By Hunter Gamble

The Southern Conference wrestling tournament is one of seven Division I conference wrestling tournaments. It is a mixture of small mid-major programs in the southeast. No matter which southeastern city it is held in, SoCons is a small eight-man tournament wrestled on two mats. The nature of the small tournament creates an intimate atmosphere between fans, coaches, and competitors.

Although it’s not a big tournament, the impact is just the opposite for at least 10 young men. Each Southern Conference individual champion will receive a trip to the NCAA tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 19-21. A trip to the NCAA tournament for an athlete representing the Southern Conference is an opportunity for them to make history. The Southern Conference has only netted eight total All-Americans over the past decade. Here’s the entire list:

2010-19

• Kyle Blevins, Appalachian State, 165 lbs. - 4th Place
• Austin Trottman, Appalachian State, 184 lbs. - 3rd Place
• Ugi Khishignyam, The Citadel, 141 lbs. - 4th Place
• Odie Delaney, The Citadel, 285 lbs. - 7th Place
• Turtogtokh Luvsandorj, The Citadel, 165 lbs. - 6th Place
• Nathan Kraisser, Campbell, 125 lbs. - 8th Place
• Jake Residori, SIU - Edwardsville, 174 lbs. - 8th Place
• Denzel Dejournette, Appalachian State, 285 lbs. - 8th Place

I have been to the Southern Conference tournament the last seven years in a variety of capacities. I’ve wrestled, beaten, lost to, and been coached by some of these athletes. In addition, I have watched all of them compete at the NCAA tournament as well. In 2020, I hope to watch new faces go on and become NCAA All-Americans. Before that, the Southern Conference will crown 10 individual champions and a team champ. I will preview the weight-by-weight contenders, predictions, and give my thoughts on who will win the 2020 Southern Conference team title.

125 Pounds

Ranking | 1 Allocation

1⃣2⃣5⃣ pic.twitter.com/wuGEXjudZJ

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

There are three contenders to win a Southern Conference title at 125 pounds. The top seed will be Fabian Gutierrez of Chattanooga. The two seed will likely be Sean Carter of Appalachian State and the three seed will be Korbin Meink of Campbell. These three have separated themselves from others in the conference but not from each other. Gutierrez has two wins over Carter and two wins over Meink this season, solidifying himself as the top seed. Carter owns a 6-4 decision over Meink this season and they will likely meet each other in the semifinals.

Although Meink is the reigning conference champion this year, he has yet to beat Carter or Gutierrez. Look for Carter to advance to the finals over Meink and set up a third match with Gutierrez. Carter has wrestled 38 matches as a true freshman and continues to improve as the season advances. It is hard to beat an opponent three times and Carter closed the gap the second time around against Gutierrez. Gutierrez will look to get out to a fast start and secure his first conference title.

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Team Race Implications

The semifinal match between App State’s Sean Carter and Campbell’s Korbin Meink will have major team implications. A high number of finalists is the name of the game in this small conference tournament. Campbell and App State do not have many potential head-to-head matchups before the finals as many of their wrestlers will be on opposite sides of the bracket.

The Picks

1. Fabian Gutierrez (UTC) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Sean Carter (App)
3. Korbin Meink (Camp)

133 Pounds

Ranking | 1 Allocation

1⃣3⃣3⃣ pic.twitter.com/Mo5mEMWEC0

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

There are two major contenders at this weight. The top seed will be Noah Gonser of Campbell and the two seed will likely be Codi Russell of Appalachian State. Before the NCAA allocations came out, I fully expected there to be two allocations with Russell and Gonser earning a bid. It seems that only Gonser gained a bid and Russell and Gonser will challenge for that spot. This could set up a rematch between Gonser and Russell in the 2019 Southern Conference finals which Russell won. These two have been back and forth their entire careers with Gonser having the most recent win between them.

