Adams Completes Unbeaten Regular Season

Sophomore joins Hall of Famer with third perfect campaign in school history

Photo courtesy of WVU Athletics Communications

With a decision victory on Sunday over Utah Valley’s Tate Orndorff, West Virginia sophomore wrestler Noah Adams completed an undefeated regular season at 29-0.

This marks the third perfect slate in program history with the first two being recorded three-time national champion and West Virginia University Athletic Hall of Famer Greg Jones.

With the Big 12 Championships and NCAA finals still ahead of him, Adams already sits tied for sixth in wins by a sophomore in school history, needing just four postseason victories to claim the record. As the number-two ranked competitor in the 197 pound division, he is expected to be the top seed in the conference tournament and will likely hold that second position should he qualify for nationals.

Adams’ success is not an unexpected development considering the immense success he enjoyed before coming to Morgantown. After an up and down freshman campaign, his breakout has been a welcome addition to a program struggling as coach Tim Flynn attempts to implement his culture.

His 10-4 victory over the 19th-ranked Orndorff gave Adams 11 ranked victories on the season, scoring on four takedowns, an escape, and an additional riding time point after the final buzzer. The win caps off his dominant year with 29 wins, six major decisions, five pinfalls, and two technical falls.

It has not been since the graduation of Greg Jones that West Virginia has seen such dominance on the mat with Adams joining rarefied air along with many Mountaineer greats such as Jones’ brother Vertus, a three-time All-American, and the current school record holder for wins at 197 pounds, former All-American Dominic Black.

The early success Adams is enjoying is an extremely good sign for future success with the Jones brothers each qualifying for NCAA championship matches within their first two years on campus.

The dominance that Adams has brought to the wrestling program has given Mountaineer fans a sign of hope on a team that has stumbled to a 4-12 record on the season with just one Big 12 win. However, the season does not look to end any time soon with Adams likely favored in every bout he will take on before the NCAA finals.

The only man ranked ahead of Adams currently is the national title favorite, Ohio State’s Kollin Moore.

Moore was the NCAA runner-up in 2019 and has collected two Big 10 conference titles in addition to a trio of All-American honors in a storied career for the Buckeyes. However, he is set to graduate this season, leaving Adams as the future of the 197 weight class in collegiate wrestling.

Noah Adams has the pedigree and results on the mat to put himself among the all-time greats in West Virginia University wrestling history. With a nearly clear path to a national title bid and a bright future ahead, this undefeated season looks to be just the start for the Mountaineers’ budding superstar.