PEMBROKE, N.C. - The 14th ranked Newberry Wolves clinched at least a share of the first-ever Eastern College Athletic Conference Division II Wrestling League championship Thursday night with a 26-13 win over the UNC Pembroke Braves at the English E. Jones Center.

Newberry moves to 16-2 overall on the season and 5-0 in the ECAC with a chance for an undefeated conference championship coming up in the season finale against King (0-5 ECAC) on Feb. 17 at home. UNC Pembroke is 14-8 overall and 4-1 in the league.

The Wolves got off to a hot start and never looked back. Newly minted No. 7 Trung Duong got a late nearfall to take a 13-4 major decision at 125 lbs. and Jordan Simpson's 11-0 major decision at 133 lbs. made it an early 8-0 lead.

Senior Nick Lankford was trailing 4-1 at the end of the first period at 141 lbs., but a dominant performance on top gave him a pin at the 3:53 mark to put the Wolves up 14-0. UNC Pembroke took decisions at 149 and 157 lbs. to make it 14-6 at the halfway point of the dual.

Lukas Gilmore stepped up with a massive fall in the 165 lbs. bout, flooring his opponent at the 4:33 mark. No. 4 Blaze Shade took a major decision at 174 lbs., but Newberry's No. 3 Huston Evans worked an 8-3 decision over Mikey Thomas at 184 lbs. to clinch the dual.

Cody Brundage took a decision at 197 lbs. to earn the Wolves' final points, as Mike Kennedy was edged with a late takedown at 285 lbs. 

Records: Newberry (16-2, 5-0 ECAC) – UNC Pembroke (14-8, 4-1 ECAC)