WILLIAMSPORT, Pennsylvania – Ferrum College's wrestling team competed Friday and Saturday, March 1-2, at the NCAA Div. III Southeast Regional, hosted by Lycoming College. The Panthers placed 10th in a field of 22 teams.
 
Ferrum qualified two wrestlers for the NCAA Division III Wrestling Tournament, juniors Zach Beckner (133 lbs) and Rayshawn Dixon (285), by virtue of a top-three placement at the Southeast Regional for both men.

For both Beckner and Dixon, this will be a second shot at the NCAA Tournament. Beckner qualified in 2017, closing his rookie season as an All-American with a national runner-up finish. Dixon qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2023, which Ferrum hosted at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, and was one win shy of an All-America finish.
 
TEAM SCORES
1. Stevens, NJ 164.5 pts; 2. Averett, VA 146.5; 3. Roanoke, VA 145.5; 4. Delaware Valley, PA 118.0; 5. Washington & Lee, VA 102.0; 6. Lycoming, PA 96.5; 7. Messiah, PA 94.0; 8. Wilkes, PA 91.5; 9. Alvernia, PA 88.0; 10. Ferrum, VA 64.0; 11. Washington & Jefferson, PA 46.0; 12. Gettysburg, PA 39.0; 13. Marymount, VA 32.5; 13. Shenandoah, VA 32.5; 15. Thiel, PA 31.0; 16. St. Vincent, PA 26.0; 17. Greensboro, NC 25.5; 18. Penn State Behrend 24.5; 19. Waynesburg, PA 22.0; 20. York, PA 18.5; 21. Southern Virginia, VA 16.0; 22. King`s, PA 10.5
 
THE BASICS
Dixon extended his win streak to 31 matches with four wins over two days, capping the weekend with a regional crown. Dixon is a perfect 31-0 this season and currently ranked #3 in the nation among big men in the 285-pound weight class. He was the top seed this weekend, picking up a pin, two major decisions and a 7-4 win over Averett University's Trent Ragland in the finals. This is Dixon's fifth tournament title this season.

Beckner opened the tournament with a pin and a major decision before losing a tight 4-2 match to top seed Jacob Blair of Delaware Valley University in the semifinals. He posted a major decision in the consolation semifinals, then scored a reversal with seven seconds remaining in regulation to beat Roanoke College's Jude Robson 7-5 in the third-place match, punching his ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Adrian Samano (125) placed sixth for the Panthers, reaching the semifinals, where he lost 8-1 to top seed Mac Cafurello of Roanoke. In the consolations, he dropped a major decision, then fell 5-2 to Alvernia University's Keito Shaw in the fifth-place match.

Mateo Villalobos (165) and Franklin Melton (174) each won a pair of matches this weekend before being eliminated. Villalobos added a tech fall to his season total, while Melton added two pins.
 
FERRUM BY WEIGHT CLASS
125: Adrian Samano 2-3, (pin) 6th place
Champ. Round 2 - Adrian Samano (Ferrum) won by fall over Daniel Verscharen (W&J) (0:35)
Quarterfinal - Adrian Samano (Ferrum) won by decision over Akhil Vega (Stevens) (14-10)
Semifinal - Mac Cafurello (Roanoke) won by decision over Adrian Samano (Ferrum) (8-1)
Cons. Semi - Kaden Majcher (Lycoming) won by major decision over Adrian Samano (Ferrum) (15-5)
5th Place Match - Keito Shaw (Alvernia) 4-2 won by decision over Adrian Samano (Ferrum) (5-2)
 
133: Zach Beckner 4-1 (pin, 2 majors) 3rd place
Champ. Round 2 - Zach Beckner (Ferrum) won by fall over Asa Brunk (Messiah) (1:50)
Quarterfinal - Zach Beckner (Ferrum) won by major decision over Evan Whiteside (Thiel) (15-6)
Semifinal - Jacob Blair (Delaware Valley) won by decision over Zach Beckner (Ferrum) (4-2)
Cons. Semi - Zach Beckner (Ferrum) won by major decision over Cole Neil (Penn State Behrend) (12-1)
3rd Place Match - Zach Beckner (Ferrum) won by decision over Jude Robson (Roanoke) (7-5)
 
