LEXINGTON, Va. — Averett University men's wrestling netted two individual champions, four runner-up finishes and 10 placers at the 2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Individual Championships on Saturday hosted at Washington and Lee University. In total, the Cougars had eight wrestlers finish in the top three of their respective weight classes to earn All-ODAC honors.
 
Senior Mason Barrett earned is second consecutive ODAC title at 125 pounds with a thrilling 8-1 win by sudden victory in the finals over Roanoke College's Isaic Paulino. Barrett, ranked No. 3/5 nationally, rolled through the quarterfinals with a pin, then advanced to the finals with a 12-1 major decision in the semifinals earlier in the day.

Senior Anthony Taylor also returned to the top of the podium with his title at 157. Taylor, who won the ODAC crown at 165 as a sophomore and finished as the runner-up last year at 165, knocked off Roanoke's Jarrod Pominville with an 11-8 decision in the finals. Taylor won by fall and a 15-5 major decision through the first two rounds to get to the championship matchup.

All 10 of Averett's wrestlers advanced to their respective semifinals, with six winning to get to the finals. Four Cougars finished as the runner-up, including freshman Andres Cortes at 149, who lost by an 11-4 decision to Washington and Lee University's Evan Lindner. Junior Xavier Swanson also finished as the runner-up at 165, the second consecutive year he has been the ODAC runner-up. Swanson fell by a narrow 6-5 decision in the finals against Washington and Lee's Mark Troni. Washington and Lee's John Santowski topped junior Jacob Jimenez in the 197 finals by a 9-0 major decision and the Generals' Carter Stack won by fall over junior Braeden Fluke in the 285 finals.

Sophomore A.J. Orlando III and junior Nolan Gerwitz placed third to earn All-ODAC honors as well, while senior Mauricio Reyes and junior Michael Gabbard finished fifth.

Averett finished third in the team scoring behind Washington and Lee and Roanoke.

"We really showed up and showed out today," Averett head coach Blake Roulo said. "We flipped multiple matches that we lost earlier in the season. Even in defeat our guys left it all out there. Eight All-ODAC wrestlers, six finalists and two champions, plus as a team finishing in third by one point behind two top 25 programs. Our team is not the team to want to wrestle in two weeks when we show up like that. We can do even more."

Averett turns its attention to the NCAA Region 4 Championships, which will be hosted by the Cougars at the Grant Center Feb. 28-March 1. The top three finishes in each weight class will earn a trip to the NCAA National Championships later in March.





2025 ODAC Championships
Feb. 15, 2025
Hosted by Washington and Lee

125
Mason Barrett (23-3) placed first
Quarterfinal - Mason Barrett (Averett) def. Christopher Watson (Greensboro), Fall (2:21)
Semifinal - Mason Barrett (Averett) def. Matthew Papa (Southern Virginia), MD 12-1
First-Place Match - Mason Barrett (Averett) def. Isaic Paulino (Roanoke), SV-1 8-1

133
A.J. Orlando III placed third
Quarterfinal - A.J. Orlando III (Averett) def. Zakariya Gurban (Randolph) 11-24 (TF 16-0 (5:41)
Semifinal - Vincent Ziccardi (Washington & Lee) def. A.J. Orlando III (Averett) 22-12 (Dec 7-0)
Cons. Semi - A.J. Orlando III (Averett) def. Francisco Ramirez (Southern Virginia), TF 18-3 (3:00)
Third-Place Match - A.J. Orlando III (Averett) 22-12 def. Heath Burks (Shenandoah), Dec 12-6

141
Mauricio Reyes placed fifth
Quarterfinal - Mauricio Reyes (Averett) def. Sean Rinebolt (Shenandoah), Medical Forfeit
Semifinal - Josh Wilson (Greensboro) def. Mauricio Reyes (Averett), TF 19-4 (5:48)
Cons. Semi - Josiah Canales (Ferrum) def. Mauricio Reyes (Averett), Dec 8-6
Fifth-Place Match - Mauricio Reyes (Averett) def. Richie Kulessa (Southern Virginia), Fall (2:55)

149
Andres Cortes placed second
Quarterfinal - Andres Cortes (Averett) def. Porter Kinne (Southern Virginia), Fall (1:14)
Semifinal - Andres Cortes (Averett) def. Cameron Curva (Ferrum), Dec 7-6
First-Place Match - Evan Lindner (Washington & Lee) def. Andres Cortes (Averett), Dec 11-4

157
Anthony Taylor placed first
Quarterfinal - Anthony Taylor (Averett) def. Corbin Mecham (Southern Virginia), Fall (2:50)
Semifinal - Anthony Taylor (Averett) def. Joseph Olalde (Ferrum), MD 15-5
First-Place Match - Anthony Taylor (Averett) def. Jarrod Pominville (Roanoke), Dec 11-8

165
Xavier Swanson placed second
Quarterfinal - Xavier Swanson (Averett) def. Noah James (Southern Virginia), Fall (4:54)
Semifinal - Xavier Swanson (Averett) def. Jalen Cornelius (Shenandoah), MD 10-2
First-Place Match - Mark Troni (Washington & Lee) def. Xavier Swanson (Averett), Dec 6-5)

174
Michael Gabbard placed fifth
Quarterfinal - Michael Gabbard (Averett) def. Tyson Hoopes (Southern Virginia), Dec 4-1
Semifinal - Jacob Wright (Washington & Lee) def. Michael Gabbard (Averett), Dec 4-1
Fifth-Place Match - Michael Gabbard (Averett) def. Tyson Hoopes (Southern Virginia), Dec 5-3

184
Nolan Gerwitz placed third
Quarterfinal - Nolan Gerwitz (Averett) def. Luke Gregory (Greensboro), MD 10-2
Semifinal - Jack McCusker (Washington & Lee) def. Nolan Gerwitz (Averett), Dec 10-3
Cons. Semi - Nolan Gerwitz (Averett) def. Ikia Garcia (Southern Virginia), Dec 9-4
Third-Place Match - Nolan Gerwitz (Averett) def. Luke Gregory (Greensboro), Dec 10-6

197
Jacob Jimenez placed second
Quarterfinal - Jacob Jimenez (Averett) def. Britton Sorenson (Southern Virginia), TF 15-0 (3:31)
Semifinal - Jacob Jimenez (Averett) def. Hunter Moore (Roanoke), Dec 11-7
First-Place Match - John Santowski (Washington & Lee) def. Jacob Jimenez (Averett), MD 9-0

285
Braeden Fluke placed second
Quarterfinal - Braeden Fluke (Averett) received a bye
Semifinal - Braeden Fluke (Averett) def. Jacob Barlow (Greensboro), Fall (2:40)
First-Place Match - Carter Stack (Washington & Lee) def. Braeden Fluke (Averett), Fall (4:32)


Team Standings
1. Washington & Lee, 156.0
2. Roanoke, 134.5
3. Averett, 133.5
4. Greensboro, 70.5
5. Southern Virginia, 65.0
6. Shenandoah, 61.5
7. Ferrum, 42.5
8. Randolph, 14.5