DECATUR, lll. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's wrestling team kicked off its season at the Millikin Open, Saturday Nov. 8. The meet marked the debuts of nine freshmen wrestlers, with four picking up the first wins of their careers.

Junior Austin Johnston (Normal, Ill. - Normal West) won his first two bouts in the 141 pound bracket. Johnston defeated Wabash's Caden Polson by tech fall, 18-3, before pinning Drake Montelongo of Lindsay Wilson at 5:21. The junior bounced into the consolation bracket with a loss to Indian Hills' Gavyn Whitehead, the top seed in the bracket, before his day came to a close against Cornell's Owen Adlfinger. 

After earning a bye in the first round at 197 pounds, freshman Trey Dunning (Mishawaka, Ind. - Mishawaka) pinned Allistair Mohmed of Thomas More College in just under five minutes. Dunning fell in his quarterfinal bout to Matteo Casillas of Millikin via a technical fall. 

Freshman Tyson Zvonar (Frankfort, Ill. - Lincoln-Way East) dropped his opening round bout in the 133-pound weight class, but bounced back over Millikin's Luke Kawa with an 8-5 decision in the consolation bracket. 

In the 174-pound weight class, freshman Elijah Moore (Highland Park, Ill. - Highland Park) got in the winners column with a pin over Thay See of Indian Hills College. Freshman Brady Mouser (Bloomington, Ill. - Tri-Valley) needed just 2:16 to win his opening round bout over Wabash College's Brayden Edwards at 125 pounds.

The Titans are back in action Saturday, Nov. 15 at Millikin University for their first dual meet of the 2025 season. Action from Decatur is scheduled for 7 p.m.