Wrestling Sets Sight on New Season

LAKELAND, Fla.- Southeastern wrestling will be well-prepped for the 2023-24 season with two national champions and eight national qualifiers.
 
Head coach Travis Patrick stated, "Our line-up this year is expected to be a good mix of experienced returners and young guys coming off a redshirt year. We have great energy in the room right now, the guys understand that we have a lot of work to put in, but this team has some special potential. We added some talented transfers and have several redshirt freshmen that are going to make some noise this season."
 
The Fire are coming off their second consecutive season with a third-place finish at the NAIA National Championships and also claimed their fourth individual national championship.
 
Southeastern will return two of their four national champions for the 2023-24 season in Andreus Bond and Sal Silva. In the 2021 season, Bond became the program's first national champion after claiming the 149-pound title. Last season, Silva became the fourth after winning the 157-pound bracket.
 
Also returning to the Fire is All-American Gabe Jacobs who concluded last season with a third-place national finish in the 285-pound weight class.
 
"All three guys (Bond, Silva, Jacobs) have the ability to compete for a national title in March," said Patrick. "Six others are returning nationals qualifiers that I expect to see continued growth from and anticipate great things this season."
 
After concluding his season in the NAIA National Championship quarterfinal match, Parker Dobrocky returns as a senior as well as graduate student Esau Bazilme who also ended his season in the quarterfinals.
 
Patrick stated, "Dobrocky and Bazilme are both seniors that had phenomenal seasons and came up just short last year. They have had great off-season's and I believe will put themselves in a position to get on the podium."
 
Also returning to the Fire lineup are Trace Braun and Kael Brisker, both two-time national qualifiers.
 
Nathan Gregory and Andrew Voiles also return after recording wins over national qualifiers in their redshirt seasons last year.
 
"Overall, this is a much more youthful team than last year, we have some things to prove and a lot of great opportunities to do so," stated Patrick.
 
The season will begin with the Red and Black Dual on October 27^th at 6 p.m. with the first outside competition for the Fire coming at the Patriot Open in Corbin, Ky. on November 4^th.