Wrestling: WVU Ranked No. 20 by The Wrestling Mall
October 23, 2006 01:09 PM | General
October 23, 2006
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| Brandon Rader |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University men’s wrestling team has been selected the 20th best team in the country according to TheWrestlingMall.com’s Top 20 preseason poll.
Six Mountaineers qualified for the NCAA tournament last season including five returners: Brandon Rader (141-lbs.), David Jauregui (149-lbs.), Larry Hall (165-lbs.), Kurt Brenner (174-lbs.) and Jared Villers (197-lbs.). Two-time NCAA qualifier Zak Fryling (157-lbs.) also returns this season after redshirting as a junior.
WVU was joined in the website’s Top 20 by fellow Eastern Wrestling League member Edinboro. The Fighting Scots came in at No. 15.
Seven of West Virginia’s 10 starters begin the season ranked in the Top 20 of their respective weight classes by TheWrestlingMall.com. Sophomore 141-pounder Brandon Rader is the highest ranked of the Mountaineers at No. 3. The site refers to him as a “national title hopeful”. The Parkersburg, W.Va., native finished his freshman campaign as an All-American and EWL champion with 30 wins.
Other grapplers ranking in their weight classes include Brenner (174) at seventh, Jauregui (149) at ninth, Hall (165) at 15th, Fryling (157) at 16th, Villers (197) at 18th and Chance Litton (184) at 19th.
WVU will also get a boost from wrestlers Kyle Turnbull (125-lbs.) and Dustin Rogers (HWT), who spent much of last season sidelined with injuries. Heavyweight Matt Holsopple will also contribute.
The Mountaineers get their season underway on Saturday, Nov. 4, when they host the 25th-annual WVU Invitational in the Shell Building in Morgantown, W.Va.
