WALNUT RIDGE, Ark.- Missouri Baptist men's wrestling team wrestled well in the AMC/Sooner conference duals. The Spartans collected four wins on the weekend over opponents from Jarvis Christian College (Texas), no. 20 Oklahoma City University, Williams Baptist (Ark.), and Wayland Baptist (Texas). 

The day started right for MBU when the wrestling squad knocked off Oklahoma City University, ranked 20th in the country, in a convincing 32-16 victory. No. 15 Joel Campbell claimed a ranked win over no. 22 Jordan Lomeli. 

The Spartans shut out two teams, Jarvis Christian College and Williams Baptist, for the first time since February 13, 2020, against the former Lincoln College (Ill.). These wins are also the first time during head coach Caleb McElfresh's tenure that it has happened, along with the first time since at least the 2009- 2010 season that the Spartan men's wrestling team has completed a 60-0 perfect shutout. 


The Spartans also claimed a 28-17 victory over Wayland Baptist (Texas). The sole loss of the day came against no. 21 Texas Wesleyan in a tight dual where it came down the last match, and the Rams came out on top 27-21. 

A standout performance for the Spartans came from John Davis, who completed a 5-0, where he collected a fall, a technical fall, and a major. Davis also knocked off the current no. 1 in the AMC/Sooner conference rankings Nehemiah Ventura of Texas Wesleyan in a 12-7 decision. 

Also undefeated for the Spartans was ET Rodgers Jr., who was 4-0 and picked up a fall over the no. 1 in conference Hayden Brown of Oklahoma City. Tyler Deen, Joel Campbell, Nicholas Keim, and Amad Soufi all went 4-1 on the day. 

The Spartans improve their dual record to 10-3 on the year; they will travel to compete in the toughest NAIA in-season tournament, the Missouri Valley College Invite in Marshall, Mo., next Friday and Saturday, January 24-25th, 2025.