Lander Picked as Conference Carolinas Men’s Wrestling Champions

10/26/2023 10:00:00 AM

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Lander, who has won the past two South Atlantic Conference Carolinas regular season titles, has been picked to win the title in the 2023-24 Conference Carolinas Men’s Wrestling Preseason Poll, the conference unveiled on Oct. 26, 2023. Conference Carolinas is the sole sponsor of the sport for the first time.

The Bearcats received 13-of-14 first-place votes (teams can’t vote for themselves) and 169 total points to claim the top spot while Newberry was a close second with 151 points and the remaining first-place vote. UNC Pembroke was picked third with 145 points while Mount Olive (136) and King (119) rounded out the top five.

Belmont Abbey (101) was sixth in the preseason poll followed by Emmanuel (96), Limestone (88), Coker (75), Allen (55), Lincoln Memorial (41), Montevallo (39), Bluefield State (32) and Emory & Henry (27).

The preseason poll was voted on by the league’s head coaches.

2023-24 Conference Carolinas
Men’s Wrestling Preseason Poll

School	Total (First Place)
Lander	169 (13)
Newberry	151 (1)
UNC Pembroke	145
Mount Olive	136
King	119
Belmont Abbey	101
Emmanuel	96
Limestone	88
Coker	75
Allen	55
Lincoln Memorial	41
Montevallo	39
Bluefield State	32
Emory & Henry	27

2023-24 Conference Carolinas Men’s Wrestling
Wrestlers to Watch

Allen

Drevon Wallace, Sr., 149, Palatka, Florida (2023 NCWA All-American, MidEast Region Champion)
Michael Jackson, Sr., 184, Alabaster, Alabama (2023 NWCA All-American, MidEast Region Champion; 2022 NWCA All-American, MidEast Region Champion)

Belmont Abbey

John Carayiannis, 141, Sr., Gainesville, Virginia (2023 NCAA All-American; 2022 NCAA All-American)
Maxwell Kiel, 157, So., Chapel Hill, North Carolina (2023 Super Region II Champion, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Second Team, NCAA Championship Qualifier)
Justin Wright, 285, R-Jr., Howell, New Jersey

Bluefield State

Greg Dennard, Jr., 197, Fort Myers, Florida
Luke Roberts, So., 125, Marion, North Carolina
Enrique Sanchez, So., 141, Miramar, Florida

Coker

Corey Gallivan, 125, Jr., Cutler Bay, Florida (2023 NWCA Scholar All-American; 2022 NWCA Scholar All-American)
Steven Spitko, 133, So., Douglassville, Pennsylvania (2022 NWCA Scholar All-American)
Noah Korenoski, 157, Sr., Johnstown, Pennsylvania (2023 NWCA Scholar All-American)

Emmanuel

Christian Trimble, 165, Sr., McDonough, Georgia
Markis Hill, 184, Sr., Decatur, Georgia
Micha Clemson-Butler, 197, Sr., Canton, Ohio (2023 NCAA Championship Qualifier)

Emory & Henry

Levi Fields, 157, Jr., Manassas, Virginia (2023 NCWA National Qualifier; 2022 NCWA All-American)
Tony Washington, Jr., 165, Jr., Cordova, Tennessee (2023 NCWA National Qualifier)
Evan Alger, 184, Fr., Pulaski, Virginia

King

Clint Morrisette, 184, So., Kingsport, Tennessee (2023 NCAA Championship Qualifier)
Trent Mahoney, 157, R-Jr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana (2023 NCAA All-American, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team; 2021 All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team)
Jacob Telles, 285, Sr., Albuquerque, New Mexico

Lander

James Joplin, 125, Jr., Greensboro, North Carolina (2023 NCAA All-American, NWCA Scholar All-American, NCAA Super Region II Champion, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team)
Zeth Brower, 149, R-Sr., Medford, Oregon (2023 NCAA All-American, South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Wrestler of the Year, NWCA Scholar All-American, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team; 2022 NCAA National Champion at 141 pounds, NCAA All-American, NWCA DII Scholar All-American, CSC Academic All-American, Super Region II Champion at 141 pounds, South Atlantic Conference Carolinas and Super Region II Wrestler of the Year, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team)
David Hunsburger, 165, So., Duncan, South Carolina (2023 OpenMat Freshman of the Year, NWCA Rookie of the Year, NCAA All-American, Super Region II Freshman of the Year, Super Region II Champion, South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team, NWCA Scholar All-American)

Limestone

JaQuez Bostic, 184, 5th Yr., 184, Columbia, South Carolina (2022 NCAA Championship Qualifier, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team, NWCA Scholar All-American; 2021 All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Second Team)
Kaleem Heard, 141, Jr., Rock Hill, South Carolina
Jaqion Williams, 133, Jr., Greenwood, South Carolina

Lincoln Memorial

Porter Finstad, 125, So., Mascot, Tennessee
Kade Millsaps, 141, Jr., Robbinsville, North Carolina
Micheal Nunn, 184, Jr., Brandon, Florida

Montevallo

Gabe Hixenbaugh, 133, R-Sr., Alabaster, Alabama
Noah Todd, 285, Fr., Lebanon, Tennessee
Carson Freeman, 165, Fr., Alabaster, Alabama

Mount Olive

Taylor Robinson, 141, R-So., Williamstown, New Jersey (2023 NCAA Championship Qualifier, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Second Team, NWCA Scholar All-American)
Calan Staub, 174, So., Fayetteville, North Carolina (2023 NCAA Championship Qualifier, NCAA Super Region II Champion, NWCA Scholar All-American)
Dallas Wilson, 149, R-So., Stedman, North Carolina (2023 NCAA Championship Qualifier, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas First Team, NWCA Scholar All-American)

Newberry

Devan Moore, 149, Gr., Baxley, Georgia (2023 NCAA All-American, NCAA Super Region II Champion, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Second Team, NWCA Scholar All-American)
Zach Shupp, 125, Gr., Fairfield, Ohio (2023 NCAA Championship Qualifier, NWCA Scholar All-American; 2021 NCAA Championship Qualifier)
John Parker, Jr., 194 lbs, Temecula, California (2023 NWCA Scholar All-American)

UNC Pembroke

Logan Seliga, 125, R-Jr., Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania (2022 All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Second Team)
Logan Robinson, 133, So., Chesapeake, Virginia, (2023 NCAA Championship Qualifier)
Jake Piccirilli, 149, Jr., Woodstock, Georgia (2022 NCAA Championship Qualifier, All-South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Second Team)