SALEM, VA. – Head Coach Deral Brown and the Newberry College Wrestling team traveled to Salem, Virginia, for the opening of the 2022-2023 season at the Roanoke Cregger Center for the first open of the year. After weeks of anticipation, hard work, and a successful intra squad scrimmage during Homecoming 2022, the Wolves would be looking to compete against competition other than themselves, and that would definitely be the case as many Division I programs would also be competing against Newberry. The competition would be a challenge, but Brown and the Wolves would be ready to see the competition offered across the country and see how his team would come out of the gates for the new season.

Overall, it would be a learning experience for the Wolves as with the many strong teams in the field, the level of competition would be high. The open would be highlighted by the performances of senior Devon Rice (285 lb; Rock Hill, S.C.), junior Christian Decatur (125 lb; Goldsboro, N.C.), senior Timothy Decatur (133 lb; Goldsboro, N.C.), freshman Zachary Hornsby (184 lb; Newberry, S.C.) and 149 pounder Devan Moore (149 lb; Baxley, Ga.), who would all secure wins in a match before eventually falling to the competition. Although the results were not in the favor of Newberry, nothing beats experience and after the competition, the Wolves left gaining experience against oppositions that they would not normally see and in anticipation of getting back home to get ready for the rest of the season.

Catching up with Brown after the open for his thoughts on the open as a whole and his team's performance, he would have this to say: "This was a great season opener stacked with high-caliber Division I competition. The areas in which we need to improve were exposed, and I look forward to getting back to work on Monday in preparation for Belmont Abbey."

The Wolves will be back on the road to Belmont, North Carolina, to take on the Crusaders on November 10 at 7 PM.