Presbyterian Wrestling Faces Trio of Opponents in Thursday Tri-Meet
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Presbyterian College’s men’s wrestling team is gearing up for a challenging day of competition, facing Davidson, Air Force, and Franklin & Marshall in consecutive duals on Thursday, December 18th, at Templeton Gymnasium in Clinton, South Carolina. The Blue Hose will be seeking their first wins against these opponents, holding a combined 0-9 all-time record against the three programs.
A Quick Turnaround at Templeton Gymnasium
This tri-meet marks the Presbyterian wrestling team’s second appearance at Templeton Gymnasium within four days, following a home opener loss to Cal Baptist earlier this week. The schedule is packed, with the first match against Davidson slated for 9:00 AM, followed by Air Force around 10:30 AM, and Franklin & Marshall near noon. Fans can follow the action with live results provided by Track Wrestling.
Scouting the Competition
The Presbyterian squad faces a steep climb, historically, against all three opponents. Here’s a closer look at each team:
Davidson Wildcats
Presbyterian has already experienced one Southern Conference (SoCon) matchup this season – a narrow one-point defeat to Campbell on a unique venue, an aircraft carrier. Their first SoCon opponent of the day, Davidson, has yet to participate in a league match. While the Wildcats have struggled against strong competition like North Carolina, Purdue, and Rutgers, they recently secured a decisive 43-8 victory over Morgan State. Last season, Presbyterian lost to Davidson 27-13, despite a four-minute pin from heavyweight Morvens Saint John.
Air Force Falcons
Traveling 1,500 miles from Colorado, the Air Force Falcons return to Templeton Gymnasium for the second consecutive year. Last January, they defeated Presbyterian 41-3, with then-senior Eli Holiday securing a 10-8 decision. The Falcons have already competed against other SoCon teams this winter, defeating The Citadel 23-12 but falling to Gardner-Webb 20-18. Despite a recent loss to #5 Oklahoma State, Air Force heavyweight Rylan Kuhn demonstrated his prowess by winning the 285-pound championship at the Cal State Bakersfield tournament.
Franklin & Marshall Diplomats
Hailing from Pennsylvania, Franklin & Marshall presents another familiar challenge for Presbyterian. The Diplomats have primarily focused on tournament competition this season, participating in five brackets and only one dual meet. That single dual resulted in a 27-11 victory over Long Island. They recently finished 19th out of 30 teams at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas and have consistently achieved top-ten placements at the Shorty Hitchcock Memorial and the Keystone Classic.
Recent Results and Key Performers
Presbyterian’s recent home opener against Cal Baptist resulted in a loss, with only one victory secured by true freshman Yanik Simon at 165 pounds, who earned a 6-3 decision. Despite the team result, several Presbyterian wrestlers have shown promise in individual tournaments. Senior Ryan Luna (133/141) achieved 6th place at a Virginia Tech bracket and 3rd at the Mountaineer Open, while Saint Jean secured a bronze finish at the Appalachian State tournament.
The team will look to build on these individual successes as they navigate the demanding schedule on Thursday.
