWAN: I don't talk to Pat that often. He checks in throughout the year periodically. Obviously I saw him, being in the situation I'm at now a couple times. Also a big reason why I came to Princeton.

He's been nothing but a mentor on both sides, on both the academic and career and also on the athletic side. I'm grateful to have somebody like him in my corner. He's been, especially for me, even despite my losses, he's had my back 100 percent. He always told me he believes I can win a national title, and here we are fighting for one tomorrow night.

Q. Last year close matches at this tournament. You didn't find a way last year. This year a couple close matches and you're pushing through. What's the difference year to year? How are you finding success in these moments?

MARC-ANTHONY McGOWAN: No difference. I've said it time and time again this past week, the belief was never not there. Belief stayed the same regardless. Any losses I've taken, any setbacks I've had, and my coaches will tell you this. I believe in my heart I'm the best 125 in the country. I really do battle myself every single time.

Nothing changed. There wasn't this big, oh, you really have it in you now that you're seconds away from being a national champ. No, it was already -- before that match, there was a reason I was leading after those nine seconds is because I thought I could do it. The goal is to become a national champ, no matter what.

If anything, it was definitely something that hurt. It stung a little bit. I have to sit with that for a while. It took a long time to get over that. You want to be a national champ, and there you go losing, nine seconds left. Not only that, you don't place in the tournament. That's hard to sit with, and I had to sit with that for a while.

I told myself coming into this week I'm not going to let it happen again. I don't want to go through it again. I'm going to fight like there's no tomorrow because there is no tomorrow. This is the last tournament, like I said, so let it fly.