WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Averett University men's wrestling opened its season at the Lycoming College Invitational on Sunday by totaling 16 placers, including senior Xavier Swanson winning first place in the 165-pound juniors/seniors division bracket.

Swanson rolled through his competition, notching falls in his first two matchups. The third-ranked wrestler in the region won with an impressive 17-3 major decision in the semifinals to advance to the first-place match, which he won by medical forfeit.

In addition to the one first place, Averett had three runner-up finishes, five third-place finishes, three finish fourth, three finish fifth and one eighth-place finish.

Junior Carter Shupert got all the way to the 157 finals before falling by a 6-4 decision. Senior Michael Gabbard advanced to the finals of the 174 juniors/seniors bracket thanks to pins, but had to default due to injury midway through the first-place match. Senior Jacob Jimenez, ranked No. 4 in the region, also advanced to the finals at 197 in the juniors/seniors bracket, where he fell short to finish second.

Freshman Horacio Bowen (157), junior A.J. Orlando III (133), senior Landon Neal (149), senior Jackson Higgins (157) and senior Carter Erickson (285) all placed third in their respective weight classes and divisions. Meanwhile freshman Akram Guliyev (133), freshman Tanner Bridges (285) and senior Wyatt Parker (141) all placed fourth, freshman Georgi Sezenias (125), sophomore Luke Zadrazil (149) and junior Adrian Samano (125) finished fifth and freshman Bryson Caudle (184) placed eighth.

The tournament also marked the head coaching debut of Sam Braswell, who was named head coach in July after serving as an assistant coach for three seasons following his stellar All-American career wrestling for Cougars.

Averett's next scheduled action is a home quad-match with Randolph College, East Stroudsburg University and Marymount University on Saturday, Nov. 8.
 
 
 
 
 
Lycoming College Invitational
Williamsport, Pa.
Nov. 2, 2025
 
Freshman/Sophomore Bracket
125
Georgi Sezenias placed fifth
First Round: Tristan Hinchcliff (Oneonta State) def. Georgi Sezenias (Averett), Dec 10-3
Cons. Rd. 1: Georgi Sezenias (Averett) def. Dannis Cepeda (Otterbein), Fall (0:43)
Cons. Rd. 2: Georgi Sezenias (Averett) def. Camden Bruce (Penn State Behrend), Fall (2:44)
Cons. Rd. 3: Georgi Sezenias (Averett) def. Keaton Venarcick (Penn State Behrend), Dec 2-0
Fifth-Place: Georgi Sezenias (Averett) def. Tristan Hinchcliff (Oneonta State),  Dec 6-3 (SV 1)
 
133
Akram Guliyev placed fourth
First Round: Akram Guliyev (Averett) def. Ryan Hydorn (Otterbein), TF 19-1 (7:00)
Second Round: Akram Guliyev (Averett) def. Devin McNamara (Oneonta State), Fall (2:38)
Semifinals: Aidan Shufelt (Castleton) def. Akram Guliyev (Averett), Fall (0:53)
Third-Place: Hayden Best (Misericordia) def. Akram Guliyev (Averett), Dec 8-1
 
141
First Round: Austin Gamber (Emmanuel) def. Jake Furman (Averett), TF 15-0 (5:24)
Cons. Rd. 1: Jake Furman (Averett) def. Alexander Santora (Scranton), Fall (2:54)
Cons. Rd. 2: Nicholas Alves (Emmanuel) def. Jake Furman (Averett), Fall (4:22)
 
149
Luke Zadrazil placed fifth
First Round: Ethan Martel (Emmanuel) def. Luke Zadrazil (Averett), Dec 12-9
Cons. Rd. 1: Luke Zadrazil (Averett) received a bye
Cons. Rd. 2: Luke Zadrazil (Averett) def. Matthew Sarter (Oneonta State), Fall (2:51)
Cons. Rd. 3: Luke Zadrazil (Averett) def. Nathaniel DeCoite (Scranton), Fall (4:49)
Fifth-Place: Luke Zadrazil (Averett) def. Brady Quinn (Misericordia), Fall (5:00)
 
