MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Alex Weaver of the Adrian College cornhole team led the Bulldogs at the American Cornhole League (ACL) National Championships, held January 1–2. Adrian qualified 12 individuals to compete across the Team, Singles, and Doubles events, highlighted by Weaver capturing the Collegiate Singles National Championship.
"This championship is the culmination of countless hours of work put in by Alex and our entire team," said head coach Max Benedict. "At Adrian College, we pride ourselves on the slogan 'No Victory Without Work,' and this title is a perfect reflection of that mindset. I'm incredibly proud of Alex and this program and excited to see us build on this success."
Weaver opened the Collegiate Singles Bracket with a dominant 22-0 victory and continued his run with wins of 20-9, 22-5, and 24-8 to advance to the quarterfinals. He secured a 17-13 win after the 12-round limit to earn a spot in the semifinals, which streamed on ESPN+. Weaver then defeated his semifinal opponent 18-14 to advance to Adrian College's first cornhole national championship match. In the finals, Weaver earned a 13-9 victory, winning the 118-player single-elimination bracket and claiming the national title.
"I'm proud to bring home a national championship for Adrian College," Weaver said. "After the last few years of our team being overlooked, I hope this marks the start of a new chapter for Adrian College and the collegiate cornhole scene. None of this would be possible without my teammates, coaches, and family."
In the Doubles Bracket, the Bulldogs were led by Abbie Sawicki and Carson Ashley, who advanced to the quarterfinals after victories of 21-0, 18-8, and 21-8 before falling to the eventual national champions. Abigail Trepkowski and Weaver earned two wins with scores of 24-9 and 23-5, while Zachary Blaylock and Ethan Freeman each went 4-0 in round-robin play to secure the No. 6 seed.
Adrian also competed with two teams in the Team Event. One Bulldog squad defeated East Carolina and Oklahoma State before falling to the eventual national champions, while the second team earned a win over UW–Whitewater before being eliminated by the national runner-up. The Bulldogs entered the ACL National Championships ranked No. 2 in the collegiate team standings.
Weaver's Collegiate Singles National Championship marks the 32nd individual national title in Adrian College athletics history and the first national championship for the Adrian College cornhole program.
