NEWBERRY — The Newberry College Wolves’ wrestling team is ranked 14th in the preseason Division II Wrestling Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Oct. 28. The Wolves have four nationally ranked individuals in Trung Duong, Jordan Simpson, Huston Evans and Cody Brundage.
Newberry received 18 points in the voting as a team. St. Cloud State is the top ranked team after receiving 74 points and two first place votes.
Duong is ranked sixth at 125 lbs. after going 29-8 as a junior. Duong finished in eighth place at the 2016 NCAA Division II National Wrestling Tournament at the 125-lb. weight class.
Simpson is ranked seventh at 133 lbs. after going 21-6 as a sophomore. Simpson will look to return to the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Tournament after placing seventh last season at 133 lbs.
Evans is ranked sixth at 174 lbs. after going 34-6 as a junior. He placed seventh at the 2016 NCAA Division II National Wrestling Tournament at 184 lbs.
Brundage is ranked seventh at 197 lbs. after going 30-11 as a junior. Brungage was named first team all-conference after going a perfect 6-0 in ECAC duals.
Newberry will open the season Nov. 6 at the Southeast Open in Roanoke, Va.
Team Rankings
Rank School 1st Points
1. St. Cloud State 2 74
2. Maryville 50
3. Pitt-Johnstown 2 43
4. Mercyhurst 40
5. Upper Iowa 1 35
6. Nebraska-Kearney 1 29
7. Notre Dame 28
8. Indianapolis 24
McKendree 1 24
10. Tiffin 23
11. Ashland 22
Seton Hill 22
13. California Baptist 20
14. Newberry 18
15. Northern State 1 17
16. Augustana 1 16
UNC Pembroke 1 16
18. Newman 13
19. Minnesota State-Mankato 12
Simon Fraser 12
Wisconsin-Parkside 12
Wheeling Jesuit 12
22. Lake Erie 11
23. Colorado Mesa 10
24. Shippensburg 9
25. Fort Hays State 8
Limestone 8
Minnesota State-Moorhead 8
Individual Rankings
125 lbs.
1. Brett Velasquez St. Cloud State
2. Willie Bohince Mercyhurst
3. Ronzel Darling UW Parkside
4. Dustin Reed Newman
5. Ronnie Wardleigh Western State Colo.
6. Trung Duong Newberry
7. Maleek Williams Upper Iowa
8. Zach Brown West Liberty
9. Jaret Singh Maryville
10. Giuseppe Penzone Tiffin
133 lbs.
1. Nick Roberts Pitt-Johnstown
2. Mike Labry Ashland
3. Nick Crume Indianapolis
4. Blake Bosch Minn. St.-Moorhead
5. Dakota Bauer Maryville
6. Naquan Hardy McKendree
7. Jordan Simpson Newberry
8. Martin Ramirez Adams State
9. David Bavery Notre Dame
10. Taylor Summers Chadron State
174 lbs.
1. Blaze Shade UNC Pembroke
2. Adam Cooling Minn. St.-Mankato
3. Calvin Ochs Nebraska-Kearney
4. Clayton Jennissen St. Cloud State
5. Justan Rivera Notre Dame
6. Huston Evans Newberry
7. Nolan Kistler California Baptist
8. J.J. Filipek McKendree
9. John Blankenship Pitt-Johnstown
10. Brad Metz Findlay
197 lbs.
1. Joe Gomez Northern State
2. Garrett Lineberger Notre Dame
3. Jacob Waste California Baptist
4. Jon Inman Fort Hays State
5. Ryan Parmely Upper Iowa
6. Evan Ramos Shippensburg
7. Cody Brundage Newberry
8. Matt Rudy Limestone
9. Dylan Archer Lindenwood
10. Uthman Rabiu St. Cloud State