ODAC Wrestlers of the Week Archive

2022-23 ODAC Wrestlers of the Week


February 6, 2023
Dixon, a junior from Fayetteville, N.C., capped his regular season with two more pins to help Ferrum to a 1-1 showing in dual matches against ODAC competition. Dixon, ranked fifth in the country and second in the Atlantic South Region by the NWCA at 285 pounds, collected the first of his two falls in a 31-14 loss to Roanoke. He collected his eighth pin of the season over Brady Elswick with 2:54 gone in the bout. Dixon improved to 26-1 overall with his ninth pin as part of a 35-13 victory over Southern Virginia University. Dixon earned the fall victory at 4:23 over Igor Lakicevic.

February 6, 2023
Smith, a sophomore from Smithfield, Va., helped Roanoke improve to 5-0 in ODAC dual matches ahead of the upcoming ODAC Wrestling Championships next weekend at Shenandoah University. Smith earned a pin at 141 pounds over former two-time All-American Levi Englman from Ferrum College. The fall came at 1:45 and helped the Maroons secure a 31-14 team victory over the Panthers. Roanoke has just one dual match left and is in the driver's seat for the first ODAC team title since 1980 with a bout at home against Averett on Tuesday.

January 30, 2023
Sallah, a senior from Roanoke, Va., earns his second ODAC weekly award of the season after capturing the 184-pound title at the Pete Willson Invitational hosted by Wheaton College (Ill.). Sallah, ranked 11th nationally and first in the Southeast Region by the NWCA, bested a pair of regionally-ranked and one national-rated opponent over his 5-0 run. He opened with a pin after 21-seconds of Isaac Sell from Muskingum College. He backed that with a second win by fall, this time at 6:42 over Stephen Watson from the host Thunder. Sallah then posted his first ranked win of the event, enjoying an 11-3 major decision over Cortland's Brian Torres, the fourth-ranked wrestler in the Mid-East Region. He then squared off with Gavin Layman from 18th-ranked Ohio Northern University. Sallah earned a 6-1 decision over the Central Region's #5 competitor, setting a championship showdown with Niall Schoenfelder from 10th-ranked UW-Eau Claire. Sallah churned out a 5-2 decision over the nation's sixth-ranked competitor at 184 pounds to claim the title.

January 30, 2023
Cafurello, a sophomore from Clifton, Va., was active and successful in a strong field at 125 pounds at the Pete Willson Invitational hosted by Wheaton College (Ill.). Cafurello went 7-1 overall to finish third with victories over two regionally-ranked and one nationally-rated competitor by the NWCA. Cafurello opened with a 7-3 decision over Jase Van Pelt from Cornell College. After dropping his next match by fall (4:02) to Kie Anderson from Concordia-Moorhead, Cafurello went on a six-match run the rest of the way. He posted a technical fall (17-0) victory over Julian Long from Nebraska Wesleyan and then followed with a 9-4 decision over Adrian Samano from Ferrum. Cafurello topped the first of four ranked opponents with a 10-4 decision over ninth-ranked UW-Whitewater's Tyler Klein, the second-ranked wrestler in the Upper Midwest Region. He then won 9-7 over Cortland State's Cody Merwin, who is slotted fifth in the Mid-East Region. After receiving a medical forfeit win from Anthony Zamora from Wheaton -- ranked #6 in the Upper Midwest Region -- he met Mount Union's Jack Stanley in the third place match. Cafurello earned a 3-1 decision over his nationally 12th-ranked opponent, who also ranks third in the Central Region.

More Awards from this season