157
Horacio Bowen placed third
First Round: Horacio Bowen (Averett) def. Blake Sastre (Castleton), Dec. 9-4
Quarterfinals: Horacio Bowen (Averett) def. Talon Oljey (Emmanuel), TF 20-5 (6:36)
Semifinals: Luke Dolan (Otterbein) def. Horacio Bowen (Averett), MD 10-1
Third-Place: Horacio Bowen (Averett) def. Myles Tirpak (Misericordia), Medical Forfeit
 
165
First Round: Wesly Guzman (Oneonta State) def. Cole Carter, TF 16-1 (3:00)
Cons. Rd. 1: Logan Bruce (Castleton) def. Cole Carter, Dec 8-4
 
First Round: David Fernandez (Oneonta State) def. James Fauntleroy Jr. (Averett), TF 15-0 (2:28)
Cons. Rd. 1: Lee New (Averett) def. James Fauntleroy Jr. (Averett), Fall (1:03)
 
First Round: Colin Diffee (Castleton) def. Lee New (Averett), Dec 7-6
Cons. Rd. 1: Lee New (Averett) def. James Fauntleroy Jr. (Averett), Fall (1:03)
Cons. Rd. 2: Charles Kitching (Scranton) def. Lee New (Averett), MD 13-5
 
First Round: Ryley Monica (Oneonta State) def. James Mahoney (Averett), TF 16-0 (3:20)
Cons. Rd. 1: Zachary Olden (Castleton) def. James Mahoney (Averett), Fall (1:45)
 
184
Bryson Caudle placed eighth
First Round: Ethan Guevara (Otterbein) def. Bryson Caudle (Averett), Dec 5-4
Cons. Rd. 1: Bryson Caudle (Averett) received a bye
Cons. Rd 2: Bryson Caudle (Averett) def. Matthew Macphail (Emmanuel), Fall (0:45)
Cons. Rd 3: Robbie Anderson (Misericordia) def. Bryson Caudle (Averett), Dec. 7-2
Seventh-Place: Bryson Caudle vs. Dennis Meza Velasquez (Marymount), Double Forfeit
 
285
Tanner Bridges placed fourth
First Round: Tanner Bridges (Averett) received a bye
Quarterfinals: Tanner Bridges (Averett) def. Max Shnipes (Scranton), Fall (5:22)
Semifinals: Aiden Hidlay (Misericordia) def. Tanner Bridges (Averett), Fall (4:42)
Third-Place: Jamel Johnson (Castleton) def. Tanner Bridges (Averett), Fall (8:30)
 
Junior/Senior Bracket
125
Adrian Samano placed fifth
First Round: Adrian Samano (Averett) received a bye
Quarterfinals: Evan Whiteside (Penn State Behrend) def. Adrian Samano (Averett), Dec 6-4
Cons. Rd. 2: Adrian Samano (Averett) def. Dominic Pascoe (Averett), TF 17-2 (1:25)
Cons. Rd. 3: Adrian Samano (Averett) def. Leonard Cocco (Lycoming), TF 17-2 (2:51)
Fifth-Place: Adrian Samano (Averett) def. Joseph Cappella (Scranton), TF 19-4 (5:35)
 
First Round: Ian Morales (Marymount) def. Dominic Pascoe (Averett), MD 13-0
Cons. Rd. 1: Dominic Pascoe (Averett) received a bye
Cons. Rd. 2: Adrian Samano (Averett) def. Dominic Pascoe (Averett), TF 17-2 (1:25)
 
