Patient Franklin Regional pass rusher finds college fit at West Liberty

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, February 14, 2026 | 11:01 AM

Lochlan Bresnahan led his team in quarterback hurries, but that didn’t mean he was in a hurry to commit to a college.

The Franklin Regional senior tight end and linebacker — he also played some defensive end — waited until late in the game to choose a side.

A late-arriving offer was worth the wait.

He announced his commitment, and signed a letter of intent on the same day — National Signing Day, Feb. 4 — choosing West Liberty, an NCAA Division II program in West Virginia over several other offers.

A 6-foot-2, 210-pounder known for his ability to rush the passer, Bresnahan also had interest from several Division III programs and marginal curiosity from Division I and II schools.

He made 34 tackles this past season, including eight for loss and four sacks. He also caused a fumble.

West Liberty recruited him as a rush end.

“I’m extremely excited to see how I’m going to impact the West Liberty defense,” Bresnahan said. “Especially out of a wide nine (technique).”

The Hilltoppers set defensive ends very wide — outside of tight ends or tackles — to apply maximum pressure to quarterbacks.

“I wanted to find a school that wanted to see me succeed both on and off of the field,” Bresnahan said. “I had a couple other offers from D2 and D3 (teams) and had a little D1 interest. I see myself fitting great into coach (Chad) Salisbury’s scheme.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

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