ODAC wrestling caps off a successful return to the collegiate landscape following a 40-plus year hiatus with the announcement of the 2022-23 All-ODAC Wrestling Awards. Greensboro College junior and now three-time All-American Josh Wilson headlines the list as the ODAC Wrestler of the Year following a vote of the league's head coaches.
Washington and Lee University senior Ryan Luth won the fifth place match at 157 pounds on Saturday afternoon at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Va., highlighting the ODAC's contingent of 11 wrestlers as the conference's highest placing finisher at the 2023 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.
Four athletes from league schools were in action on Saturday with each collecting All-American honors. In addition to Luth's fifth-place showing, Averett University sophomore Mason Barrett placed sixth at 125 pounds. Greensboro College sophomore Josh Wilson and Roanoke College senior Mahlic Sallah each finished eighth in their respective weight classes, 141 pounds for Wilson and 184 pounds for Sallah.
Four wrestlers remain in action from the ODAC's original contingent of 11 competitors and have secured All-American honors following the first day of competition at the NCAA Division III Men's Wrestling Championships. Competition resumes at the Berglund Center in Roanoke on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. ET.
Averett University's Mason Barrett at 125 pounds is joined by Greensboro College's Josh Wilson at 141 pounds, Ryan Luth from Washington and Lee University at 157 pounds, and Mahlic Sallah from Roanoke College at 184 pounds as the remaining active wrestlers from conference schools. Each competitor finished day one with a victory, but they came in the consolation second round after losing in the quarterfinals section of the championship bracket. Still, those victories were important as they assured All-America distinction for each of them.
Greensboro College's Josh Wilson earned Regional Outstanding Wrestler honors as one of two class champions from ODAC schools at the NCAA Southeast Men's Wrestling Regional hosted by York College (Pa.) on Friday and Saturday.
Wilson captured first place at 141 pounds with Averett University's Mason Barrett standing atop the podium at 125 pounds. The pair are two of 10 wrestlers from ODAC schools that qualified for the NCAA Division III Men's Wrestling Championships next month from their performances this weekend. Ferrum College is the host of this year's national event with Roanoke's Berglund Center serving as the venue on March 10-11, 2023.
In addition to Wilson's special individual honor, Washington and Lee University head coach Nathan Shearer and assistant coach Alex Radsky were recognized as the Regional Coach of the Year and Regional Staff Person of the Year, respectively.
The coaches meeting to set seeds is complete and weigh-ins to confirm wrestlers have concluded, which means we are ready to publish the brackets for the 2023 ODAC Wrestling Championships. The Wilkins Athletic and Events Center at Shenandoah University serves as the host venue for Saturday's all-day affair.
Six different schools saw wrestlers claim weight class titles to highlight the 2023 ODAC Wrestling Championships at Shenandoah University on Saturday. Washington and Lee University powered its way to the team championship by appearing in an event-high seven championship bouts. Generals' wrestlers won three championships, matched only by the three titles won by competitors from Averett University.
The crossover season is nearly upon us with spring sports getting ready to begin as a couple of winter sports wind down. Week 23 brough us within days of closing the first wrestling regular season since 1980 with its championship set for this coming Saturday at Shenandoah. Swimming will also compete for an ODAC trophy this week with four days of action in Greensboro. Men's and women's basketball is just a couple of weeks away from finalizing the league tables for ODAC Tournament qualification.
Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, February 6, include (pictured left-right): Rayshawn Dixon from Ferrum wrestling, Tyler Dearman from Guilford men's basketball, Dustin Smith from Roanoke wrestling, and Riley Corcoran from Bridgewater women's basketball.
The final report for ODAC swimming highlights Week 22 action as the conference's pool stars prepare for next week's ODAC Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. Wrestling is also on tap for its final dual matches over the next several days with its first championship since 1980 less than two weeks away. ODAC basketball teams continue to post impressive results and position themselves both for ODAC Tournament seedings and possible NCAA at-large contention.
Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 30, include (pictured left-right): Catherine Kagey from Randolph-Macon women's basketball, Dalton Jobe from Washington and Lee men's swimming, Davidson Hubbard from Hampden-Sydney basketball, Mac Cafurello and Mahlic Sallah from Roanoke wrestling, and Savy Burroughs from Lynchburg women's swimming.
Week 21 of the 2022-23 season means we are just over two weeks away from our first winter championships with swimming and wrestling gearing up for their postseason events. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 23, include (pictured left-right): Anna Giannopoulou from Guilford women's basketball, Matt Fritz from Washington and Lee men's swimming, Miles Mallory from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Emily Fritz from R-MC women's swimming, and Cameron Blizzard and Ryan Luth from W&L wrestling.
