LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The #5-ranked Ferrum College's men's wrestling team turned in a strong performance at the 2026 NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference Championships, finishing third overall with 169 team points and a pair of individual champs in
Ezekiel Keel and
Cameron Curva.
TOP HONORS
Keel won the 125-pound weight class, while Curva captured the 149-pound title. At the conclusion of the tournament, Keel was named Outstanding Wrestler and Ferrum Head Coach
Blake Roulo was named Mid-Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year. Host Liberty University won the team title with 204 points, finishing 21 points ahead of The Apprentice School.
TEAM SCORES
1. Liberty 204 pts; 2. Apprentice School 183; 3. Ferrum 169; 4. Virginia Tech 66.5; 5. Tennessee 64.5; 6. James Madison 61.5; 7. Ferrum - NCWA 53; 8. Clemson 50.5; 9. South Carolina 38.5; 10. East Carolina 35.5; 11. North Carolina-Charlotte 31.5; 12. High Point 23.5; 13. VCU 14.0; 14. Guilford 14
THE BASICS
The Panthers were led by two individual champions and seven total place-winners, highlighted by dominant performances across several weight classes.
Keel claimed the 125-pound title with an impressive run through his bracket. After receiving a first-round bye, he recorded back-to-back falls in the quarterfinals and semifinals before securing the title with a 15-5 major decision over Lucas VanNstrand of The Apprentice School. Keel finished the day 3–0 and contributed 24 team points to the Panthers' team score.
Curva opened his day with a fall over Liberty's Christian Knuckles and followed with a 13-5 major decision over James Madison's Brady Bollander in the semifinals. He was awarded the championship via medical forfeit in the finals, adding 24 team points for the Panthers.
Ferrum also had two wrestlers reach the finals and earn runner-up finishes. At 157 pounds,
Andres Cortes advanced to the title match with a technical fall and a fall in the earlier rounds before falling in a tightly contested 2–0 decision to Liberty's Matox Allen. Cortes scored 18.5 team points.
At 285 pounds,
Braeden Fluke powered his way into the finals with consecutive falls over wrestlers from Guilford and Liberty. Fluke ultimately finished second, dropping a narrow 6-5 decision in the title match, and scored 18 team points.
Ferrum added two third-place finishers. At 133 pounds,
Josiah Canales Maldonado battled back after a semifinal loss, earning wins in the consolation bracket, including a fall in the third-place match, to finish third and score 16.5 team points.
At 174 pounds,
Hunter Thompson also secured a third-place finish, highlighted by a quick 20-second fall in the quarterfinals before rebounding with a victory in the consolation finals.
Additional place-winners included
Joseph Toner, who placed fourth at 184 pounds,
Braden Crawford, who finished fifth at 141 pounds, and
Robert Owens Jr. (165) and
Noah Harris (197), who each placed seventh in their respective weight classes.
NCWA NATIONAL QUALIFIERS
Ferrum qualified 14 wrestlers overall for the 2026 National Collegiate Wrestling Association Nationals, including 11 automatics and three wildcards. Qualifiers include Keel (1st place at 125 lbs), Josiah Canales (3rd at 133), 141
Braden Crawford (5th at 141), Curva (1st at 149),
Andres Cortes (2nd 157),
Robert Owens Jr. (7th at 165, wildcard),
Hunter Thompson (3rd at 174);
Joseph Toner (4th at 184),
Noah Harris (7th at 197, wildcard),
Braeden Fluke (2nd at 285).
Ferrum also had four wrestlers qualify from the NCWA roster:
Hayden Thompson (2nd at 149),
Blake McCarty (5th at 157),
Grayson Ringwald (6th at 184) and Franklin Melton (8th at 197). Thompson had the marquee win of the day when he knocked off #1-ranked David Norris from Apprentice School, with a convincing 13-6 decision in the semifinals of the 149-pound weight class.
UP NEXT
Roulo's #5-ranked team will close out the season at the 2026 NCWA National Championships, to be held Thursday through Saturday, March 26-28, at Brookshire Grocery Arena in Shreveport, Louisiana.
