Bowling Green, KY – The #4 Patriots captured the 24-25 Mid-South Conference Men's Wrestling Tournament Title Friday for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Cumberlands led the way with 170 points and had the most individual champions with four. UC also had all 12 wrestlers that competed make the podium in their respective weight classes.  

Head Coach Corey Ruff was named MSC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career, while O'Brian Black took home the top Tournament Wrestler award, and Austin Silva earned Freshman of the year honors.  

Taking the championship honor is 125-lbs wrestler, #15 Matteo Vargo. The junior began the day with a bye, followed by a matchup with Ellis Haney (Cumberland University). Vargo marked a 3-point takedown in the first, a 3-point takedown and an escape in the second, and a 2-point reversal in the third to win in a 9-2 decision. In the final round, he defeated #19 Chase Ayers (Lindsey Wilson) with a 9-3 decision. Vargo scored five points in the first period on a 3-point takedown and a 2-point nearfall. In the second period, he marked another 3-point takedown and riding time to secure his first Mid-South Conference Tournament title.  

In the 133-bout, #7 Chandlar Akins took home the individual title with a 2-0 mark. Akins opened with a bye before taking on Wyatt Hinton (Campbellsville). Akins defeated Hinton in a 3-0 decision, scoring all three points in the third period on a reversal and riding time. In the championship round, Akins went on to face teammate #10 Adonis Boyd (Cumberlands). The graduate student took the match in a 7-1 decision with a 3-point takedown, 2-point reversal, and a reversal. This is the Alabaster, AL native's first MSC title. 

#7 O'Brian Black secured the individual title in the 165-weight class for the second consecutive year. Black started the tournament with a decisive 14-0 technical fall win over Lody Cheatham (Campbellsville). The graduate student kept that momentum going with another dominant win against Brandon Irigoyen (Lindsey Wilson), that resulted in a 12-0 major decision. Black recorded a 3-point takedown in each period with an escape, riding time, and a penalty. In the semifinal round, he took down #20 Mitchell Freeman (Rio Grande) in a 15-0 technical fall, his second of the day. In the championship, he put together one final victory over #21 Eli Clemmons (Cumberland University). Black scored on four 3-point takedowns, an escape, riding time, and a penalty to win by major decision, 15-3.  

The fourth and final Patriots to take home an individual title was #13 Austin Silva in the 285-bout. In his opening match, he went up against Michael Peneski (Rio Grande) where he notched a fall of 2:18 to advance. Silva followed that up with an impressive 17-2 technical victory over #25 Aaron Garcia, highlighted by eight points in the second period on a 3-point takedown, 4-point nearfall, and an escape. In the finals, the Kentucky native notched his second fall of the day, this time coming against #3 Gabe Craig (Campbellsville) in 3:00 to win the title and Freshman of the Year honors.  

At 133, #10 Adonis Boyd took a second place finish, going 1-1 on the day. He opened the tournament with a bye and took his first match of the day in a 3-2 decision over #4 Izaeah Beavers (Campbellsville), scoring on a 3-point nearfall. Boyd then went on to face teammate #7 Chandlar Akins (Cumberlands) where he fell in a 7-1 decision.  

Also coming in second place at 157-lbs with a 1-1 mark was #22 Malachia Harris. Harris advanced passed the first round with a bye, followed by a matchup with Kaleb Clark (Midway). The freshman notched a fall at the 6:46 mark to move on. In the final round, Harris fell to #25 Tyler Muldrew (Campbellsville) by decision.  

#8 Dylan Preston secured the second place spot in the 174-weight class with a 2-1 record. Preston defeated Chris Morales in his first match by a 12-0 major decision. Preston tallied three 3-point takedowns, an escape, riding time, and a penalty. The senior followed that up with a 3-0 decision win against #23 Anthony Pyron (Cumberland University), scoring on a 2-point nearfall and an escape. Preston would fall in his final match to #5 Shadrick Slone (Campbellsville).  

In the 184-weight class, #7 Thomas Ketchen-Carter finished in second place. In the first round, he won his match over Ashton Simison (Rio Grande) by a 17-1 technical fall. Kectchen-Carter followed that up with a 7-2 decision win against #8 Brice Parks (Campbellsville), marking two 3-point takedowns, and an escape. In the championship match, the senior fell to #14 Rocco Horvath (Cumberland University).  

#20 Eli Peyton placed third in the 141-weight class, finishing 3-1. He began with a bye, followed by an overtime victory over #17 Nick Moore (Campbellsville). Peyton scored the only two points in overtime to move on. He would then drop his next match to #7 Jared Dinh (Cumberland University). In the consolation bracket, the junior defeated Bryant Beane (Campbellsville) in a 5-2 decision, collecting points on a 3-point takedown, escape, and penalty. In the third place match, Peyton won over Nick Moore (Campbellsville) for the second time of the day in a 4-1 sudden-death victory, scoring on a 3-point takedown and an escape.  

149 wrestler, #6 Jace Luchau took a third place finish, going 3-1. Luchau opened with Chris Sperin (Midway) and won in a narrow 4-2 decision. He would then fall to #3 Nicholas Yancey (Campbellsville) in the semifinals in three overtimes. The senior battled back with a 12-3 major decision win over #14 Elijah Griffin (Cumberland University). In the third place match, he notched a fall of 2:21 over Kyler Adams (Midway).  

#12 Weston Melvin placed third for the Patriots in the 165-bout. Melvin opened with a bye before defeating Ethan Gomez (Cumberland University) in a 5-2 decision, scoring on a 3-point takedown, an escape, and riding time. He would then fall to Eli Clemmons (Cumberland University) in overtime. Melvin bounced back with two decision wins over Abe Hafez (Midway) and Jasitin Kubwimana (Campbellsville) by scores of 2-1 and 10-7.  

#9 Gage Hudson finished sixth in the 141-weight class, with a 2-3 record on the day.  

The #4 Patriots will now gear up to send wrestlers to the NAIA National Championship in Wichita, Kansas. The championship is set to take place from Thursday March 6th – Saturday March 8th. 

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