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SoCon Announces Wrestling All-Conference, All-Freshmen Teams
Campbell’s Taye Ghadiali, Chattanooga’s Isaiah Powe Earn Individual Honors
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Campbell’s Taye Ghadiali (HWT) and Chattanooga’s Isaiah Powe (141) have been named the Southern Conference Wrestler and Freshman of the Year, respectively, by the league’s nine head coaches, the conference office announced Thursday.
Coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes, also selected a 10-member all-conference squad and a 10-member all-freshman team.
Ghadiali posted a 29-3 record this season, while going undefeated in SoCon duals (7-0) and earning all-conference honors for the second straight year. The 285-pounder from Warren, Michigan, posted an overall 14-1 mark in duals this season, while notching a league-best 11 pins. Powe, who also made the all-conference team, boasted a 21-2 overall record this season and was 8-0 in SoCon action. The Mount Olive, Alabama, native was a perfect 13-0 in duals this season. Both Ghadiali and Powe will be the No. 1 seeds in their respective weight classes this Saturday at the SoCon Wrestling Championship.
Campbell put a total of seven wrestlers on the all-conference team, including three prior honorees and a pair of wrestlers who were named to all-freshman squad. Joining Ghadiali on the squad were Anthony Molton (125), Austin Murphy (174), Caleb Hopkins (184), Levi Hopkins (197) and the freshman duo of Wynton Denkins (141) and Chris Earnest (157). In addition to Ghadiali, both Caleb Hopkins and Levi Hopkins garnered all-conference recognition for the second consecutive year. Molton was 18-4 this season and went 6-0 in conference matches, earning back-to-back wrestler of the week honors on Jan. 10 and Jan. 17. Murphy notched an 18-6 record, including a 4-0 mark in SoCon action, with Caleb Hopkins going 17-7 overall and 6-0 in SoCon matches, recording nine pins on the year. Levi Hopkins went 23-6 during the season and had an undefeated 7-0 mark in conference matches, with nine pins. Denkins was 13-7 with three pins, while Earnest went 15-8 overall and 5-2 in conference matches.
App State placed four wrestlers on the all-conference team. The Mountaineers were represented by Ethan Oakley (133), Cody Bond (149), Tommy Askey (157) and Will Miller (165), with newcomer Tomas Brooker (184) making the all-freshman team. Oakley, who also captured all-conference recognition a year ago, recorded four pins during the season and was 22-7 overall, with an 11-1 duals mark. Cody Bond, who was named SoCon Wrestler of the Week back on Nov. 15, went 21-6 during the season and was 7-0 in conference matches.
Askey, another Mountaineer who earned all-conference honors a year ago, went 18-5 overall this season and posted a 6-0 league record, while Miller was 20-6 overall and 7-0 in SoCon matches. The Helena, Alabama, native will enter the SoCon Wrestling Championship as the No. 1 seed at 165 pounds after posting an 11-1 duals record and notching four pins. Brooker, a native of Harrisburg, North Carolina, was 18-12, with a pair of pins during the regular season.
In addition to Powe, Chattanooga saw Sergio Desiante (174) earn a spot on the all-freshman team. The Tampa, Florida, native went 16-7 during the regular season and captured SoCon Wrestler of the Week accolades on Feb. 28.
The SoCon Wrestling Championship is set to take place Saturday, March 9, at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, North Carolina. The first round of matches will begin at 10 a.m., with finals scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Awards will follow at the conclusion of the final match.
For more information on the 2024 SoCon Wrestling Championship, click here.
2023-24 Wrestler of the Year
Taye Ghadiali, 285, Sr., Campbell
2023-24 Freshman of the Year
Isaiah Powe, 141, Chattanooga
2023-24 All-Southern Conference Team
125 Anthony Molton, Sr., Campbell
133 Ethan Oakley, So., App State
141 Isaiah Powe, Fr., Chattanooga
149 Cody Bond, Sr., App State
157 Tommy Askey, Jr., App State
165 Will Miller, Jr., App State
174 Austin Murphy, Sr., Campbell
184 Caleb Hopkins, Sr., Campbell
197 Levi Hopkins, Sr., Campbell
285 Taye Ghadiali, R-Jr., Campbell
2023-24 All-Freshman Team
Tomas Brooker, 184, App State
Grant O’Dell, 165, Bellarmine
Wynton Denkins, 141, Campbell
Chris Earnest, 157, Campbell
Sergio Desiante, 174, Chattanooga
Isaiah Powe, 141, Chattanooga
Patrick Brophy, 197, The Citadel
Wyatt Ferguson, 184, Davidson
Tyler-Xavier McKnight, 149, Davidson
Patrick Jordon, 141, VMI
Coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes, also selected a 10-member all-conference squad and a 10-member all-freshman team.
