Men’s wrestlers reloaded for Saturday’s season-opening tournament at Messiah

Graduation in May and attrition over the summer took quite a toll on Liberty University's men's wrestling team, which will send 22 of its 29 current student-athletes to Saturday's season-opening Messiah Invitational in Grantham, Pa.

Three-time NCWA Grand National champions Rick Weaver (heavyweight) and Josiah Murphy (197 and 235 pounds) went out on top and exhausted their eligibility as graduate students last season, when the Flames repeated their runner-up showings to Bellarmine University at both the NCWA National Duals and NCWA Grand National Championships.

That leaves sophomore Aiden Scheeringa, an NCWA Grand National runner-up at 125 pounds, as the Flames' highest ranked returning All-American, complemented by a bumper crop of incoming lightweight recruits.

"We have depth in the lower weight classes, which is very nice," Liberty Head Coach Jesse Castro said. "Those are probably some of our stronger weight classes."

Overall, Castro is cautiously optimistic about the Flames' outlook this season, knowing they will be relying on their incoming freshman class more than usual with the loss of a handful of starters who opted not to return.

"We lost five guys on our team that still have eligibility," he said of projected sophomores Jahleel Armstrong (133 pounds), Jakob Brown (141), and Carder Miller (197) as well as redshirt junior Zach Kaminski (174) and graduate Reid Stewart (157), now a graduate assistant on the coaching staff. "Those five guys would have potentially all been All-Americans, if not battling for a national title."

"I did not anticipate losing that many starters," he added. "(Graduation and attrition) hit us pretty hard (but) I'd like to say it's more of a reloading year (than a rebuilding year). I have confidence in my team (but) I am also a realist. We don't have the guns that we did."

Still, he believes the work ethic of those who remained and those in the recruiting class will reap rewards this season, both individually and as a team as they prepare to extend their 12-year Mid-Atlantic Conference Championship winning streak on March 1 and contend to add to their six NCWA National Duals titles from Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at Newport News (hosted by the Apprentice School) and five NCWA Grand National crowns from March 13-15 in Bossier, La.

"We've got a good group overall that has risen to the occasion in terms of their intensity and training regimen," Castro said. "They've really bought in. I'm hoping our youth will step up."

NCWA wrestling schedule 2024-25

It will be difficult for the Flames to replicate the upperweight success of Murphy and Weaver, especially with returning junior All-American heavyweight Wade Wheeler recovering from offseason surgery.

"We've got to get him healthy," Castro said, noting that junior Josh Herrmann is his back-up along with sophomore 235-pounder Carson Meadows. "We are definitely green up there, for sure."

Scheeringa will be a leader from the lowest lightweight class while freshman Blaise Verdino from New Jersey has shown early promise at 133 pounds and junior Chase Arnestad, a two-time All-American at 125 and 133, may bump up to the starting spot at 141.

Senior Garrett Good is another option at 141 though he may be a better fit at 149.

At 157, freshman Matox Allen is "very qualified with a good pedigree," according to Castro. Freshman Drake Bowers or junior Josiah Foss are the front-runners at 165 along with freshman Ronnie Black from nearby Amherst County, Va. Bowers, who Castro considers "a force to be reckoned with" as he tries to fill Kaminski's shoes, could move up to 174.

Senior Gabe Hayes, a returning All-American at 184, could bump up to 197 pounds by packing on a bit of weight, though that would leave a hole in the lineup at 184.

The Flames will travel to Averett University in Danville, Va., for its Cougar Open on Nov. 10; to Marietta, Ga., for the Life (University) Open on Nov. 23; to Gatlinburg, Tenn., for the Rocky Top Duals on Dec. 14; and to Hershey, Pa., for the Chocolate Duals on Dec. 21.

They will not travel to the Citrus Classic as had become a New Year's tradition, but will have three weeks to prepare for the Virginia Duals on Jan. 10-11 at the Hampton Coliseum.

Liberty will have its only regular-season home dual or tri-match against West Virginia Tech on Jan. 16 before traveling to the Shipbuilder Invitational in Newport News two days later. After the NCWA National Duals two weeks later at that same site, the Flames will conclude regular-season competition back where it started at the Messiah Open on Feb. 8.

Castro expects the Flames to be severely tested this weekend at Messiah, as the only NCWA team competing against predominantly NCAA Division III programs.

"It always is (a challenging tournament)," Castro said. "I don't have any expectations going in. Honestly, this is a precursor of what's to come. They're going to get baptized by fire in competition over the next few weeks, and it is part of the molding process … and part of the learning process for us as coaches. If they're anything like what they're showing in the (wrestling) room, their future is bright."

He said he is looking for some incoming recruits to step into leadership roles.

"We've got a lot of inexperience, but there are some who are starting to emerge as potential captains," Castro said. "Culture is being established that follows tradition. Especially with the newcomers, we weren't sure how that was going to translate, (but) they're tight as a team and becoming a lot closer."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Andrew Musser/Club Sports Video & Media Intern

Men’s wrestlers reloaded for Saturday’s season-opening tournament at Messiah

Players Mentioned

Matox Allen

Jahleel Armstrong

Chase Arnestad

Drake Bowers

Jakob Brown

Josiah Foss

Garrett Good

Carson Meadows

Carder Miller

Josiah Murphy

Aiden Scheeringa

Reid Stewart

Blaise Verdino

Rick Weaver

Wade Wheeler

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