Rounding out a successful 2023–24 season for VMI wrestling, Dyson Dunham ’26 competed in the NCAA Championships as the first Keydet grappler to qualify for nationals since Neal Richards ’19.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.
Highlighted by a trip to the NCAA Championships by Dyson Dunham ’26, the VMI wrestling team enjoyed a successful 2023–24 season with many building blocks for the future.
Dunham qualified for the national tournament after placing third at 133 pounds at the Southern Conference Championships. Entering the NCAA tournament as the No. 33 seed, he went 1-2 at the event, defeating No. 32 Cayden Rooks of Indiana by a 9-5 decision in a pigtail to enter the championship bracket. He went on to face No. 1 Daton Fix of Oklahoma State and bowed out of the tournament after falling to No. 17 Braxton Brown of Maryland.
The Haymarket, Virginia, native was the first VMI grappler to qualify for nationals since Neal Richards ’19 qualified in 2020. During the regular season, Dunham was named the SoCon Wrestler of the Week Jan. 24 after defeating No. 18 Blake Boarman of Chattanooga the weekend prior.
Braxton Lewis ’26 (174) and Josh Evans ’25 (197) placed fourth in their respective weights at the SoCon Tournament to represent the program well. Lewis highlighted the dual season for VMI by entering the SoCon tourney as the No. 2 seed at 174 pounds after finishing the regular season with a 19-7 overall mark and 7-1 league record. His only dual loss was to No. 23 Austin Murphy of Campbell in the season finale.
Tyler Mousaw ’24, senior heavyweight, was named the SoCon Wrestler of the Week Jan. 3 after his performance at the Soldier Salute in Iowa in late December. He won eight dual matches during the year to go with a team-high eight victories by fall.
The future of the program is bright with upcoming stars like Patrick Jordon ’27, 141-pounder, who was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team at the end of the regular season. Jordon went 18-13 overall for the year, including nine dual wins. He won four bouts by major decision and six by fall. Named the SoCon Wrestler of the Week Dec. 13, Jordon also excelled academically and was named a National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American after the season.
With several young grapplers earning significant starting experience this season, the program is positioned for much success going forward.
