WVU Wrestling’s Jordan Titus Looks to Build Off Strong 2022 Campaign

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia redshirt sophomore Jordan Titus compiled 22 wins during his first season in the WVU wrestling lineup last year, but none more memorable than his victory in the Mountaineers’ dual meet against Pittsburgh on Jan. 8.

In a matchup with then-No. 1 ranked 141-pounder Cole Matthews, Titus used a late duck-under takedown to claim a victory and spearhead West Virginia’s upset win over the No. 21 ranked Panthers.

Titus rode this momentum throughout the season to defeat multiple ranked opponents and earn a seventh-place finish at the Big 12 Tournament and qualify for the NCAA championships.

“I kind of just look at every match the same,” Titus said. “I have to go out there and beat whoever is in front of me. It doesn’t matter if they’re ranked or not, I can’t take anyone lightly.”

Now, with two years in a Mountaineers singlet under his belt after wrestling 27 matches while unattached as a redshirt in 2021, Titus is looking to go even farther being one of the Mountaineers’ eight returning starters.

Titus started off this season on a very high note, breezing through the 141-pound bracket at the Southeast Open to claim the championship.

The Center Moriches, New York, native defeated ranked opponents Jack Gioffre (No. 30) of Virginia 11-4 in the semifinals and Oregon State’s Cleveland Benton (No. 26) by a 6-5 decision to win the title.

Titus, now ranked No. 17 nationally in his weight class, is already drawing attention from the West Virginia coaching staff.

“I think if he can keep wrestling well and just be Jordan, really, he’ll be in a very good position to go far this year,” West Virginia head coach Tim Flynn said. “He’s a good scrambler, and he can couple that with some basic stuff, too. If he can mix that in, he’s going to have a really good season.”

Titus followed his tournament championship with a strong performance at the Mountaineer Quad on Sunday, posting a perfect 3-0 record along with five of his teammates.

WVU Wrestling Dominates Mountaineer Quad to Open Dual Meet Season

He began by defeating Kent State’s Billy Meiszner by technical fall 20-3 in 4:19. Titus then beat No. 22 Dylan Layton of Cleveland State 9-3 before taking down Duke’s Peter Chacon by a 13-3 major decision.

Being one of the veterans on the West Virginia roster, Titus aims to set an example for the 10 newcomers along with improving on his own performances from last year.

Titus was the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week and WVU Student Athlete of the Week on Jan. 9 following his win over Matthews. He earned the No. 29 seed at the NCAA championships and posted a 1-2 record in his first appearance at the tournament.

“I’m going to try and be one of the leaders on the team,” Titus said. “The goal is to make and example so everyone else can follow. We’ve got a very good team this year, we just have to keep working hard.”