Braxton Brown, Branson John excel for Maryland at Southern Scuffle

Photo courtesy of Rose Fernandes/Maryland Athletics.

Maryland’s trip to the 2026 Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga was headlined by No. 11 Braxton Brown’s run to the 133-pound final and a breakout showing from sophomore 197-pounder Branson John, who reached the semifinals before falling and battling on the back side.

Brown entered the season as a three-time NCAA qualifier coming off a 24-6 campaign in the 2024-25 season that included an 18-1 dual mark and top-five Big Ten finish, and he looked every bit that level in Chattanooga.

The redshirt senior stormed through the early rounds, reaching the championship match behind a tech fall and two decision victories. His stingy defense and ability to turn position into bonus points translated well to the Scuffle’s deep national field.​ In the final, he went up against No. 9 Dominick Serrano of Northern Colorado, last year’s Big 12 Champion at 133 pounds, where he lost a narrow 5-4 decision .

At 197 pounds, No. 17 Branson John continued his rapid rise, navigating a brutal bracket to reach the semifinals before dropping a tight bout to the nation’s top-ranked 197-pounder – Penn State’s Josh Barr. 

The sophomore entered the year already on the national radar after climbing into the teens in the FloWrestling rankings and compiling an 11-1 start to his 2026 season, and his Scuffle performance demonstrated that he can contend with the country’s best at the weight. 

Carter Young put together an impressive breakout performance at 149 pounds, ripping through his side of the bracket to reach the semifinals. Along the way, Young stunned the field by knocking off the tournament’s top seeded wrestler at the weight – No. 4 Cross Wasilewski – showing off both his tactical savvy and his ability to convert late scoring chances in pressure situations. 

His run ultimately ended in the semis, but the combination of an upset over the No. 1 seed and a deep run in the tournament demonstrated that the Oklahoma State transfer could be an important piece in the Terps’ lineup going forward.

Maryland’s lineup in Chattanooga looked much like the one that will carry it through the heart of the Big Ten slate, with veterans spread out from 133 through 197 pounds. They finished 12th overall in the tournament – an encouraging sign for Terps head coach Alex Clemsen heading into the New Year.

The Southern Scuffle slotted perfectly into Maryland’s 2025-26 roadmap, kicking off the new year just days before the Terps tackle Big Ten action away from College Park. Maryland takes the mat again on Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. against Northwestern.