DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University men's wrestling claimed its first conference team title and three Cougars won their respective weight classes in the 2022 Southeast Wrestling Conference Championships hosted Saturday in the Grant Center.

Senior Sam Braswell took first at 125 pounds, freshman Hunter Campbell won first at 149 pounds and junior George Moseley placed first at 174 pounds to highlight a strong day for Averett, which No. 15 in d3wrestle.com's tournament rankings and No. 18 in dual rankings. Wrestling on its home mats, Averett's 154.5 points easily carried the Cougars to a first-place finish in the team standings.

Overall, Averett had 13 wrestlers place in the eight-team event with seven Cougars reaching the finals and nine of its 10 starters placing in the top three.

Braswell, ranked No. 1 in the nation at 125, continued his undefeated season by rolling to the championship with a 16-2 major decision over Southern Virginia University's Jaden Nelson in the finals. Braswell opened the day with a 16-9 win by decision in the quarterfinals and advanced past the semifinals with a 20-5 tech fall of Greensboro College's Daniel Porter.

Following the tournament, Braswell was named the 2022 Southeast Wrestling Conference Most Outstanding Wrestler (125-157).

Campbell pinned University of the Ozarks' Jaylen York in 1:54 to pick up the conference title at 149 pounds. Campbell opened the day with a 19-2 tech fall win, then topped Roanoke College's Jarrod Pominville in the quarterfinals. Campbell was set to face his teammate, redshirt freshman Gabe LaVey in the semifinals. However, LeVey medically forfeited, sending Campbell to the finals. LeVay placed sixth in 149.

Moseley brought home the other championship for the Cougars. He defeated Shenandoah University's Dylan Weaver with an 11-3 major decision in the finals. Moseley won by fall in the opening round, earned a 7-4 decision in the quarterfinals, then picked up a win by fall in the semifinals to advance to the championship.

Senior Brandon Woody (141), sophomore Alex Turley (165), freshman Khalil Mitchell (184) and Billy Baldwin (197) all placed second after advancing to the finals. Woody lost a tough 3-1 decision in his final match, Turley lost by a 6-3 decision and Mitchell fell short by an 8-3 decision.

Freshman Mason Barrett (133), freshman Jesse Alvarado (157) and junior Jamar Christian (197) all bounced back from a semifinals loss to win their third-place matches. Freshman Anthony Taylor placed fourth at 165. Averett junior Trent Ragland placed sixth at 285 after medically forfeiting once he advanced to the semifinals.

All wrestlers who placed in the top six earned Southeast Wrestling All-Conference honors.

The Cougars, in their fifth season of existence, notched their first-ever conference championship as a team. Third-year head coach Blake Roulo was named the 2022 Southeast Wrestling Conference Coach of the Year.

Averett finished ahead of University of the Ozarks, which placed second with 128 points. Roanoke College was third with 121.5 points.
 
Averett hosts Roanoke College in a dual on Saturday, Feb. 12, before preparing for the NCAA Regional.

Final Results By Weight Class: 
125   
133   
141  
149   
157   
165   
174   
184   
197   
285

All-Conference: Top six finishers in each weight class

Major Awards:
2022 SEWC Most Outstanding Wrestler Award (125-157): Samuel Braswell, Averett 

2022 SEWC Most Outstanding Wrestler Award (165-285): Mahlon Sallah, Roanoke

2022 SEWC Rookie of the Year Jake Dado, University of Ozarks

2022 SEWC Coach of the Year: Blake Roulo, Averett