Seven Ranked in Preseason Heart Poll, Two Nationally

Oskaloosa–The Statesmen men’s wrestling team will open the season with numerous grapplers on the watch list as the NAIA released its preseason polls Thursday.

William Penn, which is tied for 35th in the nation with 28 points, has two individuals ranked at their respective weight classes.

Returning national qualifiers Cameron Hargrove (So., Bolingbrook, Ill., Undecided) and Makail Stanley (So., Oreana, Ill., Biology) are in the top 25 with Hargrove ninth at 149 pounds and Stanley 15th at 174.

Defending national champion Grand View is first in the NAIA with 287 points, while Life (Ga.) is second with 254 points. Southeastern (Fla.) (196), Marian (Ind.) (166), and Indiana Tech (164) round out the top five.

As a team, WPU sits in fourth place in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with 94 points, while Grand View leads with 234 points.

Hargrove tops the navy and gold as the #1 at 149, while Stanley is third at 174. Steven Skewes (So., Duchesne, Utah, Exercise Science) joins Stanley in the bronze position at 157 pounds, while newcomer Kael Bunce (Jr., Stockbridge, Mich., Mechanical Engineering) makes the Statesmen two-deep at the weight as his is fifth.

197-pounder Branson Bottorff (Jr., Mackinaw, Ill., Mechanical Engineering) is fifth as well, while WPU has two ranked wrestlers at 165 in Michael Baker (Jr., Underwood, Iowa, Elementary Education) (sixth) and Matheson Meade (So., Knoxville, Tenn., Exercise Science) (seventh).

William Penn begins its season on November 2, traveling to Kansas City, Mo. for duals against Bethany (Kan.) at 5 p.m. and Avila at 6 p.m.