(Photo: Travis Whittaker/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils wrestling team capped off their phenomenal season with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 20th. It’s the highest the team has placed since Coach Zeke Jones took over in 2014 and their first fourth-place finish since 1995.
“It was satisfying. You know the guys felt it was a goal they had, and I can tell you I think if anybody who studies wrestling and knows it you know we [weren’t] a favorite to take fourth. We were maybe a long-shot or a mid-shot,” Jones said.
Coach Jones exuded this type of behavior all season long. The team’s underdog mentality certainly served them well this year after moving up to fourth in the nation from their 18th seeded pre-season ranking.
Junior 125-pounder Brandon Courtney led the way for the squad with an appearance in the national championship at the 125-pound weight class and a second-place finish. He had thirteen takedowns, two decision victories, and ended the season as an All-American.
Alongside Courtney, four other Sun Devils earned All-American honors. Michael McGee, Anthony Valencia, Jacori Teemer, and Cohlton Schultz joined Courtney on the podium as well as All-American honors.
Junior 133-pound Michael McGee wrestled eight matches during the tournament which tied for the most bouts competed in. He finished in fourth place and tied with teammate sophomore 157-pound Jacori Teemer for the most total match points of all 266 wrestlers.
“One thing that Zeke always emphasizes before we step on a mat is to score points. So I might give up a takedown here, I might give up a reversal there, but that doesn’t mean wrestling stops. I’m always looking for, whether I’m on bottom or top or when I’m on my feet, I know I can score from those positions. It’s just pulling the trigger more often, and just wrestling more,” McGee said.
Teemer finished in sixth-place and had the most takedowns of any Sun Devil throughout the entire weekend with 20. Cohlton Scultz dominated most of the competition in his freshmen campaign. He pinned Stanford 285-pound Nathan Traxler in 44 seconds and had a major decision victory over Edinboro’s Jon Spaulding.
With four of the five All-Americans returning next year, ASU is set to have another strong season. They are looking to improve upon this amazing season with a team trophy that says “National Champions. “
“[Winning the fourth-place trophy] is like kissing your sister. It’s cool but it’s not that cool. We wanna win the team championship,” Jones said.
Certainly this season was one to remember for the men in maroon and gold, and Coach Jones’ team will look to expand upon their success in the upcoming seasons.
