SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Redshirt sophomore AJ Rallo has been selected to the 10-man SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team, the league announced on Thursday.

Rallo, earning the nod at the 141-pound weight class, is just the second wrestler in program history to earn a Preseason All-Conference accolade, following redshirt senior Zac Cowan (149) who became the first to do so last year.

In 2024-25, Rallo was tabbed as a SoCon All-Freshmen Team selection in a season in which he earned SoCon Wrestler of the Week (1/29) and became the first wrestler in program history to earn an individual ranking when he was listed as the No. 27 wrestler in the 141-weight class on January 29 after defeating Campbell's Shannon Hanna, the No. 21 ranked wrestler in the class. Overall, Rallo turned in an impressive 12-4 season after not competing in any of the team's first six events of the season. The Wildwood, MO native first saw action at the Southern Scuffle where he went 6-2. From there, he went on a run in the SoCon, going 6-2 in conference duals. He received the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament this weekend where he ultimately placed third before earning an NCAA At-Large bid for a spot in the 2025 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

As a team, Bellarmine was picked to finish fourth in the conference, tying the high-water mark from last year's selection as the best preseason poll finish since the Knights joined the SoCon in 2020. Last year was Bellarmine's first as a full member of Division I competition, allowing the Knights to compete in the SoCon and NCAA tournaments for the first time ever.

The full list of preseason All-Conference selections, as well as the Coaches' Poll, can be found below:

2025-26 SoCon Wrestling Preseason All-Conference Team
125 – Gylon Sims, The Citadel *
133 – TK Davis, Gardner-Webb *
141 – AJ Rallo, Bellarmine
149 – Carson DesRosier, The Citadel *
157 – Cody Chittum, Chattanooga
165 – Thomas Snipes, The Citadel **
174 – Kamdyn Munro, Chattanooga
184 – Braxton Lewis, VMI
197 – Josh McCutchen, Gardner-Webb; Toby Schoffstall, VMI
285 – Stephan Monchery, Appalachian State *

* Denotes 2025 SoCon Champion
** 2025 SoCon Most Outstanding Wrestler

2025-26 SoCon Wrestling Preseason Coaches' Poll
School (First-place votes)   Points
1. Chattanooga (3)                    58
2. The Citadel (3)                       56
3. Appalachian State (2)            53
4. Bellarmine                              42
5. Gardner-Webb (1)                  37
6. Campbell                                32
7. VMI                                         20
8. Davidson                                18
9. Presbyterian                            8