Gardner-Webb Opens SoCon Wrestling Action Wednesday Night At Home Against VMI (6:30 PM)
December 02, 2014 | Wrestling
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb will wrestle for the first time this season in Paul Porter Arena Wednesday night, as it opens Southern Conference competition with a visit from VMI.
Wednesday's match will begin at 6:30 pm and will be broadcast live on the Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com | No Charge).
The Runnin' Bulldogs (2-4) have wrestled a difficult slate to start the 2014-2015 season, with three of its four losses coming at the hands of top-25 squads Virginia, Virginia Tech and North Dakota State.
Redshirt sophomore Austin Trott (Kingsland, Ga. / Camden County HS) has continued to progress well this season, building upon a strong freshman campaign that saw him qualify for the NCAA Championships at 165 pounds.
Trott has forged a strong 7-2 mark this season, including a 5-1 record in dual matches (two pins). Counting his redshirt season, Trott has posted 62 victories since arriving on campus.
Heavyweight Justin Kozera (Taneytown, Md. / Winters Mill HS) paces Gardner-Webb this season with three pins, and has recorded 16 total falls during his time with the Runnin' Bulldogs. Kozera ranks second in the SoCon this season with his three pins at 285 pounds.
Kyle Ash (Tulsa, Okla. / Union HS) has forged a 4-4 overall mark this season (4-2 dual) at 157 pounds and joined Trott and Ryan Mosley (7-5 overall, 3-3 dual) in posting individual wins at NC State in the squad's last match.
Mosley's seven wins at 149 pounds rank third so far this season among Southern Conference grapplers.
VMI (1-2) enters with only three dual matches under its belt, dropping decisions to George Mason and No. 11 Virginia – and beating Anderson University – on November 2 in Charlottesville, Va.
Sophomore Shabaka Johns (11-6) leads the team at 165 pounds with 11 victories and classmate Dalton Henderson (10-3) has double figures wins at 125 pounds. Heavyweight Juan Adams has gone 9-8 as well this season for the Keydets.
Gardner-Webb picked up a 29-12 win over VMI last season to open SoCon action in Lexington, picking up four major decisions and two pins.
