Ryan Vigil, a wrestler for VMI at 165 pounds, won the 2026 Southern Conference title on Saturday at Kimmel Arena in Asheville, North Carolina. Entering the tournament as the eighth seed, Vigil defeated four opponents to secure his championship and became the first VMI wrestler to win a conference title since Neal Richards in 2020. He is also VMI’s first NCAA qualifier since Dyson Dunham received an at-large bid in 2024.
In the finals, Vigil faced Anthony Conetta of Appalachian State, who was seeded second. Vigil gained an advantage with a reversal and four near-fall points, ultimately winning by a 7-2 decision and earning a riding time point. This victory qualifies him for the NCAA Championship scheduled for March 19 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Vigil’s route to the final included a technical fall win (17-2) in his opening match and an upset over The Citadel’s top-seeded wrestler—ranked 24th nationally—in sudden victory. In the semifinals, he secured his place in the championship round with a late takedown for a 5-4 decision. His performance led to him being named the 2026 SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Two other Keydets reached third-place matches: Dyson Dunham at 141 pounds and Toby Schoffstall at 197 pounds. Both advanced after semifinal wins but finished fourth overall; Dunham recorded a major decision (16-6) while Schoffstall won his semifinal with a score of 14-8.
The team scored 36 points and finished seventh overall—their highest point total at a SoCon tournament since 2010.
“Vigil becomes the first Keydet to win a conference title since Neal Richards in 2020, and gives VMI its first NCAA qualifier since fellow first-classman Dyson Dunham was an at-large bid in 2024.”
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