Black Knight transitions to collegiate mat
Robbinsville – It was well worth the wait.
Recent Black Knights graduate Carlos Wesley has patiently waded through the often-arduous process of taking his wrestling talents to the next level, but all the paperwork and preparation finally came to fruition when he signed to compete for Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., on Sunday evening.
The Railsplitters compete in the NCAA Division II’s South Atlantic Conference.
“I’m excited for the opportunity, but also a little nervous for the next step in life,” Wesley said.
The go-to heavyweight for Robbinsville over the last two seasons, Wesley finished as the class 1A 285-pound runner-up in 2022 and placed third in 2021.
Known throughout the Smoky Mountain Conference for his formidable presence on the gridiron – Wesley was also named the Lineman of the Year in 2021 – he fell in love with wrestling after spending years playing soccer, basketball, and competing in track and field.
His preference for grappling did not come about for the traditional reasons one might think of.
“I wrestled as a kid and in middle school, so I always had an interest in it, but what made it stick was when I realized how light it was on my body and overall health,” Wesley said. “When I was younger, I was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, so I wanted something that wasn’t hard on my heart.
“Wrestling helped me keep my weight down, which puts less strain on my heart. So moving forward, I decided on wrestling.”
While attending Lincoln Memorial University, Wesley plans to major in criminal justice to pursue a career as a detective.