College wrestling: Hernandez earns spot in NCAAs

Aldo Hernandez (Courtesy photo)

Former Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestler Aldo Hernandez is heading to the NCAA championships after winning a Southern Conference title.

Hernandez secured an automatic bid to this week’s NCAAs in Cleveland with an improbable run through the Southern Conference Tournament earlier this month in Asheville.

Hernandez, the No. 5 seed at 141 pounds, defeated Dyson Dunham of Virginia Military Institute by 5-1, overwhelmed top-seeded Hunter Mason of Chattanooga with a technical fall and, in the title bout, posted an 8-1 victory against AJ Rallo of Bellarmine.

Hernandez, a redshirt sophomore, takes a 19-14 record into an opening match against Princeton’s Matthew Martino, with the winner to meet top-seeded and undefeated Jesse Mendez of Ohio State.

Appalachian State won the Southern Conference Tournament team championship for the fourth year in a row.

Oakley’s season ends

Wheatmore alum Ethan Oakley didn’t make it back to the NCAA championships in his final season.

The North Carolina wrestler finished the season with a 14-9 record.

Oakley, a 133-pounder, went 0-2 earlier this month in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. He lost 4-1 in overtime to Pittsburgh’s Evan Tallmadge in the first round before a consolation-round setback by 8-0 to North Carolina State’s Zach Redding.

Oakley reached the NCAA championships twice with Appalachian State and then again last March in his first season with North Carolina.