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Wrestling

ODAC Announces Wrestling Preseason Rankings

Roanoke Earns Max Points in Team Poll, Six Maroons Top Individual Rankings

FOREST, Va. --- In just two seasons, ODAC wrestling has become a major player in the Division III landscape with more expected in 2024-25. The ODAC's coaches lent their perspective to ODAC fans with their annual preseason rankings of the league with both a traditional team preseason poll and the second year for top-four rankings at each of the 10 collegiate weight classes.

Defending ODAC dual champion Roanoke College garnered max points to headline the team poll, collecting 49 markers powered by seven first place votes. Washington and Lee University collected the remaining top nod in tying with Averett University for second in the table on 40 points. Ferrum College earned 35 points to complete a clearly separated top-four section of the list.

The ODAC individual rankings favor Roanoke with six Maroons topping weight classes (one tie). A trio of Cougars (one tie) received top-billing, while Ferrum and Greensboro College wrestlers occupy the remaining first place positions.

Growth of wrestling in the ODAC continues with the addition of Randolph College as an active program for the first time. The University of Lynchburg will further increase the ODAC's footprint with the Hornets announcing in June that men's wrestling would begin varsity competition during the 2025-26 academic year.

In the sections below, we take stock of the 2023-24 season and its impacts on the new campaign. Full ODAC top-four individual rankings are among the 2024-25 features that include the recently announced national and regional rankings published by the NWCA.

2024-25 ODAC MEN'S WRESTLING PRESEASON POLL
(#) denotes first place votes received

1. Roanoke College (7)49 pts.
2. Washington and Lee University (1)40 pts.
2. Averett University40 pts.
4. Ferrum College35 pts.
5. Shenandoah University22 pts.
6. Greensboro College14 pts.
6. Southern Virginia University14 pts.
8. Randolph College10 pts.
    • After sharing the regular season dual championship with Averett and Washington and Lee in 2022-24, Roanoke swept through its league duals with a 6-0 mark to capture a second league trophy.
    • Four different schools saw wrestlers stand atop podiums at the 2024 ODAC Wrestling Championships; Averett out-paced Washington and Lee by 3.5 points – 146.0 to 142.5 – to secure the team trophy from the showcase event.
    • Greensboro's Josh Wilson went 3-0 on the way to claiming the 141-pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler of the event.
    • The ODAC's outstanding showing at the Southeast Regional Championships resulted in 15 wrestlers earning berths into the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship Field
      • Averett (6): Mason Barrett (125), Jesse Alvarado (149), Anthony Taylor (165), Khalil Mitchell (174), George Moseley (184), Trent Ragland (285)
      • Ferrum (2): Zach Beckner (133), Rayshawn Dixon (285)
      • Greensboro (1): Josh Wilson (141)
      • Roanoke (5): Mac Cafurello (125), Mark Samuel (141), David Reid (165), Xavier Preston (174), Lorenzo Pellot (197)
      • Washington and Lee (1): Evan Lindner (149)
    • History was made with Greensboro's Wilson winning the 141 national title, highlighting a list of five All-Americans that included RC's Cafurello and Samuel, AU's Barrett, and FC's Dixon.

  • ODAC coaches were permitted one nominee at each of the 10 collegiate competition weight classes. The coaches then ranked the nominees to determine a top-four “watch” list for the 2024-25 season.

