Newberry earns top spot among college wrestling programs in the Carolinas

Honor marks third straight year for the scarlet and gray

NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College wrestling team took the top spot in the Takedown Report’s rankings of college and university teams in North and South Carolina for the third year in a row. The rankings include wrestling programs from all divisions and affliations.

Newberry took the top ranking ahead of Division I programs like the University of North Carolina (No. 2), UNC Greensboro (No. 3), The Citadel (No. 4) and Duke University (No. 8).

The scarlet and gray earned the No. 1 spot for the third consecutive season. Newberry finished the year with an 18-4 record, an individual national champion at 184 lbs. in Bryant Blanton (Summerville, S.C.) and three All-Americans with Blanton, Keeno Griffin (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Sheridan Moran (Lafayette, La.).

In addition to the top team ranking, every member of Newberry’s final starting lineup earned individual rankings in the top eight of his respective weight class, regardless of division or affiliation.

Bryant Blanton took the No. 1 spot at 184 lbs. Blanton beat out second-ranked Austin Troutman of Appalachian State and third-ranked Andrew Saunders of UNC Greensboro for the honor.

Four Newberry grapplers were ranked at No. 2: Matt Oliver (Toms River, N.J.) at 125 lbs., Sheridan Moran at 133 lbs., Latra Collick (Berlin, Md.) at 149 lbs. and Keeno Griffin at 197 lbs.

Two wrestlers earned No. 4 spots in the rankings: Deral Brown (Elgin, S.C.) at 141 lbs. and Sean Byrnes (Jackson, N.J.) at 157 lbs.

Three members of the squad rounded out Newberry’s representation in the rankings. Curtis Chenoweth (Clearwater, Kan.) took No. 5 at 174 lbs. and Josh Whitelock (Rhodesdale, Md.) and Jake Elkins (Trussville, Ala.) were ranked No. 7 at 165 lbs. and 285 lbs., respectively.

The team and each wrestler received wooden plaques for their achievements.

The Takedown Report covers all wrestling programs in North and South Carolina and ranks the individual teams as well as the individuals for each season.

Click here to view the full rankings.