This past weekend, the MIT wrestling team competed at the NCWA National Championships in Shreveport, LA. MIT capped off an outstanding 2023-2024 season, finishing with two national champions in Viveca and Veloria Pannell. Additionally, Samuel Calvert wrestled extremely well, finishing just one round shy of placing in the top 8 in his respective weight class.
Viveca Pannell went 4-0 on the weekend with two technical falls & two pins. This included a pin in the finals against her opponent from Grays Harbor College.
Veloria Pannell went 4-0 on the weekend with three pins & one major decision. This also included a pin in the finals against her opponent from the University of Texas.
Samuel Calvert went 4-2 with two pins & two regular decisions. He defeated 3 seeded wrestlers along the way.
All three of our national qualifiers had unbelievable 2023-2024 season results. Samuel Calvert finished 24-8 on the year, Viveca Pannell finished 18-6, and Veloria Pannell finished 21-4. Most of their victories came by way of bonus points (falls, technical falls, and major decisions). All three of them will be returning to the mats for MIT next year.
Next season, Viveca Pannell will look to become a 4x NCWA all American and 3x NCWA national champion. Veloria Pannell will look to become a 3x NCWA national champion. Samuel Calvert will be looking to get on the podium for the first time after finishing one round shy of placing in 2022 and 2024.
Here are some quotes and thoughts from the team:
“Sam, Viveca, and Veloria each dedicate a lot of time to their training, and it has paid off. Seeing them succeed at such a high level has been amazing to see. I could not be happier for them and all of their success on and off the mat.” – Coach McNeil
“This season has been about further improvement from last year. Every one of our wrestlers has been performing a lot better than they did previously, and though injuries and schedule conflicts prevented most of our guys from coming to Bossier City, the difference has been clear both during practice and in matches. Wrestling alongside Veloria and Sam this weekend was a wonderful experience; I couldn’t have asked for a better crew. All three of us are already looking forward to nationals next year! I was very happy to represent MIT at the NCWA National Championship again this year. None of this would have been possible, of course, without Coach McNeil’s training and guidance. I am so lucky to have such a great coach in addition to the amazing team mates and practice partners that have made training immensely enjoyable and rewarding all season long.” – Viveca Pannell
“I am proud of all the success the team accomplished this season and look forward to bringing even more wrestlers to Nationals next year. I love being able to represent MIT at such large-scale events. MIT Wrestlers dominate, especially when it comes to wrestling smart. The hard work that my teammates dedicate to this sport inspires me every day, and I couldn’t imagine my MIT experience without their company and support.” – Veloria Pannell