Lowndes High senior wrestlers Ethan, Cole, and Hunter McCullough are ready to take their talents to the next level. After wrestling careers that began with a visit of curiosity to a wrestling camp back in 2016, the McCullough Triplets are preparing to attend Newberry College in South Carolina on scholarship.
The fact that all three are able to attend the same college on scholarship might seem like a surprise to many, but for Ethan, Hunter, and Cole, that was the only way any college was going to get them to come.
“It was a package deal,” said Hunter. “We made that clear to all of the college recruiters, that we were all coming together or we’d just have to find another school.”
That’s how the McCullough boys roll. One for all and all for one. After all, they stumbled onto the sport at the same time in the summer of 2016, and they’ve wrestled together ever since.
A visit to a wrestling camp in Augusta during their summer break when the McCullough Triplets were 11 years old turned into a passion that will pay their way to a college education. The scholarships also will enable them to continue what they’ve been doing since that fateful day seven years ago.
The McCullough triplets, the sons of Christal and Tom McCullough, recently wrapped up their high school wrestling careers at Lowndes with the state championships in Macon, where powerhouse Camden County again was victorious. Although a state title was not in the cards for the McCullough brothers, they did finish with Ethan placing third at 126 pounds and Cole placing fifth at 132 pounds. Unfortunately for Hunter, his day ended prematurely with a medical forfeit due to an early match injury would not allow him to finish.
“We are all so sad he couldn’t continue,” said a disappointed Christal McCullough.
A look back at the triplets’ career shows why Newberry College accepted all three wrestlers:
- Hunter secured the triplets’ lone state high school state title in 2021, capturing the state championship in Greco and Freestyle at 106 pounds. He was a three-time state qualifier.
- Ethan was also a three-time state qualifier and placed in state three times, including a state runner-up finish in 2022 at 120 pounds.
- Cole finished his high school career as a four-time state qualifier, with a state runner-up finish in 2020 at 113 pounds.
Lowndes High wrestling coach Spencer Graybeal, who has coached the McCullough triplets throughout their career at Lowndes, said he has not been surprised at their success.
“They are each very hard-working men with lofty goals,” he said. “They are leaders in the practice room, and are going to leave big shoes to fill.”
As for their future, Graybeal said, “I’m glad they are moving on to compete at the next level, and I’m sure they will find success in their future wrestling careers. They will be greatly missed.”