All winter sports were active as the ODAC season reached week 20 for the 2022-23 academic calendar. League basketball teams will largely compete in conference play from here on out, while swimming, track & field, and wrestling squads begin their preparations with ODAC championship events drawing ever-closer. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 16, include (pictured left-right): Mary Schleusner from Washington and Lee women's basketball, Mahlic Sallah from Roanoke wrestling, Miles Mallory from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Sophia Rollo from W&L women's swimming, Colton Schnars from Lynchburg men's swimming, and Ryan Luth from W&L wrestling.
Swimming saw its first action of the 2023 calendar year in week 19 and joined basketball and wrestling as active sports. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 2, include (pictured left-right): Josh Wilson from Greensboro wrestling, Alex Turley from Averett wrestling, Ben Pastva from Randolph-Macon men's swimming, Lindsay Gauldin from Guilford women's basketball, Josh Talbert from R-MC men's basketball, and Katelyn Wiglesworth from Bridgewater women's swimming.
Week 18 kicks off the reporting season for the 2023 calendar year. All games and events in men's and women's basketball and wrestling over the past two weeks (12/19/22-1/1/23) feature for this set of honors. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 2, include (pictured left-right): Catherine Kagey from Randolph-Macon women's basketball, Jude Robson from Roanoke wrestling, Rayshawn Dixon from Ferrum wrestling, and Robert DiSibio from Washington and Lee men's basketball.
Week 16 marks the final ODAC weekly report of the 2022 calendar year with conference teams competing sporadically over the upcoming holiday season. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, December 19, include (pictured left-right): Omari DeVeaux from Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball, Kaden Bryan and Christian Johnson-Hunte from Shenandoah wrestling, and Lindsay Gauldin from Guilford women's basketball.
With the approach of the longer holiday season, swimming began its extended break following last week's events, leaving basketball and wrestling as featured sports in week 15. They did not disappoint ODAC fans with several strong outings. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, December 12, include (pictured left-right): Terese Greene from Shenandoah women's basketball, Billy Baldwin and Cole McCormick from Averett wrestling, and Amarion Wilson from Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball.
Week 14 featured a return to full competition following the holiday break and also begins the first report for indoor track & field, set for Tuesday afternoon. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, December 5, include (pictured left-right): Madisen Kimble from Shenandoah women's basketball, Mason Barrett from Averett wrestling, Miles Mallory from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Katelyn Vieni from R-MC women's swimming, Cael Long from Virginia Wesleyan men's swimming, and Dylan Weaver from SU wrestling.
ODAC winter sport athletes continued their strong performances in week 12 with several records fall in swimming and excellent early season showings in basketball and wrestling. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, November 21, including (pictured left-right): Jack D'Entremont and Mary Schleusner from Washington and Lee men's and women's basketball, Dalton Jobe from W&L men's swimming, Sean Hall from Roanoke wrestling, John Ryan Sedovy from W&L wrestling, and Brynn Martinson from W&L women's swimming.
Men's and women's basketball joins the ODAC weekly multi-sport report for the first time in week 11. All conference teams were in action with the season starting last Tuesday, joining wrestling and men's and women's swimming as active regular season sports. Those earning weekly honors for Tuesday, November 15, include (pictured, from left and top): Danny Bickey from Randolph men's basketball, Brynn Martinson and Dalton Jobe from Washington and Lee women's and men's swimming, Morgan Robinson from Roanoke wrestling, Rayshawn Dixon from Ferrum wrestling, and Kylie Stark from Randolph women's basketball.
Week 10 of the Division III season includes the first ODAC report for men's wrestling since 1980. All seven of the conference's squads were in action in the first competitions under the league's banner. Wrestling joined swimming, which continues through its early season. Basketball is slated to begin reporting next week with the first games just a day away. Those earning weekly honors for Monday, November 7, include (pictured, from left and top): Hai Siu from Averett wrestling, Kelsey James and Alex Richardson from Randolph-Macon women's and men's swimming, and Rayshawn Dixon from Ferrum wrestling.
ODAC schools have not competed in men's wrestling under the conference banner since 1980, so it is only fitting that the 2022-23 ODAC Wrestling Preseason Poll is topped by the conference's newest full-time member.
Averett University headlines the conference coaches poll by the narrowest of margins over Washington and Lee University with 31 total points including four first place votes. The Generals sit one point back of the Cougars with 30 tallies powered by three top nods. Roanoke College rounds out the top-three with 27 markers, three points clear of fourth-place Ferrum College.
Men’s wrestling is returning to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, per an announcement by the league on Wednesday afternoon. Competition will begin during the 2022-23 season and feature seven participating members including five full-time institutions and two associate partnerships.
ODAC Announces All-ODAC Wrestling Awards
March 30, 2023ODAC wrestling caps off a successful return to the collegiate landscape following a 40-plus year hiatus with the announcement of the 2022-23 All-ODAC Wrestling Awards. Greensboro College junior and now three-time All-American Josh Wilson headlines the list as the ODAC Wrestler of the Year following a vote of the league's head coaches.
