Columbia, KY – The UC Men's Wrestling team traveled to compete in their first duals of the 2023-24 season at Lindsey Wilson College and ended the day with a record of 3-1. Additionally, 13 Patriots went undefeated on the mat.  

Leading UC #5 Bryce Nickel and Gage Hudson and who battled for 3-0 records over the course of the day. Hudson recorded two major decisions, 12-4 and 10-2 along with a forfeit in the 141-weight class. Nickel, wrestling in the 149-weight class, notched a fall, a major decision, and a forfeit.

#9 Cumberlands Soars Past Lourdes (RV), 32-17
In the first matchups of the day, the Pats defeated Lourdes with a score of 32-17. #9 Austin Franco received forfeit, so #24 Chandlar Akins opened the day with a tech fall, 19-2, over Cole McKinley in the 133-weight class, followed by a 12-4 major decision from Gage Hudson over Dru Wilson to put UC ahead 15-0. Cumberlands gained a stronger 32-0 lead with a forfeit for Bryce Nickel, a 17-7 major decision for Weston Milnes over #22 Andrew Torres, Weston Melvin's 2-1 decision against Derick Coleman, and finally a major decision, 11-2, by #24 Charles Friedenreich over Niko Christo. The Patriots gave up 17 points in the final three matches.

#9 Cumberlands Defeats Ranked Opponent #17 Marian, 42-9
The Patriots had success against #17 Marian, with a strong 42-9 final score. Franco opened in the 125-weight class against Ty Haskins with a technical fall in the first period, 18-3, followed by a forfeit for Hudson, and a fall notched at 1:48 by Nickel over Dylan McKelvey to gain a 17-3 lead. Milnes also notched a fall at 0:42 over Drake Campbell, along with a 9-1 major decision by #22 O'Brian Black against #24 Jeff Dunasky. Junior #20 Sherman Dixon notched another fall for the Patriots at the 2:48 mark over Jimmy Lacey to extend the score to 33-3. #23 Tobias Garrison followed with a fall at 4:37 against #22 Will Stewart and Jovon Howe defeated #23 Liam Begley in a 4-2 decision.

#9 Cumberlands Falls to #12 Indiana Tech, 15-19
UC had a tough matchup against ranked #12 Indiana Tech and fell 15-19. Hudson and Nickel were the first to score for the Patriots, with Hudson's 10-2 major decision against Conner Kimbrough and Nickel defeated #15 Chase Pluhar in a 13-3 major decision, to take a narrow 8-7 lead. Dylan Preston scored three points on a 5-0 decision over Griffin Bekish. The last to score for Cumberlands was #15 Thomas Ketchen-Carter on a 15-5 major decision against #13 Leonardo Galasso.

#9 Cumberlands Knockout Bluefield in Final Matchup, 52-0
In the last dual of the day, the Patriots held strong, not allowing Bluefield to score and taking the dual 52-0. Franco started the Pats off with a 16-1 technical fall over Michael Wilkonson, followed by a pair of falls from Adonis Boyd at 1:02 and Conner Burrus at 0:56, taking the score to 17-0. Marc Le Gaspe fought for an 8-1 decision against Robert Ice and Derrick Bannister held Delvin Taylor for an 11-4 decision to grow the lead to 23-0. Black earned six points with a forfeit and Dixon took five with a technical fall, 21-2, against Landon Wright. Rounding out the day, Ketchen-Carter had a forfeit followed by two falls by Jovon Howe (0:43) over Sonny Stewart and Austin Silva (2:11) over Conner Hagberg, to sweep Bluefield.

Next up for the Patriots will be the Rocky Top Duals, taking place in Gatlinburg, TN on Saturday December 16. The matchups will begin at 9 a.m.

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