AS A JUNIOR (2013-14): Compiled a 5-6 (.454) record … Tallied one victory by pin and another by technical fall … Went 1-4 against NCAA Division II opponents … Competed in three tournaments … Went 3-2 at the Pembroke Classic, including a pin of teammate Lucas Setzer and a technical fall win over The Citadel’s Joel Madak … Both losses at the Pembroke Classic were by one point … Split four matches at the Shorter Open.
AS A SOPHOMORE (2012-13): Registered a 7-13 (.350) record, including a 2-1 mark in dual meets … Tallied a 3-5 clip against NCAA Division II competition … Grabbed only bonus point victory of the season with a second period (4:13) pin of Belmont Abbey’s Matthew Moses in a November dual meet … Split four matches at the Pembroke Classic … Went 2-3 at the Citrus Invitational.
AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2011-12): Competed in four tournaments for UNCP … Picked up first official collegiate victory of the season with a 6-5 decision over Ohio Northern’s Rudolph Pataro in his opening match at the Citrus Invitational.
AS A FRESHMAN (2010-11): Redshirted … Competed in three tournaments as an unattached wrestler … Turned in a 3-6 (.333) record, including a 3-1 (.750) mark against NCAA Division II competition … Registered one win by pin … Picked up first collegiate victory with a 37-second pin of Gordon’s Daniel Hicks in his opening match at the Pembroke Classic … Also tallied a pair of wins in the SMC Pioneer Open, including a 5-4 decision over Limestone’s Tyquan English.
HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Croatan High School for coach David Perry … Rattled off a 32-2 (.941) record as a prep senior, as well as the conference, region and state championships … A four-time national tournament qualifier … Earned three-straight conference and region titles … Named team most outstanding wrestler following each of last two prep seasons … Ranked No. 28 nationally as a senior by Wrestling USA magazine … Helped lead team to the dual team state championship … Registered a 49-4 (.925) record as a junior … Named top underclassman in Eastern NC (Roy Heverly Award) … Was also an all-conference standout on the cross country team at Croatan.
PERSONAL: The son of Jeannette and Joe Blackwell was born on July 2, 1992 … Has an older sister, Chelsea … Maintained a 3.4 cumulative grade point average at Croatan High School and graduated in the top 42 percent of his 209-member senior class … A sports management major at UNCP.