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Trevon Majette of Gardner-Webb could crash the party as he pinned Russell earlier in the year. He has taken losses since then but could potentially meet Russell in the semifinals. Kyle Gorant of Davidson is another solid guy at this weight and could challenge for a podium finish. Lastly, UT-Chattanooga has started a couple of different 133-pounders this season in Wade Cummings and Colton Landers. Cummings owns a win over Gorant and Landers owns a win over Majette at this weight.

Team Implications

The team implications will likely come down to the finals match between Gonser and Russell. Russell beat Gonser in last year's finals match but Gonser has looked fantastic all season. With only one NCAA allocation and a potentially close team race, this match has a lot at stake. Lastly, UTC will hope to take third at this weight and hopefully gain some bonus points along the way.

The Picks

1. Gonser (Camp) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Russell (App)
3. Cummings (UTC)

141 Pounds

Ranking | 1 Allocation

1⃣4⃣1⃣ pic.twitter.com/1FmD46dSSq

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

There are two main contenders at this weight, with Josh Heil of Campbell going undefeated in conference action this season and Bradly Irwin of Appalachian State, whose only loss is to Heil. Heil owns an 8-5 decision over Irwin and also a close 5-4 decision over Chattanooga’s Mason Wallace. Wallace and Irwin had an interesting match this season. It was a competitive match before Irwin locked up a cradle and packed Wallace. The seeds at this weight class past the first two will be interesting. Wallace could end up on either side of the bracket and it will be interesting to see how he fairs after pushing Heil to the limit earlier this season. Jacob Dado of The Citadel has also kept it close with Heil and has the potential to get on the podium with a good tournament.

Team Implications

Wherever Wallace gets placed in the bracket could have team implications if he can get an upset over either Heil or Irwin. Heil has cemented himself as the best guy in the conference and has the potential of being an NCAA All-American. Look for him to win back-to-back Southern Conference titles and rack up some team points.

The Picks

1. Heil (Camp) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Wallace (UTC)
3. Irwin (App)

149 Pounds

Ranking | 2 Allocations

1⃣4⃣9⃣ pic.twitter.com/phmjccHSGv

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

The contenders at this weight class are similar to the contenders at 125. John Millner will be the top seed at this weight class and has gone undefeated in conference action. Like Gutierrez at 125, Millner has beaten the other two contenders at this weight class twice this season. Millner has beaten Chattanooga’s Tanner Smith twice this season and has also beaten Campbell’s Jason Kraisser twice. Smith and Kraisser will likely meet in the semifinals where Smith has handled Kraisser in their two meetings this season. Whoever wins between Smith and Kraisser will likely secure their spot at the national tournament as this weight has two NCAA allocations. There is the possibility for a true second-place match at this weight class, but I do not expect anyone to break through and steal an allocation from Smith or Millner.

Team Implications

The semifinal match between Smith and Kraisser will have team implications. Appalachian State will likely be a big Tanner Smith fan in this round in an attempt to cap Campbell’s point-scoring ability at this weight. A first-place finish from Millner and a third-place finish from Kraisser could put App State right back in it after Campbell takes a lead from the 133 and 141 weight classes.

The Picks

1. Millner (App) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Smith (UTC) - NCAA Qualifier
3. Kraisser (Camp)

157 Pounds

Ranking | 1 Allocation

1⃣5⃣7⃣ pic.twitter.com/bNxZbzrkhR

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

There is only one contender at this weight in my opinion. Unless something major happens Matthew Zovistoski of Appalachian State will win this weight. He has been dominant against all Southern Conference competition this season and should be the sole NCAA qualifier from this weight class. 2nd place is up for grabs at this weight class for whichever four wrestlers are on the bottom side of the bracket. The two seed will likely be Matthew Dallara of Campbell. His only two losses in conference action are to Zovistoski and to Douglas Gudenburr of The Citadel. Past Zovistoski and Dallara, this weight opens up with Lawrence Williams of VMI, Zachary Phillips of Presbyterian, Tyler Shilson of UTC, Hunter Costa of Davidson, and Taylor Parks of Gardner-Webb all having bright spots this season.

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Team Implications

However this bracket is seeded could have an impact on the team race. If Dallara gets upset in the quarterfinals or semifinals it could really benefit Appalachian State as Campbell’s best title threats are still to come.

