UMO men’s wrestling picked sixth in preseason poll

MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive men’s wrestling program was slotted to finish sixth in the preseason South Atlantic Conference Carolinas poll, which was announced by the league office on Friday morning.

In 2021, the Trojans posted a 8-9 overall record behind a 2-6 mark in the league standings. Mount Olive placed ninth overall at the NCAA Super Region II Championships with Jake Nicolosi finishing runner-up at the 157 weight class and Jonathan Clack placing fourth at 197. Nicolosi earned selection to the NCAA National Championships and became the program’s fourth-ever participant at the event. Dan Willis enters his third year as the men’s wrestling head coach at Mount Olive.

Lander was selected as the preseason favorite in the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas with eight-first place votes after finishing third at the NCAA Super Regionals in 2021, while sending four wrestlers to the national championships. Two-time defending-regional champions Newberry ranked second in the poll with two-first place votes, while Belmont Abbey was tabbed third and received the final first-place vote. UNC Pembroke was picked fourth and King rounded out the top five overall in the rankings.

The NCAA Super Regional II is scheduled for February 25 in Pembroke, while the NCAA National Championships will be held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 10-11.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics