Athletes Beyond Bartow: Henson becomes first Georgian to win NCAA D-I individual national title

March 25, 2024

Caleb Henson, Virginia Tech, won the 149-pound NCAA D-I championship on Saturday.

Woodland High School grad, Caleb Henson, became the first wrestler hailing from Georgia and only the second Hokie in history to win an individual NCAA national championship this past Saturday. Henson, a three-time high school champion, won the 149-pound weight class championship at the NCAA Division I National Championships in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Virginia Tech sophomore had tournament wins over opponents from South Dakota State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Nebraska, and Michigan to win the title.

The Hokies placed seventh in the team standings won by Penn State. View a post-match interview with Henson HERE.

NBA

ASHTON HAGANS — Portland Trailblazers — (4th yr. pro; Cartersville native; Kentucky; Newton HS) … in a week that saw Portland go 0-4, Hagans saw just over 21 minutes of court time this past Saturday in a home loss to the Denver Nuggets. He scored two points with six assists, two blocks, two steals, and three rebounds. Portland (19-52) begins a seven-game road trip at Houston on Monday followed by trips to Atlanta and Miami.

BASKETBALL SUPER LEAGUE

A.J. MOSBY, JR. — Sudbury Five (6th-yr. pro; Alcorn State; Cartersville HS) … poured in 27 points this past Sunday with six assists, five rebounds, and one steal in a 115-108 home win over the Windsor Express. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for The Five (12-10) who are currently fifth of the six Canadian-based teams. Sudbury hosts the Lebanon Leprechauns on Saturday.

UFL

VIC BEASLEY, JR. — Arlington Renegades (10th-yr. pro; Clemson; Adairsville HS) … Beasley, 31, landed with the Renegades of the new UFL which begins its regular season with a home game this Saturday against the Birmingham Stallions. The UFL is a merger of the XFL and the USFL. It consists of eight teams also including Memphis, Michigan, Houston, Washington, D.C., San Antonio, and St. Louis. Beasley, an outside linebacker, will wear No. 42.

MLB / MiLB

MASON BARNETT — (3rd yr. pro; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … Kansas City Royals ( ; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … Barnett was one of the most steady arms in the system last year, posting a 3.30 ERA between High-A and AA. The 23-year-old has already earned a non-roster invite to spring training and looks to keep climbing the ranks quickly. In 2023 he struck out 137 batters, held them to a .208 batting average, and only gave up five home runs in 114.2 innings (23 starts). The walk numbers weren’t jaw-dropping but sat at a respectable 3.92 BB/9, just about .6 higher than the MLB average last year. Baseball America had him as the organization’s minor league player of the year in 2023 and MLB Pipeline listed him 12th on the 2023 prospect rankings. Scouts love his fastball (94-98 mph) and slider (85-87 mph) but also mention a changeup that is decent at nixing lefties. (courtesy Farm to Fountains, Jackson Wilks)

TENNIS

EMILY SURCEY — Samford University (Jr., Cass HS) … won her Line 2 doubles set with partner Grace Keller 7-5 and won her Line 2 singles match 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) this past Sunday as the Bulldogs edged Wofford, 4-3. Last Friday in a 4-3 win over Western Kentucky, Surcey and Kelley won their Line 2 doubles set, 7-6, but she dropped her Line 2 singles match 4-6, 1-6. Samford (5-10, 1-2 Southern Conference) hosts Western Carolina on Friday afternoon.

BRYCE VAN ORDER — Piedmont University (Sr., Woodland HS) … lost his Line 2 singles match 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 0-6 in a 5-4 team loss at home on Monday, March 18 to Salisbury University (Maryland). The Lions (12-5) hosts LaGrange College on Friday.

TRACK AND FIELD

PATRICK BOLLWERK — Berry College (Jr., Woodland HS) … ran to a 34th place finish (4:12.05) in the 1500 meter run at the Lee University Invitational this past weekend. The Vikings are scheduled for the Kennesaw State University Invitational on Friday.

McKINLEY CHAPPELL — Berry College (So., Woodland HS) … ran to a 61st place finish (4:26.11) in the 1500 meter run at the Lee University Invitational this past weekend. Next for Berry is the KSU Invitational in Kennesaw on Friday.

TYLER JONES — Carson-Newman University (Fr., Woodland HS) … ran to a 67th place finish (4:30.15) in the 1500 meter run at the Lee University Invitational this past weekend. The next meets for the Eagles are split squads at the Fast Break Athletics Invitational in Cleveland, Tennessee and the Tennessee Invitational in Knoxville on April 5-6.

DANIELLE THAYER — Augusta University (Fr., Woodland HS) … placed 10th (8:23.73) in the 2k Steeplechase this past weekend at the Kennesaw State Don McGarey Invitational. The Jaguars compete this Friday at the Kennesaw State Invitational.

ERIC TOVIAVE — Belmont University (So., Cartersville HS) … finished 8th (57.78) at the Ole Miss Classic in the 400 meter hurdles. Up next for the Bruins is the Texas Relays in Austin and the Raleigh Relays this Wednesday through Saturday.

GOLF

BUCK BRUMLOW — University of Georgia (Jr., Cartersville HS) … led the Bulldogs and tied for fourth overall at the 81-player, 14-team Linger Longer Invitational conducted March 17-19 at Great Waters Golf Club in Eatonton, Georgia. UGA finished third as a team behind Alabama and Virginia and eight shots ahead of Georgia Tech in the 54-hole event. Brumlow carded rounds of 71-67-70—208 (8-under) on the 7,436-yard, par-72 course. The next event for the Bulldogs is The Goodwin on March 28-30 at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park.

WRESTLING

CALEB HENSON — Virginia Tech (So., Woodland HS) … became the first Georgia wrestler and only the second-ever Virginia Tech wrestler to earn an NCAA title. He won the 149-pound national championship this past Saturday. Henson was seeded fourth in the weight class and defeated sixth-ranked Austin Gomez of Michigan 15-7 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Hokies finished seventh as a team with Penn State winning the team championship.

Henson was relentless in the title bout from the first whistle. The Hokie would surrender the first takedown but would work a quick escape before hitting a bodylock off a Gomez attack for the five-point move to put him up 6-3. Henson would add four more points with a suck back for four back points to increase the lead still in the first period. Gomez would get an escape before Henson countered a cement mixer to go up 13-4 with 1:17 riding time at the end of the first. The Hokie would rack another escape to start the third to increase his lead even more. Another attack by Gomez would cut the lead but the Hokie worked another escape to lead 15-7 at the end of the second period. Gomez would elect neutral to begin the final frame. Despite numerous scoring attempts the score stood at 15-7 as the Hokie star and newly minted champion defeated Michigan's multiple-time All-American and 2024 Olympian on an unforgettable Saturday night in T-Mobile Center.

Path to the Finals

Last season, Henson would win his first bout then rattle off five victories on the backside to find the podium after a second-round loss. This year, Henson would take the direct path to the podium and began his championship run with a dominant win over No. 29 Alek Martin of South Dakota State with a 18-3 tech fall in the opening round with an offensive burst of five takedowns and two-point nearfall to pick up the victory.

The Hokie would advance to the Round of 16 to face a familiar foe from their high school careers in No. 20 Jordan Williams of Oklahoma State. Henson would tally two takedowns and an escape in a controlling bout, making his way to the quarterfinals.

Waiting for him was Big 12 champion, No. 7 Ty Watters of West Virginia with the winner securing All-American honors and a ticket to the semifinals. Henson would strike first with a takedown but Watters would keep it interesting with a reversal to bring the score within one in the third period. The Hitman would keep on the gas and garner an escape before racking another takedown to ice the bout and advance to the semifinals while picking up his second All-America status in the process.

Awaiting in the semifinals was No. 1 and former national finalist, Nebraska's Ridge Lovett. The two had one previous meeting, a controversial 4-3 victory for the Cornhusker in this year's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational finals back in December. Henson could pick no better time to flip the script as the stakes could not be higher. It was a chess match of a first period with multiple scoring attacks from Henson and heavy handfighting but just couldn't find a score as the opening period ended. Henson would select neutral to begin the second and it was more of the same with Henson just seconds from scoring yet again as time expired. With their previous matchup in mind – a riding time point proved to be the difference in Las Vegas – Lovett elected to begin the third period on top. The Hokie would strike with an escape to take the lead with just under one minute remaining. Henson would still threaten with potential attacks, but the escape would be the lone score, sending him to the finals for the first time in his young career.

(from hokiesports.com)

JAXON SMITH — University of Maryland (R-So., Woodland HS) … after spending much of the 2023-24 season ranked in the nation’s Top Ten, Smith finished 1-2 at the NCAA Championships in Kansas City in the 197-pound weight class. As an 11-seed he lost his first round bout, won his opening consolation round bout, but then fell in the second round of consolations finishing 19-9 on the season.

SOFTBALL

LAINEY BAKER — Union University (So., Woodland HS) … made three pitching starts last week with one win, one loss, and one no-decision. He made a four-inning home start last Tuesday allowing no runs on two hits in an eventual 1-0 loss to Harding University (Ark.). She also made two starts at 17th-raned Auburn Montgomery last weekend totaling 14-⅔ innings. She allowed five earned runs on 16 hits with four walks and 15 strikeouts. For the season, Baker is 7-5 with a 2.25 ERA in 81 innings. The Lady Bulldogs (19-13, 11-7 Gulf South Conference) visit Ouachita Baptist University (Ark.) on Tuesday, Henderson State University (Ark.) on Wednesday, and play a three-game GSC-series at the Universitiy of West Florida on Friday and Saturday.

HAYLEE DISHMON — Georgia Highlands College (Fr., Cass HS) … went 1-for-6 with two walks, a double, and one RBI as the Chargers split games at South Georgia State CC this past Sunday. GHC (7-20, 4-4 GCAA) plays at ABAC on Monday, hosts Chattanooga State on Tuesday, and visits Gordon State College on Thursday.

ANSLEY EVANS — Reinhardt University (So., Woodland HS) … started three of the Eagles four games last week in two home losses to Georgia Gwinnett College and a road split at Bryan College (Tenn.). Evans was 1-for-10 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI. Reinhardt (20-6, 10-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference) visits Georgia Gwinnett for two games on Wednesday.

ANSLEY HIGHT — University of Southern Mississippi (Fr., Cass HS) … made a pair of unsuccessful pinch hitting appearances last week as the Eagles went 2-2 against Nicholls University (La.) and Marshall University. Southern Miss (14-16, 3-3 Sun Belt Conference) plays at UAB on Tuesday and at Troy University for three-game conference series Thursday through Saturday.

ALYSSA JARRETT — Piedmont University (Fr., Adairsville HS) … made an unsuccessful pinch hitting appearance last Thursday in a 9-3 win at Agnes Scott College. The Lions (10-11, 6-0 Collegiate Conference of the South) host St. Olaf College on Wednesday and Covenant College on Saturday for doubleheaders.

ERYN LEE — Reinhardt University (So., Cass HS) … in two home losses to Georgia Gwinnett and a pair of wins at Bryan College (Tenn,) last week, Lee made three starts and was 4-for-7 at the plate with one run scored. Reinhardt (20-6, 10-0 AAC) visits Georgia Gwinnett for a doubleheader on Wednesday.

RACHAEL LEE — Gulf Coast State CC (So., Cass HS) … in a 1-3 week for the 10th-ranked Commodores, Lee was 4-for-10 at the plate with a double, a walk, three runs scored, and one RBI. GCSCC split two games with Chipola College and lost twice to 2nd-ranked Northwest Florida State College. The Commodores (29-9, 3-3) visit Tallahassee CC for two games on Wednesday.

AVA PERKINS — Lee University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made a start at third base and made a pitching appearance in relief last Wednesday in a 13-3 home loss to Trevecca Nazarene University. Perkins was 1-for-2 with a double and one run scored on offense. She pitched the fifth inning allowing two earned runs on two hits and one hit batter. She recorded one strikeout. Lee (12-14, 8-7 Gulf South Conference) lost twice to Trevecca Nazarene but won two of three over Christian Brothers University over the weekend. The Flames play No. 1-ranked North Georgia on Wednesday in Chattanooga and visit Alabama-Huntsville for three conference games on Friday and Saturday.

HOPE SHORT — Shorter University (Sr., Cartersville HS) … made two starts last week in losses to Emmanual University (Ga.) and 10th-ranked Mississippi College. She was 1-for-5 at the plate. The Hawks (2-29, 1-17 Gulf South Conference) play three games at the University of West Florida on Friday and Saturday.

ALEXA VARNER — Shorter University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … started all four games for the Hawks last week in left field in losses to Emmanuel University and Mississippi College. Varner was 1-for-7 at the plate. Shorter (2-29, 1-17) visits the University of West Florida for a conference series on Friday and Saturday.

ALEXIS WOODS — Tennessee State University (Fr., Cass HS) … in four games last week she was 3-for-9 at the plate with two walks, two runs scored, and one stolen base. The Tigers lost at North Alabama and dropped two of three games at Southeast Missouri. TSU (15-14, 6-3 Ohio Valley Conference) hosts UT-Martin for three games on Friday and Saturday.

BASEBALL

DREW BILLINGS — Trinity Baptist College (Fr., Woodland HS) … in his lone pitching appearance last Tuesday against the University of Fort Lauderdale, he entered with two outs in the seventh inning and retired the third out before yielding four runs (three earned) on three hits in the eighth inning before being lifted after a ⅔-inning appearance. He struck out one and was tagged with the pitching loss in a 7-3 defeat. The Eagles (11-16, 4-2) visit Johnson University (Fla.) on Friday and Saturday for a three-game series.

