Ferrum Host Microsite

ROANOKE, Virginia -- The 2023 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, hosted by Ferrum College, kicked-off day one of the tournament, Friday, March 10, at the Berglund Center. Ferrum senior Braden Homsey and junior Rayshawn Dixon both competed in the tournament.

TOP 10 TEAM SCORES
1. Augsburg 62.5 pts; T2. Baldwin Wallace 40; T2. Wartburg 40; 4. North Central 38; 5. Wisconsin-La Crosse 35.5; 6. Stevens Tech34; 7. Coast Guard 27; 8. Johnson & Wales 26; 9. Coe 23; 10. Dubuque 21.5 

THE BASICS
Competing in the 197 pound weight class, Homsey fell in his opening match against Dylan Wellbaum of Adrian College by decision. He then won by forfeit over Gage Linahon from Central College in the wrestle back portion of the bracket. Josh Harkless of Rochester Institute of Technology pinned Homsey in an elimination match. Homsey also qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2020, but was unable to compete on account of the tournament being canceled due to the COVID pandemic outbreak. 

Rayshawn Dixon, seeded sixth in the 285 pound weight class, defeated Darryl Aiello from University of Dubuque by fall in his opening match. Dixon then lost by fall in the quarterfinal round to Kaleb Reeves of Coe College, the number three seed by fall. He then lost 9-8 to University of Southern Maine's Jake Peavey in an elimination match. This was Dixon's first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Both Ferrum wrestlers were eliminated from competition Friday. The Panthers were tied for 41st place as a team in a field of 71 teams. The tournament continues Saturday, March 11, starting at 10:00 a.m. and will conclude Saturday night with the finals at 7:00 p.m.

MATCH BY MATCH
197 Prelim - Dylan Wellbaum (Adrian ) won by decision over Braden Homsey (Ferrum) Dec 8-4
197 Prelim - Braden Homsey (Ferrum) won by forfeit over Gage Linahon (Central, Iowa)
197 Cons. Round 1 - Josh Harkless (RIT) 29-6 won by fall over Braden Homsey (Ferrum) Fall 5:40

285 Champ. Round 1 - Rayshawn Dixon (Ferrum) won by fall over Darryl Aiello (Dubuque) Fall 5:56
285 Quarterfinal - Kaleb Reeves (Coe) won by fall over Rayshawn Dixon (Ferrum ) Fall 0:23
Cons. Round 2 - Jake Peavey (Southern Maine) won by decision over Rayshawn Dixon (Ferrum) Dec 9-8

CHAMPIONSHIP HOST
The 2023 NCAA Div. III Wrestling Championships marks the second time the event has been hosted by Ferrum in the past five years. The Panthers previously hosted in 2019 at the Berglund Center, the first time the event was hosted in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The only previous institution to host an NCAA Wrestling Championship is Washington and Lee University, back in 1936, when the tournament included Div. I, II and III institutions.