College notes: Wadsworth alumni proving themselves on wrestling mats

Cornell's Jaxon Joy added more hardware to his collection, being named the Ivy League Wrestling Freshman of the Year as well as first-team all-league after going 25-1 this season, including 22-1 in duals. Joy, who was the Ivy League Wrestler of the Week three times this season, followed the announcement by winning the league title at 149 pounds, including an 18-1 technical fall over Harvard's Jack Crook in the semifinals before a 2-0 decision over Penn's Cross Wasilewski. Joy will wrestle in the Division I National Championships in Cleveland beginning March 19, and he'll have local company. Kent State junior Chris Earnest (Wadsworth) won the Mid-American Conference title at 165 — the first wrestler from Kent State to do so since 2022 — to advance. At the same event, George Mason graduate student Logan Messer (Wadsworth) won at 174 to join them. Wyoming 184-pounder Eddie Neitenbach (Buckeye) was runner-up in the Big 12 and Pitt 165-pounder Kade Brown (Medina resident/St. Edward) was third in the Big East, respectively. Both were automatic qualifiers for nationals. Men's basketball Sophomore Quinn Barnett (Brunswick) scored 21 points in Walsh's win over Malone. He has scored in double figures in 11 of his last 12 games to push his average to 14.9 in 30 games. Redshirt sophomore Solomon Callaghan (Wadsworth) shot 7-for-10 from the field, including 6-for-7 from 3-point range, for a team-high 24 points to help Wright State to a win over Purdue Fort Wayne. The Raiders won the Horizon League Tournament to qualify for the NCAA D-I Tournament. Freshman Kellon Johnson (Medina) scored 17 points for the Colorado School of Mines in a win over MSU Denver. The performance was two points off his career high. Women's basketball Northwood (Mich.) sophomore Lea Holmes (Brunswick) was named first-team All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference. In three G-MAC Tournament games, Holmes averaged 22.7 points and 6.7 rebounds as the Timberwolves took home the title, including a career-high 30 points in a semifinal win over Walsh. Men's wrestling Norwich (Conn.) sophomore Rory Nolan (Wadsworth) earned his spot in the NCAA D-III Championships with a third-place finish in the NCAA Northeast Regional at 285. Baldwin Wallace junior Andrew Supers (Medina) took home first place in the NCAA D-III Region 4 Championships at 165 to advance to the NCAA National Championships. The No.4-ranked wrestler in the country, Supers won his first two matches by pin and the final two by major decision. Men's track and field Sophomore Isaac Baltic (Cloverleaf) captured his first MAC individual title with a career-best 17 feet, 4.50 inches in the pole vault at the MAC Indoor Championships. Bellarmine (Ky.) freshman Dylan Forster (Medina) finished third in the shot put with a PR of 52-6.75 for Bellarmine at the Atlantic Sun Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships. Akron redshirt Senior Owen Wendl (Highland) took home his fifth career MAC title with a 59-7.75 in the shot put at the MAC Indoor Championships. Women's swimming and diving Sophomore Makenna Mincey (Brunswick native/Magnificat) qualified for the NCAA D-III Diving National Championships by winning the 1-meter dive at the Region 1 Championships with 454.25 points. Baseball Tiffin freshman Ethan Acurio (Medina) took the hill for the first time in college, striking out two Gannon (Pa.) hitters in one inning. Freshman Kai Close (Wadsworth) made his college debut for the University of Charleston (Va.), pitching 1 2/3 innings and striking out four of the six batters he faced. Junior Quinn Marquis (Highland) collected a pair of hits and added a walk while scoring two runs in a Westminster (Pa.) win over Fredonia (N.Y.). It was his second time in three games he had multiple hits. Softball Allegheny (Pa.) junior Morgan Kinney (Brunswick) homered and drove in three runs in a win over Eastern (Pa.). Men's lacrosse Mars Hill (N.C.) freshman Dillon Buran (Highland) scored twice for against North Greenville (N.C.). It was the second time this season he has scored a pair of goals, and he has at least one goal in five of the first six games. Heidelberg sophomore Colin Parker (Brunswick) scored three goals and had five assists in a win over Earlham (Ind.). Both were career highs. Women's lacrosse John Carroll sophomore Abby Cassidy (Medina) scored two goals in a win over Centre (Ky.). Ashland junior Ashley Drexler (Brunswick) scored a pair of goals in wins over Gannon (Pa.) and Quincy (Ill.). Contact Ryan Isley at sports@medina-gazette.com.