Tiger Grapplers Finish 4th in Southeast Conference Championships
Orlando, FL—The Marion Military Institute wrestling team scored 74 points at the 2016 Southeast Conference Championships on Saturday, February 27 to place 4th in the 13-team field. The event, held at the Recreation and Wellness Center on the University of Central Florida campus, was dominated by the Emmanuel College Lions, one of the prohibitive favorites going into the tournament. The Lions grabbed 207.5 points.
Marion Military Institute, the only two-year school in the tournament, placed five wrestlers into the 2016 NCWA (National College Wrestling Association) National Wrestling Championships, which will be held at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, FL, on March 10-12 and hosted by the University of Central Florida.
The following four MMI wrestlers qualified for the national tournament by placing 5th or better at the Southeast Conference Championships: BJ Thomas (174 pounds) received a first-round bye and then went 2-1 to place 2nd, Nick Villamil (125 pounds) won four out of five matches and finished 3rd, Trevor Parker (197 pounds) took 3rd with his 2-1 record, and Durell Robinson (285 pounds) split four matches to place 5th. Also qualifying for the national tournament was Joseph Adams, MMI's 184-pounder, who finished 6th but received a wild-card entry to the national tournament.