The Picks

1. Zovistoski (App) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Dallara (Camp)
3. Phillips (Pres)

165 Pounds

Ranking | 1 Allocation

1⃣6⃣5⃣ pic.twitter.com/O0uVZ1Z5mn

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

This weight is very similar to 157. Quentin Perez of Campbell is the clear frontrunner at this weight class. He has not lost to anyone in conference action and will be the one seed. Expect him to clear out this weight and earn a trip to Minneapolis for the NCAA tournament. The man that will stand across Perez in the finals remains to be seen. Dazjon Casto of The Citadel had a close match with Perez earlier this season but he has taken some losses within the conference. Roderick Mosley of Gardner-Webb will likely be the two seed at this weight class but lost to Casto earlier in the year. Will Formato of Appalachian State will hope he can secure a spot on the bottom side of the bracket and possibly make the finals. Drew Nicholson of Chattanooga has losses to Formato, Mosley, and Perez but beat Casto in their dual earlier this season.

Team Implications

The team implications will come down to how this bracket is seeded. Appalachian State has to hope Formato can secure a seed on the bottom side of the bracket in order to avoid a matchup with Perez before the finals. If Nicholson is on the bottom side and has the opportunity to wrestle Casto, who he beat earlier this season, then he could be a surprise finalist and put UTC into the thick of the team race.

The Picks

1. Perez (Camp) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Mosley (G-W)
3. Formato (App)

174 Pounds

Ranking | 2 Allocations

1⃣7⃣4⃣ pic.twitter.com/H8iKyp89Y0

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

There are two NCAA allocations at this weight class earned by Thomas Flitz of Appalachian State and by Neal Richards of VMI. Richards won this weight class last year over Andrew Morgan of Campbell, who is up at 184 this season. Flitz and Richards had a great match this season where Flitz won a 12-11 barn-burner. They will likely go at it again in the Southern Conference finals.

Austin Kraisser of Campbell has losses to both Flitz and Richards this season. He will likely have another meeting with Richards in the semifinals. Hunter Fortner of UTC has losses to all three other contenders but could potentially be on the podium with an upset. Since there are two allocations at this weight class, there could be the possibility of a true second match if Kraisser takes third and Richards can flip the result against Flitz from earlier this season.

Team Implications

Flitz’s win against Richards in the dual really benefits App State here as it gives Flitz’s a more manageable semifinal and it will allow Richards and Kraisser to settle things on the opposite side. If Richards gets past Kraisser again and Flitz can best Richards one more time, it could allow Appalachian State another opportunity to earn valuable team points while denying Campbell an opportunity to make the finals.

The Picks

1. Richards (VMI) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Flitz (App) - NCAA Qualifier
3. Kraisser (Camp)

184 Pounds

Ranking | 2 Allocations

1⃣8⃣4⃣ pic.twitter.com/SS7RwnQrT8

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

Andrew Morgan is the clear favorite at this weight class and has dominated SoCon action this season. He is the highest-ranked wrestler from the Southern Conference in the NCAA rankings. The other contender at this weight is Matthew Waddell from UTC. Morgan has beaten Waddell in their previous meetings this season but Waddell has dominated everyone else at the weight class. Waddell is also highly ranked in the NCAA rankings and both wrestlers will likely earn a trip to the NCAA tournament.

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Julian Gorring is a true freshman out of Appalachian State who has had an up-and-down season. Gorring is talented and although he lost earlier in the season to Waddell, there is a lot at stake in that potential semifinal match. Gorring could earn a trip to the national tournament and gain valuable team points with a win against Waddell. Since there are two NCAA allocations there is the possibility of a true second challenge match at this weight class as well.

Team Implications

I see Campbell picking up valuable team points at this weight class. Morgan has been dominant all season and Waddell will likely push Gorring to the consolation bracket which will allow Campbell to widen their margin over Appalachian State.

