Alliance, Ohio – The Southern Virginia University men's wrestling team opened its 2025 campaign at the Mount Union Invitational on Saturday, facing 13 other programs in a deep field featuring several strong Division II and III teams. 

The Knights showed flashes of promise in their first outing of the season, earning multiple match wins and bonus points across several weight classes with a large class of freshman making an immediate impact. 

Top Performers

• Freshman Harrison Hoopes (184 lbs) – Making his Knights debut finished 3-2, earning 6.5 team points.
• Wins included a major decision (12-2), a fall (4:48), and a technical fall (19-0).
• Fell in the final consolation round to Troy McClelland (Seton Hill) by decision (9-2).

Freshman Wyatt Kinne (165 lbs) – Went 3-2, contributing 5.0 team points.

• Earned wins by technical fall (17-2) and decision (10-9) before being stopped in the fourth consolation round.
• Jaton Wellington (125 lbs) – Posted a 2-2 record, tallying 5.5 team points.
• Notched two first-period pins (0:11 and 2:24) in an impressive debut.

Additional Results

• Freshman Talon Whicker (133 lbs) – 1-2, recorded a major decision (13-4) in his opening bout.
• Freshman Tanner Giatras (174 lbs) – 2-2, earning wins by decision (8-4) and (2-0) before falling in the fourth consolation round.
• Freshman Tucker Wilkins (165 lbs) – 1-2, picked up a technical fall (15-0) win in consolation action.

Rave Morby (125), Maddox Heck (125), Joseph Comaduron (133), Porter Kinne (141), Richie Kulessa (149), Corbin Mecham (157), Kyler North (157), Hank Svedin (184), and Marc Richardson (285) also represented the Knights in their season debut, gaining valuable experience against a strong field.

The Knights now turn their attention to the Washington and Jefferson Invitational next weekend (November 8th), as the team continues its early-season schedule against regional competition before starting its ODAC slate..