Danville, Va. – The Southern Virginia University men's wrestling team concluded its 2024-25 season at the NCAA Region 4 Championship, hosted by Averett University, finishing 17th out of 20 teams. The Knights battled against a tough field, gaining valuable postseason experience as they closed out the year.

Matthew Papa (125 lbs.) led the team with an eighth-place finish, scoring 8.5 team points. Papa opened the tournament strong, securing a fall victory over Michael Cruz of Washington & Jefferson in the first round. After falling in the quarterfinals to Ferrum's Zach Beckner, he bounced back in the consolation bracket, pinning Aidan Carone of Mount Union. Despite a hard-fought effort, Papa dropped his final two matches to finish eighth in the region.

Britton Sorenson (197 lbs.) also made an impact, tallying five team points. He rebounded from an early loss with a quick pin against Shenandoah's Robert Keener before advancing in the consolation bracket with a forfeit victory. Sorenson ultimately fell in a close decision to Sam Slate of Ferrum.

Ikia Garcia (184 lbs.) secured one team point for the Knights, starting the tournament with an impressive 7-1 decision victory over Mount Union's Nathaniel Johnson. Garcia, who had a strong season, was eliminated after facing top competition in the next two rounds.

Porter Kinne (149 lbs.) contributed 1.5 team points, earning a dominant 15-1 major decision victory over Noah Williams of Randolph before exiting the tournament after a tough loss.

The Knights showed resilience throughout the weekend, competing in multiple close matches and earning key victories along the way. The team gained valuable experience against some of the toughest wrestlers in the region and will look to build upon this performance heading into next season.

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_wrestling on Instagram.