CURT BONNER — LaGrange College (So., Cartersville HS) … in four home wins last week — one over the College of Wooster (Ohio) and three over Berea College (Ky.), Bonner went 7-for-11 at the plate with one walk, one sac fly, seven RBIs, and four runs scored. The Panthers (15-4, 3-0 Collegiate Conference of the South) host Birmingham-Southern College on Wednesday and play a conference series at Covenant College on Friday and Saturday.

HARRISON CHILDERS — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … in two starts at second base for the Stallions last week at Georgia Highlands College, he was 1-for-6 and scored one run. ABAC went 1-3 in the series. Childers has appeared in seven games this season with 18 official at-bats. The Stallions (9-17, 1-3 GCAA) have a four-game, home-and-home conference series this week with Andrew College.

COLIN EATON — Gordon College (So., Cartersville HS) … picked up a complete-game pitching victory last Tuesday as the Highlanders beat visiting East Georgia College, 17-1. Eaton pitched all seven innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits and five walks. He fanned nine facing 30 batters. Gordon State (18-12, 4-0 GCAA)

CAL GOSS — Lee University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … was entered in the sixth inning and faced seven batters allowing six runs (five earned) on two hits, three walks, and one hit batsman in a Flames 28-10 home win over Christian Brothers University this past Saturday. Lee (22-8, 11-4 Gulf South Conference) visits Tusculum University on Wednesday night and Alabama-Huntsville on Friday and Saturday for a three-game series.

KENNY JINKS — Wheeling University (R-Sr., Woodland HS) … made a six-inning start and collected the pitching victory this past Sunday as the Cards won at West Virginia Wesleyan, 13-2. Jinks allowed one earned run on five hits and three walks while fanning six. He is 3-1 with a 4.30 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 29-⅓ innings this season. Wheeling (10-9, 1-5 Moutain East Conference) visit Davis & Elkins College on Monday and Ohio Dominican University on Wednesday before hosting Concord University (WV.) on Friday and Glenville State Universitiy (WV) on Saturday for doubleheaders.

SAM MELTON — Rockingham CC (So., Cartersville HS) … the third baseman went 1-for-4 with two RBIs this past Sunday in an 11-7 home loss to New River CC. Rockingham (11-21, 5-7 NJCAA Region 10) plays three games on Friday and Saturday at Camp CC.

DREW ROTHSCHILD — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (So., Cartersville HS) … in four games at Georgia Highlands College last week he was 6-for-14 with two doubles, one home run, one walk, and seven RBIs as the Stallions went 1-3. ABAC (9-17, 1-3 GCAA) has a four-game, home-and-home conference series this week with Andrew College.

TREY SCOTT — Alabama A&M University (Jr., Cass HS) … made relief appearances last Tuesday and Sunday in Bulldogs’ losses at UT Martin and Alabama State. Scott totaled three innings allowing two earned runs on four hits and six walks. He struck out two. Alabama A&M (3-19, 1-5 SWAC) plays at UAB on Tuesday night and visits Bethune-Cookman for three conference games on Thursday through Saturday.

STEVEN SPELL — Young Harris College (Grad student, Cass HS) … in three games last week — a win at Carson-Newman and two wins at Francis Marion — the third baseman was 3-for-13 with a double, a triple, and three RBIs. In 29 games this season, Spell is hitting .371 in 105 official at-bats with 26 RBIs. The Mountain Lions (24-5, 11-3 Conference Carolinas) host Mars Hill University on Tuesday and North Greenville University Friday and Saturday for a three-game conference series.

KADEN STEPHENSON — Piedmont University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made a start last Friday as the leadoff and designated hitter during a 6-3 loss at 22nd-ranked Christopher Newport (Va.). He was 0-for-3 at the plate. The Lions (12-8) host Belhaven University (Miss.) for a three-game Collegiate Conference of the South series on Thursday through Saturday.

PRESTON WELCHEL — Cumberland University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … in a 1-3 week for the Phoenix against Tennessee Wesleyan and Campbellsville University (Ky.), Welchel went 1-for-15 with two walks, three runs scored, and one RBI. Cumberland plays at Bryan College on Tuesday and at 2nd-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College Friday and Saturday for a three-game series.

COHEN WILBANKS — Georgia Gwinnett College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … went 1-for-4 with a double and three RBIs this past Saturday in a 13-9 win at Brewton Parker College. The 2nd-ranked Grizzlies (26-5) host 22nd-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan on Monday night and Cumberland University (Tenn.) Friday and Saturday for a three-game series.