133
A.J. Orlando III placed third
First Round. A.J. Orlando III (Averett) received a bye
Quarterfinals: A.J. Orlando III (Averett) def. Dylan Coward (Marymount), Fall (5:15)
Semifinals: Joseph Custodio (Marymount) def. A.J. Orlando III (Averett), Fall (3:33)
Third-Place: A.J. Orlando III (Averett) def. Gabriel Thacker (Otterbein), Fall (4:04)
 
141
Wyatt Parker placed fourth
First Round: Wyatt Parker (Averett) def. Anthony Coukart (Lycoming), Dec 7-3
Quarterfinals: Wyatt Parker (Averett) def. Phillip Venne (Oneonta State), Dec 7-2
Semifinals: Avery Leonard (Oneonta State) def. Wyatt Parker (Averett), TF 17-2 (3:00)
Third-Place: Trevor Cortright (Oneonta State) def. Wyatt Parker (Averett), Fall (0:32)
 
149
Landon Neal placed third
First Round: Landon Neal (Averett) def. Konstantinos Mavrikidis (Scranton), Fall (2:50)
Quarterfinals: Landon Neal (Averett) def. Jayden Drummond (Lycoming), Dec 12-10
Semifinals: Zach Orseno (Otterbein) def. Landon Neal (Averett), Dec 11-9
Third-Place: Landon Neal (Averett) def. Shkeb Nadir (Scranton), Dec 7-0
 
157
Carter Shupert placed second
First Round: Carter Shupert (Averett) received a bye
Quarterfinals: Carter Shupert (Averett) def. Nery Lunsford (Marymount), Fall (1:27)
Semifinals: Carter Shupert (Averett) def. Wayne Kent (Lycoming), Fall (1:21)
First-Place: Nate Camiscioli (Castleton) def. Carter Shupert (Averett), Dec 6-4

Jackson Higgins placed third
First Round: Jackson Higgins (Averett) received a bye
Quarterfinals: Jackson Higgins (Averett) def. Valentino Antoine (Marymount), Fall (5:48)
Semifinals: Nate Camiscioli (Castleton) def. Jackson Higgins (Averett), Dec 7-3
Third-Place: Jackson Higgins (Averett) def. Wyatt Kent (Lycoming), TF 18-3 (5:20)
 
165
Xavier Swanson placed first
First Round: Xavier Swanson (Averett) def. Wyatt Frawley (Lycoming), Fall (0:53)
Quarterfinals: Xavier Swanson (Averett) def. Carter Mottley (Otterbein), Fall (4:05)
Semifinals: Xavier Swanson (Averett) def. Steffan Lynch (Penn State Behrend), MD 17-3
First-Place: Xavier Swanson (Averett) def. Kaiden Wagner (Lycoming), Medical Forfeit

174
Michael Gabbard placed second
First Round: Michael Gabbard (Averett) received a bye
Quarterfinals: Michael Gabbard (Averett) def. Matthew Melchior (Penn State Behrend), Fall (1:33)
Semifinals: Michael Gabbard (Averett) def. Devon Green (Lycoming), Fall (2:43)
First-Place: Nolen Zeigler (Lycoming) def. Michael Gabbard (Averett), Injury (5:00)
 
197
Jacob Jimenez placed second
First Round: Jacob Jimenez (Averett) def. Abraham Keep (Penn State Behrend), Dec 4-3
Quarterfinals: Jacob Jimenez (Averett) def. Logan Frank (Castleton), Fall (2:45)
Semifinals: Jacob Jimenez (Averett) def. Ivan Neal (Lycoming), Dec 8-6
First-Place: Josh Negron (Castleton) def. Jacob Jimenez (Averett), MD 13-0
 
285
Carter Erickson placed third
First Round: Carter Erickson (Averett) received a bye
Quarterfinals: Carter Erickson (Averett) def. Andrew Morris (Oneonta State), MD 8-0
Semifinals: Evan Day (Castleton) def. Carter Erickson (Averett), Fall (4:39)
Third-Place: Carter Erickson (Averett) def. Matthew Bachie (Otterbein), Dec 2-1