BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Two Southern Conference finalists were added to the NCAA Championships field on Tuesday, with Campbell's
Benjamin Barton and
Zurich Storm receiving at-large berths.
The two additions brings Campbell's total NCAA qualifiers to a school record seven, besting the previous mark of six (2019, 2020).
Barton was one of four Camels to earn All-SoCon honors in 2021, finishing the regular season at 9-1 overall and 6-1 in SoCon duals, winning his first nine bouts of the year. The senior, a 2020-21 Preseason All-SoCon pick qualifying for his second trip to the NCAA Championships (2019), was named the SoCon Wrestler of the Week on January 9, and is ranked No. 24 in the nation at 157. He made his second SoCon finals appearance and third podium finish in 2021, taking App State's Cody Bond to overtime, but falling 10-5, placing second. Barton also defeated VMI's Blake Showers with an 18-7 major decision in the 157 semifinals.
Seeded third at 125, Storm made his first SoCon finals appearance, topping No. 2 seed Fabian Gutierrez from Chattanooga, 8-6 in overtime before falling 11-4 to App State's Codi Russell in the title round. Storm opened the day with a pin over GWU's Aedyn Concepcion (2:03). The New Oxford, Pa. native is 8-5 overall on the season, going 6-2 in SoCon bouts, with four of those losses coming against ranked opponents.
The duo joins five other Camels who locked in NCAA berths at the SoCon Championships. Three Camels took conference tournament championships, including
Austin Murphy (174),
Chris Kober (197) and
Caleb Hopkins (184). Two more Camels also took true place wins, with
Josh Heil at 149 pounds and
Taye Ghadiali at heavyweight earning NCAA berths.
Winners of three-straight SoCon regular season championships, Campbell has claimed four of the last five SoCon tournament titles. CU, ranked No. 22 in the NCWA team poll and No. 19 by InterMat, finished the regular season at 8-1 overall, with a perfect 7-0 SoCon mark, going unbeaten in conference duals for the second straight season.
The NCAA Championships are set for March 18-20 in St. Louis, Missouri. Full brackets will be released during Wednesday's 6:00 p.m. selection show.
