Team Celebrates Accomplishments and Award-Winners at Banquet

Wrestling 6/5/2024 3:16:00 PM

Gallery: (6-5-2024) 2024 Wrestling Banquet

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason wrestling team awarded post-season honors at its annual banquet, with five members of the team earning top awards for their accomplishments during the 2023-24 season.

The banquet was held at Dolce Vita Restaurant in Fairfax in May with Patriots' wrestlers, coaches, family, donors, and staff in attendance.

Mason wrestling garnered several accomplishments and accolades on and off the mat this season.

The team finished with an 11-9 record, had three NCAA Qualifiers, and earned the program's best finish, placing third at the MAC Conference Championship in its fifth year as a member.

George Mason wrestlers Evan Maag and Malachi DuVall were crowned champions at the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship. The two joined teammate DJ McGee as NCAA Qualifiers. The three NCAA Qualifiers are the most since three wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championship in 2018-19.

George Mason finished a program-best third place at the MAC championship, besting last year's sixth-place finish. The Patriots had nine wrestlers make the podium.

The Patriots earned high honors in the classroom as well. Mason finished seventh as a team to receive a NWCA Top 30 distinction, earning a top 10 finish for the second straight year and in four of the past five seasons.

The Patriots had a program-best seven wrestlers earn NWCA Scholar All-America honors this year. Three grad students made the list led by fifth-year student and three-time recipient Paul Pierce.

Dan Wotring Outstanding Wrestler Award – DJ McGee

McGee had a tremendous season topped by a second-place finish at the MAC Championship, earning an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships.
McGee was voted MAC Freshman of the Year becoming the sixth wrestler in Mason program history selected as the top freshman in the conference.

The Stafford, Va. native was one of two Mason wrestlers to win more than 20 matches, finishing with a 26-7 record. The 157-pounder was in a competitive weight class in the conference that earned five allocations to the NCAA Championships. He finished 7-2 in the MAC.

The first-time NCAA Qualifier was seeded No. 22 in the NCAA Championship. Indiana's Brayton Lee needed sudden victory to defeat McGee in his first bout as an NCAA Qualifier, SV, 4-1. He finished with a 1-2 record in the national tournament, dropping matches to the No. 5 and 11 seeds.

Jerry Mullins Coaches Appreciation Award – Malachi DuVall

DuVall finished with a 19-12 record and earned his first selection to the NCAA Championship as a MAC Champion. The Centre Hall, Pa. native, upended top-seeded Cameron Pine from Clarion with a 7-4 decision in the 184-pound championship. Seeded sixth in the conference, DuVall earned a tech fall (15-0) win over Anthony Derosa (Bloomsburg) and a 6-4 decision to Zayne Lehman (Ohio) in the quarters and semis to take one of two allocations in the weight class.

Seeded #30 at the NCAA tournament, DuVall dropped his opening-round match to No. 3 Dustin Plott from Oklahoma State. In the preliminary consolation round DuVall won by fall against Tomas Brooker from Appalachian State, before falling to Cornell's Chris Foca in the consolation round.

Coach Beasley said, "Malachi became a vocal team leader that epitomized being a good sport. He became a very positive influence on our team with his leadership and sportsmanship, uplifted others, and always the first to cheer on teammates even after he took a loss."

The Elia Ahmadian Uncommon Man Award – Paul Pierce and Shawn Nonaka

Paul Pierce and Shawn Nonaka were named the Elia Ahmadian Uncommon Man Award, an honor given to the athlete who exemplifies what it's like to truly #BeUncommon, on and off the mat.

Pierce was a member of coach Beasley's first recruiting class and was loyal and dedicated to the program for six years. In the classroom, Pierce was a three-time NWCA Scholar All-America recipient.

According to his coach, "He did the little things right, bringing his best effort on and off the mat. Was a role model of how to live your life on and off the mat. He was the perfect mold of what it is to #BeUncommon."

"Shawn was as diligent and consistent of athlete as I have ever coached," added Beasley. "He may not have always been the starter, but everyone looked up to him and respected him. He was someone that everyone on the team would seek for life, academic, or personal advice."

Freshman of the Year – Evan Maag

Maag (27-11) was a MAC Champion at 165 pounds, punching his ticket to the NCAA Championship. The No. 3 seed pinned #12 Garrett Thompson (Ohio) in 2:49 to earn his place at the NCAA Championship. The redshirt sophomore earned his way to the final with an 11-2 win over Hunter Shaut (Buffalo), and a 5-3 decision over Tyer Swiderski.

Maag won 15 of his last 17 matches, including three straight wins at the conference tournament.

Seeded No. 29 at the national championship, Maag dropped the opening match to No. 4 Iowa State's David Carr at 165 pounds. In the consolation round, the redshirt freshman fell to #13 Joseph Bianchi from Arkansas-Little Rock.

The Bethlehem, Pa. native finished the season in the top 10 NCAA D1 Falls with 10 pins.

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