SMC Wrestlers Fine Tuning As Season Gets Underway
SPARTANBURG, SC -- Despite some struggles during their first two dual matches of the season against NCAA Division II opponents, the Spartanburg Methodist College Pioneers wrestling team are looking at a strong winter schedule and the hopes of sending a healthy slate of wrestlers to the National Junior College Athletic Association's 2010 Division I tournament.
Following Thanksgiving break, the Pioneers will return to the mat next Wednesday against their only NJCAA dual opponent on their 2009-2010 schedule - Darton College.
"Darton is a very competitive team. We stand a better chance at putting a lot of solid points up against them than a lot of the teams on our schedule since they are a junior college, but we can never count them out," says SMC head wrestling coach Robbie Higdon.
As the only NJCAA Region X wrestling team, the Pioneers have another season laden with NCAA Division II and III and NAIA opponents.
"We wrestle teams that are typically very high caliber, and, other than Darton, are all four-year programs. So when we're able to put up a lot of points against opponents on that level, it really says good things about our program," comments Higdon.
In their two dual meets to date this season, the Pioneers posted a 48-0 loss to Limestone College on Monday, following a 34-6 loss against Anderson University last week.
"We had three backups in against Limestone, due to injury and illness of some of our starters. We wrestled tough in both duals, but still have to fine tune some of our technique," says Higdon.
The Pioneers opened the season in The Citadel's Open, where sophomore Chris Teague (Greenville, SC / Eastside HS) placed 3rd in the 141 weight class.
The following week, Teague posted a 2nd place finish in his division at the King College Tornado Tournament, and freshman Christopher Jones (Greenville, SC / Travelers Rest HS) placed 3rd in the 125 weight class.
Teague and Jones were also responsible for posting SMC's only wins in the dual with Anderson University.
"We have some obvious leaders – Chris and Christopher have been out front at every meet so far and have been the most consistent. We have several other strong wrestlers, but everyone has areas in which they need to improve. We are a very young team this year with mostly freshman who are making gains though. It is encouraging to see so many people getting better every day," adds Higdon.
Higdon hopes the Pioneers will have 10 national qualifiers this year at the NJCAA Eastern District / Region X tournament, which SMC will host on Feb.13.
The Pioneers took five wrestlers to the Division I national tournament in 2009 and came back with a 29th place overall finish, as well as a sixth place individual finish and All-American title for now alum Michael Slaughter.
Slaughter is starting this year in the 125 weight class at Gardner Webb University, along with 2008 SMC alum Tim Burdine, and is among many other notable SMC wrestlers who have moved on to continue their education and careers at NAIA / NCAA schools in recent years.
Other SMC wrestling alums who have gone on to success at four-year programs include current Lindenwood University wrestlers and 2008 SMC alums Jeremiah Webb, an SMC All-American, and John Murray, who finished No. 2 in the 2009 NAIA national tournament for Lindenwood and returns as No. 2 in the nation; and Anderson University wrestlers JJ Jackson, who is ranked 3rd in Conference Carolinas, and CJ Hamelton, who was an All-American in 2009 at AU.
Spartanburg Methodist College has 14 intercollegiate teams that compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association, which includes colleges in the Carolinas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 99th year of providing quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.
For more information, contact sports information director Susie Williams at (864) 587-4008.
