WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – The Blue Raider men's wrestling team opened its 2023-24 campaign with five podium finishes and two individual winners at the Patriot Open, hosted by the University of the Cumberlands, on Saturday.

Lindsey Wilson's Conner Diamond and Nikolas Perovic each placed atop their respective weight divisions, while Cory Cannan, Carlos Figueroa, and Adrian Ayala also grappled inside the top six.

The first of the Blue Raiders' two medalists opened with back-to-back decisions at 125. Diamond then earned a slot in the championship bout after an injury forfeit. In the final, the senior met Damion Ryan of Bellarmine (Ky.). Trailing 5-4 after two periods, Diamond used an escape and a takedown in the final seconds to defeat Ryan 8-5.

As for Perovic, another Blue Raider senior, he began his run at 197 with a second-round pin, followed by a 10-3 decision to move into the semifinal. In his third match, Perovic needed 4:31 before pinning Marian's (Ind.) Liam Begley to advance to the finals. A big first period set the tone for Perovic in the championship, as a takedown with a minute remaining gave him a 3-0 lead en route to a 4-1 decision.

Elsewhere for Lindsey Wilson, at 174, Cannan earned a win by fall in his opening match, then secured a 14-6 major decision and 4-3 victory before falling to Cumberland's Cole Smith in the championship.

In the heavyweight division, Figueroa carried consecutive decisions into the semifinal but ultimately fell into the consolation bracket. A subsequent win by fall set him up for the third-place match, but a medical forfeit ended his day early with a fourth-place finish.

Ayala was the last Blue Raider to snatch a podium spot at 141, placing tied for sixth.

Lindsey Wilson hits the road again next weekend when the Blue Raiders travel to Des Moines, Iowa for the Grand View University Open.