Maryland Terrapins at NCAA Championships
March 20-22Â 2025
Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
All-Day
ESPN Networks & ESPN+Â
COLLEGE PARK, MD --Â The Terps head into the 2025 NCAA Championships with six NCAA Qualifiers in
Jaxon Smith (8-seed at 184),
Braxton Brown (9-seed at 133),
Ethen Miller (10-seed at 157),
Seth Nevills (13-seed at HWT),
Kal Miller (#26-seed at 149) and
Branson John (31-seed at 174). The
six qualifiers are the program's most since the 2011-12 season.
Smith, Brown and the two Miller brothers are all making their third consecutive NCAA Championships appearance while Nevills is making his second straight.
All five have earned their highest seed ever. True freshman
Branson John stole an allocation spot at Big Tens by finishing sixth and is making his first career NCAA appearance.
The Terps are hunting for their first All-American since Youssif Hemida finished sixth at 285 in 2019 and the first under head coach
Alex Clemsen. Maryland is also looking for its first top-25 team finish since 2014.
Maryland Seeds | 2025 NCAA Championships
133 #9Â
Braxton Brown
149 #26Â
Kal Miller
157 #10Â
Ethen Miller
174 #31Â
Branson John
184 #8Â
Jaxon Smith
285 #13Â
Seth Nevills
***John was originally the No. 32 seed but moved to No. 31 due to a disqualifcation in the weight classÂ
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8-seed jaxon smith
- After three seasons, including a redshirt year at 197 pounds, Smith has spent this season at 184.
- Smith's career is highlighted by a 2023 Third Place finish at the Big Ten Championships and a 2023 bloodround appearance at NCAA Championships. Smith, the No. 8 seed, is 20-5 this season, highlighted by winning the George Mason Patriot Open over No. 9 Chris Foca (Cornell), and is 82-28 for his career. His Big Ten victories include a win over former Big Ten champion Edmond Ruth, a big win over then-No.19 Jaden Bullock (Michigan) with a last-second score, and a major decision over Rutgers' Shane Cartagena-Walsh in February.
- At Big Tens, he picked up wins over NCAA Qualifiers Gabe Arnold (Iowa) and Silas Allred (Nebraska) to claim his third consecutive top-four finish at the tournament.
Jaxon Smith will face No. No. 25 Jared McGill of Edinboro in the first round.Â
No. 9 Seed Braxton brown
- After bumping up weights a couple weeks into the season last year, ninth-seeded Braxton Brown is back for a complete season at 133. An NCAA qualifier at both weights, Brown finished the 2023-24 season as the team leader in wins (21).
- The redshirt junior from Allen, TX is 23-4 this season and put together a 12-match winning streak at one point. His regular season was highlighted by ranked wins over the reigning Big Ten Champion and All-American Dylan Shawver of Rutgers. Brown also has key wins over Kurt Phipps (Bucknell), two-time All-American Anthony Noto (Lock Haven), Derrick Cardinal (SDSU) and Vinnie Santaniello (Pittsburgh).
- At Big Tens, Brown had his best career finish (5th place). He picked up wins over three NCAA Qualifiers: Nolan Wertanen (Michigan), Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska) and Dylan Shawver (Rutgers). He used a second-period rideout to beat Van Dee 2-0 in the quarterfinals before falling to Lucas Byrd in the semifinals. After dropping a close match to Braeden Davis in the consolation semifinals, he rebounded with a thrilling sudden victory win over Shawver in the fifth-place match.
- He holds a 78-29 career record.
Brown will open his third NCAA Tournament against North Dakota State's No. 24 Kyle Burwick.Â
No. 10 seed ethen miller
- Ethen Miller took home sixth place at the 2025 Big Ten Championships, is 22-3 this season, and is 86-27 for his career.
- He went 20-0 in the regular season, highlighted by a Tiger Style Invite Championship where he picked up two ranked wins en route to the title, including defeating Joey Blaze (Purdue) in the Championship match. His regular season Big Ten slate includes a win over Tyler Kasak (injury default), Chase Saldate (4-2 decision), Conner Harer (10-0) and Jason Kraisser (5-1) among others. The 20-0 start was the best regular season mark for a Maryland wrestler since Jimmy Sheptock started the 2013-14 season 32-0 before falling in the NCAA finals. He is Maryland's first No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Championships since joining the league.
- At Big Tens, he defeated Iowa'a Jacori Teemer in tiebreakers, a four-time All-American, and picked up his second win of the season over Rutgers' Conner Harer.
Ethen Miller will wrestle No. 23 Chase Saldate of Michigan in Round One. Miller beat Saldate 4-2 in Ann Arbor on Jan. 10 as part of Maryland's historic dual win over the Wolverines.Â
No. 13 seed seth nevills
- No. 13 seed Seth Nevills is in his second year at Maryland and is looking to build off two wins at his first-ever NCAA Tournament. The former top-10 recruit and Penn State transfer is 19-6 this season, cruising in his first eight dual matches as well as winning three matches en route to a Tiger Style Invite title, beating Seth Nitzel in the finals. He had three ranked victories in the regular season, highlighted by a win over then-No. 13 Dayton Pitzer of Pittsburgh and is 54-24 for his career.
- He finished in a career-best seventh place at Big Tens, beating No. 8 Jacob Bullock (Indiana), No. 10 Hayden Filipovich (Purdue) and No. 12 Max Vanadia (Michigan State).
 Nevills will wrap up his collegiate career starting with No. 20 Jordan Greer (Ohio).Â
No. 26 seed kal miller
- Both Miller brothers bumped up a weight class prior to the season, Kal to 149 and Ethen to 157. Kal is 20-9 on the season with three wins coming over ranked foes in the regular season: No. 31 Richard Fedalen (Columbia), No. 30 Lucas Kapusta (Lock Haven) and No. 28 Derek Gilcher (Michigan).
- Kal beat Michigan's Dylan Gilcher twice at Big Tens to secure seventh-place and his first career podium berth. He also added a win over Minnesota's Drew Roberts. He holds a 51-39 career record.
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Kal Miller will open with seventh-seeded Kannon Webster of Illinois.
No. 31Â seed branson john
- True freshman Branson John held down the spot at 174 so far this season, wrestling in all 19 dual meets with a 14-17 overall record. In the regular season, John picked up his first career ranked win against Lock Haven with a pin over No. 29 Avery Bassett and followed that up with an upset of No. 25 Joseph Walker of Michigan and a win over top-25 guy and former All-American Jackson Turley of Rutgers on Feb. 7. John, a 2024 Super 32 placer, also finished in fourth place at the 2024 Tiger Style Invite in November.
- John entered Big Tens as the No. 12 seed and upset No. 5 Clayton Whiting (Minnesota) in the first round. After dropping to the wrestlebacks, he picked up wins over Jackson Turley (Rutgers) and Brody Baumann (Purdue), both of whom were seeded above him, to finish sixth.
John, who has been bumped up to the No. 31 seed, will no longer have a pigtail match and will now face No. 2 Levi Haines (Penn State) in his first match.
