Winchester, Va. — Averett University men's wrestling came home with two individual champions and seven placers at the 2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Individual Championships on Saturday hosted at Shenandoah University. In total, the Cougars had seven wrestlers finish in the top three of their respective weight classes to earn All-ODAC honors.

At 125 pounds, junior Adrian Samano dominated his bracket on the way to a championship. After receiving a first-round bye, Samano cruised past Shenandoah's Elliott Rivera with a 23-3 technical fall in the semifinals before securing the title with a 16-6 major decision over Roanoke College's Ryan Saunders in the finals.

The Cougars also claimed gold at 184 pounds behind senior Khalil Mitchell. Mitchell opened with a 15-0 technical fall over Greensboro College's Jordan Warren in just 1:16. He then went on to earn a 7-1 semifinal decision over Washington and Lee University's Sam Tignor. He capped his run with an 8-2 decision against Roanoke's William Martin to secure the first-place finish.

Averett placed six additional wrestlers on the podium. At 133 pounds, junior A.J. Orlando III battled back after a narrow 2-0 semifinal loss, posting a pair of dominant technical falls before earning a 6-0 decision to take third place. 

At 149 pounds, senior Landon Neal rebounded from a semifinal setback with a 13-5 major decision in the consolation semifinals and a 15-0 technical fall over Randolph College's Noah Williams to finish third. 

The Cougars added another third-place finish at 165 pounds from junior Cooper Comer, who recorded two falls on the day, including a 1:35 pin in the quarterfinals and a 2:36 pin in the third-place match. At 174 pounds, senior Michael Gabbard also claimed third, collecting three pins. 

Senior heavyweight Carter Erickson rounded out Averett's third-place finishers, earning a fall in the quarterfinals, a major decision in the consolation finals and a 17-2 technical fall over Shenandoah's Rives Hargis in the third-place match.

At 157 pounds, junior Carter Shupert placed fourth after winning an 11-4 decision in the consolation semifinals before dropping a close 12-8 bout in the third-place match.

The Cougars travel to Ada, Ohio on February 27 to compete at the NCAA Region 4 Championships, hosted by Ohio Northern University.

 

2026 ODAC Wrestling Championships
 

125

Adrian Samano received a bye

Semifinal: Adrian Samano def. Elliott Rivera (Shenandoah), TF 23-3 (2:20)

1st Place Match: Adrian Samano def. Ryan Saunders (Roanoke), MD 16-6
 

133

Quarterfinal: A.J. Orlando III def. Triston Woodard (Greensboro), TF 20-5 (7:00)

Semifinal: Michael Policarpio (Roanoke) def. A.J. Orlando III, Dec 2-0

Cons. Semifinal: A.J. Orlando III def. Talon Whicker (Southern Virginia), TF 18-1 (3:54)

3rd Place Match: A.J. Orlando III def. Anakin Burks (Shenandoah), Dec 6-0
 

141

Quarterfinal: Mitchell Johnson (Greensboro) def. Mauricio Reyes, Dec 9-7

Cons. Round 1: Porter Kinne (Southern Virginia) def. Mauricio Reyes, Dec 4-2
 

149

Landon Neal received a bye

Semifinal: Jackson Rowling (Roanoke) def. Landon Neal, TF 21-5 (6:21)

Cons. Semifinal: Landon Neal def. Richie Kulessa (Southern Virginia), MD 13-5

3rd Place Match: Landon Neal def. Noah Williams (Randolph), TF 15-0 (5:51)
 

157

Carter Shupert received a bye

Semifinal: Casey Smith (Roanoke) def. Carter Shupert, MD 17-6

Cons. Semifinal: Carter Shupert def. Matthew Garland (Randolph), Dec 11-4

3rd Place Match: Hunter Ballantine (Shenandoah) def. Carter Shupert, Dec 12-8
 

165

Quarterfinal: Cooper Comer def. Nicholas Menjivar (Greensboro), Fall 1:35

Semifinal: Mark Toni (Washington and Lee) def. Cooper Comer, TF 17-1 (5:41)

Cons. Semifinal: Cooper Comer def. William Hudson (Shenandoah), MD 10-2

3rd Place Match: Cooper Comer def. Nicholas Menjivar (Greensboro), Fall 2:36
 

174

Quarterfinal: Michael Gabbard def. Leviathan Haynes (Randolph), Fall 2:47

Semifinal: Jacob Wright (Washington and Lee) def. Michael Gabbard, Dec 4-1 (SV)

Cons. Semifinal: Michael Gabbard def. Tanner Giatras (Southern Virginia), Fall 1:30

3rd Place Match: Michael Gabbard def. Ethan Kring (Greensboro), Fall 0:26
 

184

Quarterfinal: Khalil Mitchell def. Jordan Warren (Greensboro), TF 15-0 (1:16)

Semifinal: Khalil Mitchell def. Sam Tignor (Washington and Lee), Dec 7-1

1st Place Match: Khalil Mitchell def. William Martin (Roanoke), Dec 8-2
 

197

Quarterfinal: Jacob Jimenez def. Gabriel Wade (Randolph), TF 19-3 (3:40)

Semifinal: Brock Sullivan (Roanoke) def. Jacob Jimenez, Dec 4-2

Cons. Semifinal: Jacob Jimenez def. Isaiah Manning (Greensboro), Dec 12-7

3rd Place Match: Tradyn Henderson (Southern Virginia) def. Jacob Jimenez, Fall 1:48
 

285

Quarterfinal: Carter Erickson def. Amario Wilson (Greensboro), Fall 2:07

Semifinal: Nicholas Cook (Roanoke) def. Carter Erickson, Dec 11-4

Cons. Semifinal: Carter Erickson def. Marc Richardson (Southern Virginia), MD 11-2

3rd Place Match: Carter Erickson def. Rives Hargis (Shenandoah), TF 17-2 (7:00)