2023 Southern Conference Championships
Four-time SoCon champ Millner leads App. State to team title
From Appalachian State
BOONE, N.C. — App State’s Jon Jon Millner flashed four fingers on each hand as he exited the mat following another conference title. Millner’s swan song in a dominant SoCon career contributed to another team championship in a dominant 2022-23 season for head coach JohnMark Bentley‘s program.
Millner (149 pounds), Caleb Smith (125) and Tommy Askey (157) won individual championships Saturday in Boone as the Mountaineers produced eight finalists at the 10 weight classes and claimed the team tournament title with 103.0 points, or 24.5 more than second-place Campbell’s total.
From Campbell
Four Camels earned individual titles, and Campbell finished runner-up at the 2023 Southern Conference Wrestling Championships on Saturday at the Holmes Convocation Center.
Shannon Hanna at 141 pounds, Caleb Hopkins at 184, Levi Hopkins at 197 and Taye Ghadiali at heavyweight all went perfect 3-0 in their brackets to take individual SoCon championships and automatic NCAA Championships berths, while Domenic Zaccone at 133 pounds won his true place match, also punching his ticket to the NCAA Championships.
From Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team came away with a pair of titles at the 2023 Southern Conference Wrestling Championships in Boone, N.C., tonight. Sophomore Brayden Palmer and junior Rocky Jordan won their first league trophies at 133 and 174 pounds, respectively. Palmer also took home the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler Award.
Southern Conference Championships
March 5 • Boone, N.C.
Team Standings
| Pl. | School | Points |
| 1. | Appalachian State | 103.0 |
| 2. | Campbell | 78.5 |
| 3. | Chattanooga | 52.0 |
| 4. | Gardner-Webb | 42.5 |
| 5. | The Citadel | 33.5 |
| 6. | Presbyterian College | 18.5 |
| 7. | VMI | 18.0 |
| 8. | Davidson College | 17.0 |
Individual Placement Matches
(includes pre-NCAA automatic qualifications per weight)
125 pounds (1)
1st — Caleb Smith (Appalachian State) dec. Dominic Chavez (Presbyterian College), 6-3
3rd — Drew West (Gardner-Webb) dec. Blair Orr (The Citadel), 9-5
133 pounds (2)
1st — Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga) dec. Ethan Oakley (Appalachian State), 4-3
3rd — Domenic Zaccone (Campbell) dec. Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb), 6-2
141 pounds (1)
1st — Shannon Hanna (Campbell) dec. Zach Price (Gardner-Webb) 6-3 tb
3rd — Heath Gonyer (Appalachian State) dec. Jacob Silka (The Citadel), 8-4
149 pounds (1)
1st — Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) dec. Noah Castillo (Chattanooga) 4-0
3rd — Chris Rivera (Campbell) dec. Ryan Vigil (VMI), 7-2
157 pounds (1)
1st — Tommy Askey (Appalachian State) dec. Tanner Peake (Davidson College), 6-2
3rd — Troy Nation (Campbell) dec. Job Chishko (VMI), 3-1
165 pounds (1)
1st — Rodrick Mosley (Gardner-Webb) dec. Will Formato (Appalachian State), 3-1
3rd — Braxton Lewis (VMI) dec. Bryce Sanderlin (Davidson College), 5-2
174 pounds (2)
1st — Rocky Jordan (Chattanooga) dec. Will Miller (Appalachian State), 4-2
3rd — Benjy Haubert (The Citadel) dec. Zachary Wells (Presbyterian College) 6-3
184 pounds (1)
1st — Caleb Hopkins (Campbell) dec. Jha`Quan Anderson (Gardner-Webb) 4-0
3rd — Matthew Waddell (Chattanooga) dec. Lucas Uliano (Appalachian State) 4-)
197 pounds (1)
1st — Levi Hopkins (Campbell) dec. Carson Floyd (Appalachian State), 3-1
3rd — Mark Chaid (The Citadel) won by medical forfeit over Jake Boyd (Chattanooga)
Heavyweight (1)
1st — Taye Ghadiali (Campbell) pinned Jacob Sartorio (Appalachian State), 1:42
3rd — Jonathan Chesser (The Citadel) major dec. Jake Fernicola (Davidson College) 12-0
