Career: Went 36-38 in career, including 19-9 as a senior, capping career with a victory in the SoCon Championship title match at 197 pounds to qualify for NCAA Championships …. 2-2 career dual record.
2019-20: In final career match, qualified for NCAAs with a SoCon Championship title that doubled as his first career tournament victory … Seeded No. 32 for the NCAA Championships that were canceled by the coronavirus pandemic … Moved into starting lineup with three duals left in the regular season and went 5-1 from that point, including 3-0 at the SoCon Championship … Won a 6-1 decision against top-seeded Rodney Jones of Chattanooga in the final, recording a takedown in each of the first two periods before riding out the third … Claimed a 3-0 decision against Gardner-Webb's Roderick Davis in the quarterfinal round and won 10-3 in an emotionally charged semifinal against Campbell's Chris Kober, who had used a last-second takedown to edge Samuel during a much-debated matchup in the regular season … A 5-1 semifinal win against Jones during a second-place showing at the Appalachian Open in late January helped facilitate a move into the starting lineup for Samuel, who then picked up his first career dual win by a tech fall (20-3) at The Citadel … On Senior Day, won a 5-1 decision against VMI … Counting tournaments, went 9-1 against starters from other SoCon schools ... Rode out a full period from the top position in four of his last five matches, including two third periods at the SoCon Championships, with Campbell’s Kober choosing the neutral position for the second period after Samuel built 2:35 in ride time during the first period of their SoCon semifinal ... Took third place at the F&M Open and fifth at the Keystone Classic.
2018-19: Went 5-13 at 197 pounds and was in the lineup for a home dual against The Citadel’s Sawyer Root, an NCAA qualifier … Won his final three matches at the Appalachian Open to claim fifth place … Also won a match at the Keystone Classic.
2017-18: Went 5-8 as a sophomore heavyweight … Won first two matches with pins at the Appalachian Open … Also won two matches at the Keystone Classic.
2016-17: Went 7-8 with appearances at the Keystone Classic, Southeast Open, Cleveland State Open, Newberry Open and the Appalachian Open, where he took second by winning his first two matches by 6-0 and 7-0 decisions.
High School: Attended Northern High School in Durham, N.C. … State placer as a junior and state champion as a senior, when he capped a 40-0 season at 220 pounds by winning a 6-4 decision over Evan Surgeon of Southeast Guilford in the 4-A final ... Three-year letterwinner in football and a four-year letterwinner in wrestling and track and field … Named to all-conference in football.
Personal: Full name is Demazio Rashawn Samuel … Born March 27, 1997 … Son of Lawanda Samuel … Has two siblings: Daiquan and Antonio.
