Former SE hammers make Intermat's All-Freshman Team
Freshmen made a significant impact at this year’s NCAA Division I Wrestling Tournament and former SE wrestlers were part of that mix. Remember we highlight not only those that wrestled in the SE during high school, but also those that have a “connection” to the SE - meaning they currently compete for a team that is one of the six states we cover.
For a Full List of the First and Second Team All-Freshman Performers
Here are those making the list from the SE (any text with the names is pulled from the Intermat article - first teamers were given a write-up; second teamers were not):
First Team:
141 lbs - Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina)
Like many freshmen, Lachlan McNeil took some early lumps during his first year as a starter. He lost three times in the first two weeks of the season, but righted the ship and went on a 12-match winning streak in the middle of the season. He showed his growth by majoring Tom Crook (Virginia Tech) in their dual meeting and at the ACC Tournament. Crook was an opponent that downed McNeil on the opening weekend.
At the NCAA Tournament, McNeil really stood out with a win over fellow star freshman #7 Vince Cornella (Cornell) in the second round. Though McNeil was the lower seed (#10) it was the second time this year that he defeated Cornella. After losing to the eventual champion, Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado), McNeil won three straight matches to advance to the third-place bout. His final victory came over the Big Ten runner-up Brock Hardy (Nebraska) who was the fourth seed.
The last time a North Carolina freshman wrestled in the third-place match it was Austin O'Connor in 2019. I'm sure UNC fans would love for McNeil's career to mirror his teammates.
197 lbs - Jaxon Smith (Maryland)
It wasn't easy for freshmen to make a name for themselves this year in the stacked and deep 197 lb weight class, but that's what Jaxon Smith did in 2022-23. One of the leaders of a resurgent Maryland program, Smith showed he was ready to get in the mix at 197 by pinning returning national qualifier Zac Braunagel (Illinois) during his second competition of the year. Smith nearly made the Southern Scuffle finals, losing in tiebreakers to a returning All-American and then forfeited out to sixth place.
Smith's big breakout event was his first Big Ten tournament when he lost to Braunagel but battled back for third place, earning another win over the Illinois veteran, along with 2022 NCAA runner-up Jacob Warner (Iowa) and Braxton Amos (Wisconsin).
At nationals, Smith earned a place in the quarterfinals after pinning the sixth seed, Isaac Trumble (NC State), in the Round of 12. A quarterfinal loss put Smith in the bloodround against returning champion Max Dean of Penn State. The young Terp came up just shy of the upset and a spot on the podium, falling 3-2. With some of the departures at the weight and another year in the Maryland room, expect Smith to contend for a high national finish in 2024.
Second Team:
149 lbs. - Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech)
197 lbs. Carson Floyd (Appalachian State)
Photo Credit: University of Maryland Athletics