Ghadiali posted a 29-3 record this season, while going undefeated in SoCon duals (7-0) and earning all-conference honors for the second straight year. The 285-pounder from Warren, Michigan, posted an overall 14-1 mark in duals this season, while notching a league-best 11 pins. Powe, who also made the all-conference team, boasted a 21-2 overall record this season and was 8-0 in SoCon action. The Mount Olive, Alabama, native was a perfect 13-0 in duals this season. Both Ghadiali and Powe will be the No. 1 seeds in their respective weight classes this Saturday at the SoCon Wrestling Championship.
Campbell put a total of seven wrestlers on the all-conference team, including three prior honorees and a pair of wrestlers who were named to all-freshman squad. Joining Ghadiali on the squad were Anthony Molton (125), Austin Murphy (174), Caleb Hopkins (184), Levi Hopkins (197) and the freshman duo of Wynton Denkins (141) and Chris Earnest (157). In addition to Ghadiali, both Caleb Hopkins and Levi Hopkins garnered all-conference recognition for the second consecutive year. Molton was 18-4 this season and went 6-0 in conference matches, earning back-to-back wrestler of the week honors on Jan. 10 and Jan. 17. Murphy notched an 18-6 record, including a 4-0 mark in SoCon action, with Caleb Hopkins going 17-7 overall and 6-0 in SoCon matches, recording nine pins on the year. Levi Hopkins went 23-6 during the season and had an undefeated 7-0 mark in conference matches, with nine pins. Denkins was 13-7 with three pins, while Earnest went 15-8 overall and 5-2 in conference matches.
App State placed four wrestlers on the all-conference team. The Mountaineers were represented by Ethan Oakley (133), Cody Bond (149), Tommy Askey (157) and Will Miller (165), with newcomer Tomas Brooker (184) making the all-freshman team. Oakley, who also captured all-conference recognition a year ago, recorded four pins during the season and was 22-7 overall, with an 11-1 duals mark. Cody Bond, who was named SoCon Wrestler of the Week back on Nov. 15, went 21-6 during the season and was 7-0 in conference matches.
Askey, another Mountaineer who earned all-conference honors a year ago, went 18-5 overall this season and posted a 6-0 league record, while Miller was 20-6 overall and 7-0 in SoCon matches. The Helena, Alabama, native will enter the SoCon Wrestling Championship as the No. 1 seed at 165 pounds after posting an 11-1 duals record and notching four pins. Brooker, a native of Harrisburg, North Carolina, was 18-12, with a pair of pins during the regular season.
In addition to Powe, Chattanooga saw Sergio Desiante (174) earn a spot on the all-freshman team. The Tampa, Florida, native went 16-7 during the regular season and captured SoCon Wrestler of the Week accolades on Feb. 28.
The SoCon Wrestling Championship is set to take place Saturday, March 9, at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, North Carolina. The first round of matches will begin at 10 a.m., with finals scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Awards will follow at the conclusion of the final match.
For more information on the 2024 SoCon Wrestling Championship, click here.
2023-24 Wrestler of the Year
Taye Ghadiali, 285, Sr., Campbell
2023-24 Freshman of the Year
Isaiah Powe, 141, Chattanooga
2023-24 All-Southern Conference Team
125 Anthony Molton, Sr., Campbell
133 Ethan Oakley, So., App State
141 Isaiah Powe, Fr., Chattanooga
149 Cody Bond, Sr., App State
157 Tommy Askey, Jr., App State
165 Will Miller, Jr., App State
174 Austin Murphy, Sr., Campbell
184 Caleb Hopkins, Sr., Campbell
197 Levi Hopkins, Sr., Campbell
285 Taye Ghadiali, R-Jr., Campbell
2023-24 All-Freshman Team
Tomas Brooker, 184, App State
Grant O’Dell, 165, Bellarmine
Wynton Denkins, 141, Campbell
Chris Earnest, 157, Campbell
Sergio Desiante, 174, Chattanooga
Isaiah Powe, 141, Chattanooga
Patrick Brophy, 197, The Citadel
Wyatt Ferguson, 184, Davidson
Tyler-Xavier McKnight, 149, Davidson
Patrick Jordon, 141, VMI