The Picks

1. Morgan (Camp) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Waddell (UTC) - NCAA Qualifier
3. Gorring (App)

197 Pounds

Ranking | 1 Allocation

1⃣9⃣7⃣ pic.twitter.com/aiX7IqGxFq

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

This is my favorite weight at the Southern Conference tournament. There are three clear contenders at 197 who all have a chance of winning: Rodney Jones of UTC, Chris Kober of Campbell, and either Demazio Samuel or Paul Carson of Appalachian State. First we need to decide who is going to be the starter for Appalachian State. Paul Carson has a win over Samuel this season at the Appalachian State Open. Although Carson beat Samuel, Samuel has a win over Jones of UTC and Carson lost to Jones this season. Appalachian State has quite the decision on their hands. I believe they will go with Samuel as their starter as he has shown the capability to beat better guys than Carson has this season. Kober and Samuel had a great match this season and they will likely meet in the semifinals for another showdown. Jones beat Kober but lost to Samuel this season. He will likely be the one seed and wait to see the outcome between Kober and Samuel.

Team Implications

Another reason this is my favorite weight class is that it’s another weight class Appalachian State and Campbell will likely be on the same side of the bracket. The semifinal between Kober and Samuel is very similar to the potential semi-final between Korbin Meink and Sean Carter at 125 lbs.

The Picks

1. Jones (UTC) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Kober (Camp)
3. Samuel (App)

285 Pounds

Ranking | 2 Allocations

HWT pic.twitter.com/R9jr9kp6bv

— SoCon Gameday (@SoConScores) March 4, 2020

The Contenders

The two main contenders at this weight class are Jere Heino of Campbell and Cary Miller of Appalachian State. There are two NCAA allocations available at this weight class and Heino and Miller will likely capture these spots at the NCAA tournament. Heino won a close decision over Miller this season. Miller has improved each year at Appalachian State and keeps closing the gap against Heino. Chris Beck of VMI and Michael McAleavey of The Citadel are both contenders for making the podium at this weight class. Look for them to drop down and meet each other in the third-place bout. This weight has two allocations so there is the possibility that the winner between McAleavey and Beck could challenge for a true second match.

Team Implications

In an ideal situation, every weight class would have the same amount of allocations so we could save this heavyweight showdown for the last match of the night. Imagine this, the team race is on the line between Appalachian State and Campbell and it will be decided on who wins the heavyweight match between Jere Heino and Cary Miller. Not to mention, it will be in Boone, North Carolina. The gym will be rocking with Appalachian State fans and this is the match that match could decide it all. Unfortunately, this will not be the last match of the night because all finals matches with two allocations will be wrestled before all of the other finals matches. Either way, this match has a lot on the line and I think Miller finally gets over the hump.

The Picks

1. Miller (App) - NCAA Qualifier
2. Heino (Camp) - NCAA Qualifier
3. Beck (VMI)

Team Race

Campbell was able to capture the Southern Conference dual title this season. They will look to go two-for-two with a tournament championship as well. This team has so much firepower from top to bottom. I have predicted every Campbell wrestler to place in the top three at the 2020 Southern Conference tournament with four individual champions.

Although Campbell has firepower, Appalachian State is not far behind and with a few upsets they could be your 2020 tournament champions. I am predicting App State to place at all 10 weight classes as well and have three individual champions. It may sound outrageous to think that Appalachian State and Campbell will have placers at every weight class but that’s how consistent both teams are at every weight this season. The team race will come down to a few matches and key weight classes for both teams. Here are the key matches and weight classes for both teams.

Key Team Race Moments

• 125 lb. Semifinal: Korbin Meink (Camp) vs. Sean Carter (App)
• 133 lb. Final: Noah Gonser (Camp) vs. Codi Russell (App)
• 165 lb. Where Will Formato (App) is seeded
• 197 lb. Who Appalachian State chooses as their starter
• 197 lb Semifinal: Demazio Samuel (App) vs. Chris Kober (Camp)
• 285 lb Final: Jere Heino (Camp) vs. Cary Miller (App)

Team Champions

1. Campbell
2. Appalachian State
3. Chattanooga