As winter athletics return, both the men’s and women’s wrestling team is officially underway with a fresh season, renewed energy, and a roster eager to make its mark on the map.
After months of offseason conditioning, technique building, and preseason drills, the Gators opened their season on Wednesday, November 12th at The Swamp with a 24-18 win over East Chapel Hill on the women’s side, and a 51-30 win against the Wildcats on the men’s side.
“The whole team has been running a lot and having a lot of pre-season workouts during the offseason. I think everyone is really committed and just has a lot of personal goals as well as goals for the whole team for this season so that definitely motivated the team to stay in shape and put in work during the offseason,” said returning Sophomore Thomas Kingsley.
This year’s team blends seasoned upperclassmen with an impressive group of motivated newcomers. The room is noticeably more competitive than former years, with athletes battling for lineup spots across multiple weight classes.
“We definitely have a lot of new freshmen this year but we’re making it work. I think they all are really excited to be on the team and be able to practice and play, so their young age definitely doesn’t take away from their capabilities or their mindset,” said Senior captain Tommy Gingerich.
This year’s schedule is tough, packed with high-level duals, weekend tournaments, and matchups against rigorous programs, and a brand new conference full of competitive teams. But Kingsley believes that is what the Gators need.
“I think the new conference will pose some challenges and better competition, but if anything, it just motivates us and brings us different levels of experience.”
Green Level’s wrestlers are already eyeing individual goals such as qualifying for regionals, medaling at tournaments, and adding wins to their personal records. As a team, their core focus is just improvement and minimizing mistakes.
The season is long, intense, and physically demanding, but the Gators appear to be more prepared than ever, ready to dive into this year and make it one of its strongest yet.