141: Jonathan Ward 1-2
Champ. Round 1 - Nico Diaz (Stevens) won by tech fall over Jonathan Ward (Ferrum) (4:07, 20-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Jonathan Ward (Ferrum) won by medical forfeit over Noah Clawson (King`s)
Cons. Round 3 - Hunter Swedish (W&J) won by major decision over Jonathan Ward (Ferrum) (14-2)
 
149: Joseph Olalde 0-2
Champ. Round 1 - Taylor Smith (Washington & Jefferson) won by fall over Joseph Olalde (Ferrum) (3:53)
Cons. Round 2 - Peyton Hearn (Penn State Behrend) won in sudden victory - 1 over Joseph Olalde (Ferrum) (4-1)
 
157: Tyler Ramirez 0-2
Champ. Round 1 - Gavin Pascoe (Gettysburg) won by decision over Tyler Ramirez (Ferrum) (5-4)
Cons. Round 2 - Tallion Elliott (Marymount) won by decision over Tyler Ramirez (Ferrum) (12-11)
 
165: Mateo Villalobos 2-2 (TF)
Champ. Round 1 - Mateo Villalobos (Ferrum) won by decision over Julian Schott (Marymount) (12-8)
Champ. Round 2 - Adam Coleman (Delaware Valley) won by fall over Mateo Villalobos (Ferrum) (5:52)
Cons. Round 2 - Mateo Villalobos (Ferrum) won by tech fall over Jacob Wilson (Waynesburg) (5:00, 18-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Jalen Cornelius (Shenandoah) won by decision over Mateo Villalobos (Ferrum) (7-6)
 
174: Franklin Melton 2-2 (2 pins)
Champ. Round 1 - Franklin Melton (Ferrum) won by fall over Sean Banks (Washington & Jefferson) (3:45)
Champ. Round 2 - Khalil Mitchell (Averett) won by tech fall over Franklin Melton (Ferrum) (2:25, 18-0)
Cons. Round 2 - Franklin Melton (Ferrum) won by fall over Connor Hoefling (Gettysburg) (6:30)
Cons. Round 3 - Logan Bechtold (St. Vin) won by major decision over Franklin Melton (Ferrum) (12-0)
 
184: Joseph Toner 0-2
Champ. Round 2 - Christopher Nuss (Wilkes) won by decision over Joseph Toner (Ferrum) (9-4)
Cons. Round 3 - Jessie Orbin (Waynesburg) won by decision over Joseph Toner (Ferrum) (4-3)
 
197: Ethan Fragoso 0-2
Champ. Round 2 - Gable Crebs (Lycoming) won by tech fall over Ethan Fragoso (Ferrum) (3:07, 16-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Phil Nave (Gettysburg) won by fall over Ethan Fragoso (Ferrum) (1:09)
 
285: Rayshawn Dixon 4-0 (pin, 2 majors) 1st place
Champ. Round 2 - Rayshawn Dixon (Ferrum) won by major decision over Simon Taylor (Gettysburg) (9-0)
Quarterfinal - Rayshawn Dixon (Ferrum) won by major decision over Jake Beistel (St. Vin) (15-2)
Semifinal - Rayshawn Dixon (Ferrum) won by fall over Caleb Burkhart (Wilkes) (2:02)
1st Place Match - Rayshawn Dixon (Ferrum) won by decision over Trent Ragland (Averett) (7-4)
 
UP NEXT
Coach Logan Meister will accompany Beckner and Dixon to the 2024 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships to be held Friday and Saturday, March 15-16, at University of Wisconsin La Crosse.