Skip Ad

Wrestling

Fourteen ODAC Wrestlers Qualify for NCAA Championships

Greensboro's Wilson Earns Third Region MOP Honor

DANVILLE, Va. --- Reigning Division III 141-pound champion Josh Wilson from Greensboro College collected his third consecutive Region IV Most Outstanding Wrestler award as one of four event-winners and 14 stars that qualified for the 2025 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships following two days of competition in Danville at the Region IV championships hosted by Averett University.

Wilson claimed the 141-pound regional crown for a third time as he continues his effort to defend his 2024 national championship. Ferrum College All-American Rayshawn Dixon repeated as the 285-pound regional champion, while Panthers teammate Zach Beckner stood atop an all ODAC podium at 125 pounds. Roanoke College's Vincenzo Corvetto earned the 184-pound championship.

ODAC wrestlers were especially effective in the lighter weight classes with nine of the league's 14 national qualifiers competing at 125 thru 157 pounds. That includes all four second-day competitors at 125 pounds with three earning a trip to Providence, R.I., for the national championships on March 14-15 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion.

To qualify for the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, wrestlers must finish first, second, or third in their respective weight classes at their regional meets. Six regional events were hosted this weekend at various locations throughout the country. Each weight class advances 18 wrestlers to the final brackets.

With the nationals left to be competed, ODAC wrestling has seen 39 wrestlers qualify for the Division III championships -- 10 in 2023, 15 in 2024, and 14 this season.

Listed below we take a look at each weight class and the qualifiers set to travel to Rhode Island.
  • 125 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Zach Beckner, FC; Mason Barrett, AU; Isaic Paulino, RC
    • Beckner -- who qualified last season at 133 pounds -- unseated two-time regional champion Barrett with an 8-0 major decision; Paulino stopped WLU's Tony Urso via technical fall (16-1) at 6:31
  • 133 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Jonah Paulino, RC; Vincent Ziccardi, WLU
    • Paulino claimed runner-up honors after losing by fall (1:52) to Baldwin Wallaces' Jaden Hinton in the final; Ziccardi posted a 4-1 decision over Nolan Frye from Mount Union in the third place match
  • 141 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Josh Wilson, GBRO; Mark Samuel, RC
    • Wilson won his third weight-class title via a 7-3 decision over Jacob Reed from Ohio Northern; Samuel rebounded from a semifinal loss (13-10 dec.) to Wilson with an 8-4 decision over WLU's Skyler Hickman in the third place match
  • 149 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Evan Lindner, WLU
    • Lindner is now a two-time qualifier at 149 pounds after defeating Emmanuel Scordos from Baldwin Wallace by sudden victory-1 (8-5).
  • 157 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Anthony Taylor, AU
    • a year after being shut out at this weight class last season, the ODAC almost saw two wrestlers earn national championship qualifications; Taylor -- who qualified at 165 pounds last year -- finished as the runner-up after falling to Baldwin Wallace's Michael Petrella via technical fall (19-1) at 7:00; RC's Andrew McDougal came up just short of qualification, falling to Washington & Jefferson's Casey Smith by 3-2 decision in the third place match
  • 165 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Mark Troni, WLU
    • Troni and RC's David Reid squared off in the third place match with Troni posting a 4-2 decision to deny Reid a second straight national championships appearance
  • 174 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Xavier Preston, RC
    • Preston qualified for a second straight season after finishing third with a 7-3 decision over Carter Lloyd from Baldwin Wallace
  • 184 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Vincenzo Corvetto, RC; Jack McCusker, WLU
    • Corvetto is the ODAC's second straight regional champion at 184, earning a 9-6 decision over Remington Bauer from Baldwin Wallace; McCusker, who lost to Corvetto (MD 11-3) in the semifinals, recovered to place third with a 7-3 decision over Ajay Locke from Ohio Northern in the third place match
  • 197 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: None
    • WLU's John Santowski came up short of qualification after placing fourth in this weight class
  • 285 POUNDS
    • Qualifiers: Rayshawn Dixon, FC
    • Dixon is headed back to the nationals after winning his second straight title with a 7-4 decision over Myles Johnson from Ohio Northern