CoachHicksCU

Respect to Walker!! Tough competitor

WICHITA, Kan.--Cumberland wrestling sets a program record with five All-Americans after day one. Esco Walker and Patrick Depiazza are still in the championship round and are two wins away from a national title. Carter Cox, Anthony Maia, and Cole Smith garnered All-American status and will place in tomorrow's matches. As a team, Cumberland sits in sixth place with 38.0 points after day one. The Phoenix look to climb up the leaderboard for the first Top-5 finish in Cumberland wrestling history. "It's such a privilege to coach these guys. It's great to see the hard work of the wrestlers and coaches pay off. We have a big day tomorrow and must finish strong," head coach James Hicks said. Walker entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed in the 133 weight class and has run the table thus far with just two more matches to win before claiming a national title. Walker used a 9-2 decision to advance over the 12-seed Eli Watson from Providence and picked up a tight 6-4 decision over No. 4 Nick Kunz and will advance to take on Matt Gimson the 1-seed from Indiana Tech. Walker is an NAIA All-American with a chance to be a national champion. Depiazza is in the same spot as Walker with just two wins away from a championship. He picked up two decisions on the day with a 6-0 decision over Nic Jarvis from Reinhardt and a tight 3-2 decision over No. 5 Maleek Caton from Williams Baptist. He now awaits Mid-South rival and No. 1 seed Brandon Reed from Lindsey Wilson. Reed and Depiazza have never matched up and are in for a good bout in Wichita. Depiazza is now a two-time NAIA All-American. 165-pounder Cole Smith saw his undefeated season slip away today as he picked up a win in round two of the championships with a 8-2 decision over Colby Johnson from Baker University. Smith was lined up to face No. 4 Sid Ohl from Life and lost for the first time this season losing a 10-4 decision. Smith has now moved to the consolation bracket and will face No. 2 seed Dalton Jensen from Grand View. The transfer earned All-American status. Carter Cox also received a first-round bye and got a win over the 9-seed Billy Sullivan from Oklahoma City with a 7-1 decision and advances to face No. 1 seed Justin Portillo from Grand View. Cox lost by an 8-0 major decision and is set to face Gage Hudson from the Cumberlands in the consolation round. Cox is a first-time NAIA All-American. Anthony Maia came in ranked No. 2 in the 149 weight class. Maia was upended in the first match by Andreus Bond from Southeastern sending him to the consolation round. Maia drew a tough opposition as the No. 1 ranked wrestler Trent Johnson from Lindsey Wilson dropped his first match pitting the No. 1 and 2 seed against each other much earlier than either anticipated. Maia pinned the 1-seed in the third period advancing to face No. 8 Tristan Zamilpa from Doane and topped him with a 10-3 decision. He moved on to face Brock Rodriguez from Providence and picked up a win by injury and is now set to square off with No. 3 Trevor Anderson. He is now a two-time NAIA All American. John Olivieri dropped his first match of the day in the 184 bracket sending him to the consolations. Olivieri clawed a win out over No. 11 Luke Jenness from Northwestern and picked up a 5-4 decision over Myles Starke from Life. He dropped his next match which would have made him an All-American in the tie-breaker rounds 3-2 to Baker Hadwan from Life going 2-2. Keshawn Laws drew the No. 2 seed in the 141 weight class and lost by a major decision 9-1. He lost his first match in the consolations knocking him out of nationals. Matthew Sells went 0-2 as well in the 174 weight class losing a major decision to Luke Young from Bluefield and a 5-4 Ian James from Truett McConnell. All five Phoenix still in the tournament will place and bring home some hardware. The action will begin in the morning.

Cumberland University wants to welcome 4x State Placer and 2017 State Champion Zack Wilkins to the family. #cuontherise

We are ecstatic to have Matthew Sells as a part of the Cumberland University wrestling family!

Cumberland University is a 1,500-student private institution located in Lebanon, Tenn., approximately 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. CU was founded in 1842 and has an exceptional academic program steeped in the liberal arts. Past Cumberland University alumni include United States Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, who also was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1945; James Lafayette Bomar, president of Rotary International; Thomas P. Gore, United States Senator; over 80 Congressmen, including Albert Gore, Sr.; two justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, Howell Edmunds Jackson and Horace Harmon Lurton; as well as the “Father of Political Scienceâ€, John Burgess.

Great practice yesterday at the Cumberland Sunday School of Wrestling with multiple state placers in the room. Join us every Sunday from 3:00pm to 5:00pm

The Cumberland University wrestling program located in Lebanon Tn is offering a opportunity for all middle/high school wrestlers in the state to come and train with college wrestlers and coaches on Sundays afternoons. WHEN: SUNDAY’S Starting (October 4th) WHERE: Cumberland University Wrestling Room TIME: 3:00pm - 5:00pm WHO: 6th - 12th Grade Price: $15 per practice To Register: Contact coach James Hicks Jhicks@cumberland.edu 615-443-8422