    • 125 POUNDS
      1. Mason Barrett, Sr., Averett – All-American (5th Place), All-ODAC 1st Team
      2. Zach Beckner, Sr., Ferrum – NCAA Qualifier (at 133)
      3. Isiac Paulino, Jr., Roanoke
      4. David Rubin, Sr., Washington and Lee – All-ODAC 3rd Team
    • 133 POUNDS
      1. Jude Robson, Jr., Roanoke
      2. A.J. Orlando III, So., Averett – All-ODAC 2nd Team
      3. Trent Proctor, Sr., Ferrum
      4. Heath Burks, Fy., Shenandoah
    • 141 POUNDS
      1. Josh Wilson, Sr., Greensboro – National Champion, ODAC Wrestler of the Year, ODAC Championship Outstanding Wrestler, All-ODAC 1st Team
      2. Mark Samuel, Jr., Roanoke – All-American (3rd Place), All-ODAC 2nd Team
      3. Skyler Hickman, So., Washington and Lee – All-ODAC 3rd Team
      4. Mauricio Reyes, Sr., Averett
    • 149 POUNDS
      1. Jesse Alvarado, Sr., Averett – NCAA Qualifier, All-ODAC 3rd Team
      2. Evan Lindner, Jr., Washington and Lee – NCAA Qualifier, All-ODAC 1st Team
      3. Corey Messick, Sr., Roanoke
      4. Joey Olalde, Jr., Ferrum
    • 157 POUNDS
      1. Andrew McDougal, Sr., Roanoke
      2. Xavier Swanson, Jr., Averett – All-ODAC 2nd Team
      3. Cannon Long, So., Shenandoah
      4. Robert Owens Jr., Fr., Ferrum
    • 165 POUNDS
      1. David Reid, Sr., Roanoke – NCAA Qualifier
      2. Anthony Taylor, Sr., Averett – NCAA Qualifier, All-ODAC 2nd Team
      3. Mark Troni, Jr., Washington and Lee – All-ODAC 1st Team
      4. Gabe Cortes, Fy., Ferrum
    • 174 POUNDS
      1. (tie) Khalil Mitchell, Sr., Averett – NCAA Qualifier, All-ODAC 1st Team
      2. (tie) Xavier Preston, So., Roanoke – NCAA Qualifier, All-ODAC 2nd Team
      3. Dylan Weaver, 5th, Shenandoah
      4. Tyson Hoopes, Sr., Southern Virginia
    • 184 POUNDS
      1. Vincenzo Corvetto, So., Roanoke
      2. Jack McCusker, Sr., Washington and Lee – All-ODAC 2nd Team
      3. Nolan Gerwitz, Jr., Averett
      4. Joey Toner, So., Ferrum
    • 197 POUNDS
      1. Lorenzo Pellot, So., Roanoke – NCAA Qualifier, All-ODAC 2nd Team
      2. Jamar Christian, Sr., Averett – All-ODAC 3rd Team
      3. John Santowski, Jr., Washington and Lee – All-ODAC 1st Team
      4. Sam Slate, Sr., Ferrum
    • 285 POUNDS
      1. Rayshaw Dixon, Sr., Ferrum – All-American (5th Place)
      2. Brady Elswick, Sr., Roanoke – All-ODAC 3rd Team
      3. Braeden Fluke, Jr., Averett
      4. Porter Trapp, Jr., Southern Virginia

  • The NWCA released its annual preseason rankings on Monday with the ODAC well represented in the NWCA Team Tournament Top-25 as well as its individual national and regional rankings.

    NWC Links: Team Tournament Poll | Individual National | Individual Regional

    • ODAC IN THE NWCA TEAM TOURNAMENT TOP-25 POLL
      • Roanoke: 13th (21.5 pts.)
      • Greensboro: T-17th (16.0)
      • Ferrum: 19th (15.0)
      • Averett: T-21st (13.5)
    • ODAC IN THE NWCA INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL RANKINGS
      • 125: Mason Barrett, AU (4th)
      • 133: Zach Beckner, FC (7th); Jude Robson, RC (11th)
      • 141: Josh Wilson, GBRO (1st); Mark Samuel, RC (3rd)
      • 149: Evan Lindner, WLU (13th); Jesse Alvarado, AU (14th)
      • 157: None
      • 165: David Reid, RC (8th), Anthony Taylor, AU (10th)
      • 174: Khalil Mitchell, AU (8th); Xavier Preston, RC (13th)
      • 184: None
      • 197: Lorenzo Pellot, RC (5th)
      • 285: Rayshawn Dixon, FC (4th)
    • ODAC IN NWCA INDIVIDUAL REGION 4 RANKINGS
      • 125: Mason Barrett, AU (1st); Isiac Paulino, RC (2nd); David Rubin, WLU (4th); Trent Proctor, FC (5th); Anakin Burks, SU (6th)
      • 133: Zach Beckner, FC (2nd); Jude Robson, RC (3rd); AJ Orlando III, AU (5th)
      • 141: Josh Wilson, GBRO (1st); Mark Samuel, RC (3rd); Skyler Hickman, WLU (6th)
      • 149: Evan Lindner, WLU (3rd); Jesse Alvarado, AU (4th)
      • 157: Andrew McDougal, RC (3rd)
      • 165: David Reid, RC (2nd); Anthony Taylor, AU (4th); Mark Troni, WLU (5th)
      • 174: Khalil Mitchell, AU (1st); Xavier Preston, RC (3rd); Dylan Weaver, SU (4th)
      • 184: Vincent Corvetto, RC (2nd); Jack McCusker, WLU (3rd); Nolan Gerwitz, AU (6th)
      • 197: Lorenzo Pellot, RC (1st); John Santowski, WLU (4th); Jamar Christian, AU (5th)
      • 285: Rayshawn Dixon, FC (1st); Brady Elswick, RC (6th)
    • ODAC schools will again compete in a robust schedule of dual and invitational events.
    • Each league school will face each other in an official ODAC dual match, which will determine the basis of the ODAC regular season champion.
    • The ODAC Wrestling Championships will be hosted by Washington and Lee University on Saturday, February 15 at the Generals' Richard L. Duchossois Athletic and Recreation Center in Lexington, Va.
    • The NCAA Southeast Regional Championships will be hosted by Averett on Friday-Saturday, February 28-March 1 at the Cougars E. Stuart James Grant Center in Danville, Va.
    • The NCAA Division III Championships will be hosted by Johnson & Wales (R.I.) University on Friday-Saturday, March 14-15 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.