- April 18, 2024
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Landon Wright, with his family, signs a letter of intent to wrestle at Bluefield University in Virginia.
Brielle Bibla signs with her sister, Kendall, and her mom, Lindsey. Brielle will continue her wrestling career at the University of Mount Olive.
Matanzas wrestling coaches Mike Fries, Jeremiah Marschka and T.J. Gillin with Brielle Bibla after she signed a wrestling letter of intent with the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina.
Landon Wright with his family and Matanzas coaches at teammates after signing to wrestle at Bluefield University.
Matanzas High School’s Landon Wright took up wrestling to help him become a better football player. Now, he will be wrestling in college.
Wright and Matanzas girls wrestler Brielle Bibla each signed wrestling letters of intent on May 24 at the high school. Wright will wrestle at Bluefield University in Virginia. Bibla will wrestle for the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina.
Matanzas boys wrestling coach T.J. Gillin has known Wright since he was in Gillin’s fifth grade class at Imagine School at Town Center.
“Growing up, Landon was always a football player,” Gillin said. “He did wrestling to get better in football. The next thing you know, he became a wrestler who played football, not the other way around.”
Wright advanced to the state tournament in both of his years on the wrestling team. As a junior he wrestled two classes over his weight at 195 pounds. As a senior he wrestled at 160 pounds. He won over 70 matches in two years.
“I realized wrestling was my passion,” Wright said. “I couldn’t let it go now. I only had two years under my belt. Making the state tournament both years, I realized I could get good pretty fast. I’m pretty new to the sport, so I can learn so much.”
I took a visit, and it was perfect. They have everything I need to succeed on the next level." — LANDON WRIGHT
Wright, who has family in Virginia said he stumbled on Bluefield, an NAIA program.
“I took a visit, and it was perfect. They have everything I need to succeed on the next level, academically and athletically.”
Wright said Bluefield head coach Jason Waelti him wrestle on video streams and offered him a scholarship.
Bibla, a two-time state runner-up, was on a lot of schools’ radar. She originally committed to Presbyterian College in South Carolina. She said her best friend, Samantha Miller, an All-American at Presbyterian this past season, will be joining her at Mount Olive.
“My best friend will be there, and Mount Olive also has more opportunities for me in wrestling and in my major (nursing) and more (scholarship) money,” Bibla said.
Both Presbyterian and Mount Olive compete in the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship, which serves as the national championship for all NCAA divisions.
