BUIES CREEK, N.C. – For the second consecutive season, Campbell wrestling was named the preseason SoCon favorite, and five members of the team were selected by the conference's coaches as members of the 10-man preseason all-conference team.

Anthony Molton at 125 pounds, Domenic Zaccone at 133, Dom Baker at 174, Levi Hopkins at 197 and Taye Ghadiali at heavyweight were each named Preseason All-SoCon. Zaccone, Baker, Hopkins and Ghadiali each wrestled at the 2024 NCAA Championships, while Molton was tabbed as the first alternate for the event.

Campbell earned all eight of the possible first-place votes. App State, Chattanooga, The Citadel and Bellarmine round out the top five. Gardner-Webb, Davidson, VMI and Presbyterian make up the remainder of the poll.

Hopkins and Ghadiali return as SoCon Tournament champions, and Zaccone and Baker finished second at the event. Baker is making the transition from 165 pounds to 174 for the 2024-25 season.

Ghadiali looks to build off his dominant campaign last season, when he became just the second Campbell wrestler to become an NCAA All-American. The SoCon Wrestler of the Year last season, he recorded either a pin or tech fall victory against every conference opponent.

Over the summer, Hopkins earned All-American status at U23 Nationals, then he won gold competing for the United States at the U23 Pan American Championships.

Since 2017, the Fighting Camels have won five SoCon tournament and four regular season titles. Last year, the team went 8-0 against SoCon competition, outscoring their peers 301-47. Only App State scored double-digit points against the Camels.

The Camels begin their season on October 31, as they take on the University of Wyoming in the Dual at the Daddy. The match begins at 8:00 p.m. eastern, and it will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

2024-25 SOCON WRESTLING PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

School (First-place votes), Points

1. Campbell (8), 64

2. App State (1), 55

3. Chattanooga, 46

T-4. The Citadel, 42

T-4. Bellarmine, 42

6. Gardner-Webb, 25

7. Davidson, 22

8. VMI, 20

9. Presbyterian, 8

2024-25 SOCON WRESTLING PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

125: Anthony Molton, Campbell

133: Domenic Zaccone, Campbell

141: Isaiah Powe, Chattanooga

149: Zac Cowan, Bellarmine

157: Noah Castillo, Chattanooga

165: Will Miller, App State

174: Dom Baker, Campbell

184: Tomas Brooker, App State

197: Levi Hopkins, Campbell

HWT: Taye Ghadiali, Campbell

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