Henry Ford College competed Sunday, Feb. 8, at the MCCAA Individual Tournament, hosted by Muskegon Community College at the Bartels Rode Gymnasium.

The event brought together five programs including Henry Ford, Muskegon, Southwestern Michigan, Mott and Ancilla College of Indiana, for the conference championship.

The tournament marks the return of Michigan community college wrestling after a 43-year absence, giving programs an in-state conference championship once again.

Southwestern Michigan finished first with 109.5 points, followed by Muskegon with 104.5. Henry Ford placed third with 30 team points.

Hawks wrestler Vincent Navarro at MCCAA Champtionship in Muskegon, Michigan, Feb. 8, 2026.

For the Hawks, the day was competitive from start to finish. The brackets were small, but the matches were not easy. Henry Ford had six wrestlers reach the podium.

Elan Bekker turned in the highest finish for HFC at 157 pounds. He won his semifinal 11-6 to earn a spot in the championship match before dropping the finals by technical fall. Bekker wrestled aggressively throughout the day and kept pressure on his opponents, especially in the semifinal where he created separation late in the match.

Five Hawks earned third-place finishes. Zaid Alowdi at 125 pounds, Vicente Navarro at 133, Ivan Mendez at 149, Gavin O’Neal at 165 and Jayden Charleston at heavyweight each battled back through placement matches to secure their spots.

Several of those third-place matches required wrestlers to regroup after earlier losses and come back focused. That response stood out as much as the placements themselves.

While Henry Ford did not challenge for the team title, the experience of competing in a revived conference championship matters. The return of the MCCAA gives these programs structure and a goal within Michigan.

With the conference tournament complete, the Hawks now turn their attention to the Great Lakes District Championships on Sunday, Feb. 22, carrying momentum from a hard-fought Sunday in Muskegon.