Austin Paradice finishes
third in World Team Trials
Published 11:53 am Thursday, July 24, 2025
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- Former two-time Colquitt County state champion Austin Paradice competes in the U23 World Championships. (Photo by Drew Blogs)
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- Austin Paradice, in red, competes in the U23 World Championships this summer in Geneva, Ohio. He placed fourth. (Photo by Drew Blogs)
MOULTRIE – Colquitt County’s Austin Paradice turned in a third-place in the United World Wrestling (UWW) Team Trials this summer.
The event was held at the SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio.
The event determines the U.S. team for the U23 World Championships.
Paradice wrestled in the Greco-Roman competition.
The two-time state champion at Colquitt County High School and current Life University wrestler won six of his seven matches in the event and narrowly missed qualifying.
The 72kg (159 pounds) field drew 33 wrestlers from around the country.
Now 22, Paradice will have an opportunity to qualify for the U23 World Championships again next year and should be a strong contender based on his 2025 performance.
In addition to winning GHSA state championships in 2021 at 145 pounds and in 2022 at 160 pounds, he finished fourth at state in 2019 and was the runner-up in 2020.
Wrestling for Colquitt County coach Benjy Scarbor, he posted 198-27 record for the Packers.
He also placed nationally in the National High School Coaches Association tournament, placing seventh as a freshman, fifth as junior and third as a senior.
He was fourth at the Junior Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, N.D., as senior in Greco-Roman and fifth at the U.S. Open.
Austin will return to compete next season for Life University, one of the nation’s most successful NAIA programs.
