The 2022-23 season was Alex Clemsen’s best at the helm of Maryland wrestling

Alex Clemsen became the new head coach for Maryland wrestling in 2019, with the goal of rebuilding the program after five consecutive years of getting demolished by Big Ten competitors. Four seasons later, the Terps appear retooled, rebuilt, and ready to be competitive against the nation’s best teams for years to come. 

Maryland wrestling’s 2022-23 campaign was filled with improvements and milestones. The Terps picked up their first win over a ranked opponent since 2013 with a 19-18 victory over Purdue, their first NWCA ranking since 2013, their first Big Ten dual win since 2016, as well as their most NCAA Qualifiers since 2014 and the most wrestlers alive on day two of the NCAAs since 2010. 

Maryland’s talented underclassmen played a huge part in its improvement as a collective group this season. Members of the Terps’ eighth-ranked 2021 recruiting class debuted this season and made an immediate impact, with redshirt freshman Braxton Brown, Ethen Miller, and Jaxon Smith all inserting themselves into the national rankings through impressive showings against high-level competition. Kal Miller also impressed for the Terps, registering 18 wins as a true freshman. 

Brown, Smith, and both Millers made up four of the five Terps who qualified for the 2023 NCAA Championships, which made Maryland one of just three schools to have four freshman qualifiers at the NCAA Championships at the Division I level. All four picked up at least one win, with Smith leading the way, advancing to the quarterfinals before back-to-back losses ended his season. 

“You know, we’re doing something special at Maryland,” Smith said. “I mean, you can tell from our guys looking at the past three years. Every year we keep improving and we’re gonna keep doing that.”

It wasn’t just the young guns that stepped up for the Terps, as they also got some strong seasons from veterans. 

Graduate student Jaron Smith was a consistent performer in his first season at heavyweight, finishing with a 14-13 record along with a 4-3 Big Ten dual record during his eighth and final year for Maryland. Smith’s resume helped him pick up an at-large selection for the 2023 NCAA Championships, where he went 1-2. 

Other veteran Terps who were consistent contributors this season were sophomore Dominic Solis and redshirt junior Michael North.

Solis, who finished the season at 11-14, came through for Maryland with multiple big wins this year and spent some time in the top 25 rankings at 174. North got off to a blazing start, jumping out to a 10-2 record while picking up multiple top 25 wins to enter the national rankings. The next half of the season was a struggle for North, as he wrestled through injuries while facing tough Big Ten opponents to finish with a 15-7 regular season record before dropping three of his final four matches in the Big Ten Tournament. 

Like the freshman, Solis and North will look to make an impact in the lineup next year. 

“Really excited about the progress we made all year, but I think, like all of us tied to this program, hungry to do even more,” coach Clemsen said. “I keep saying that we’re taking steps, but it’s time to take a jump, and hopefully with the work I know our kids and staff will put in this offseason the 2023-24 season will be the best.”