Trio of Dutch wrestlers land in preseason rankings
PELLA — Three Central College wrestlers were recognized in the preseason 2020-21 Division III FloWrestling rankings released earlier this week.
Rob Areyano (junior, Selma, Calif.) is No. 6 at 149 pounds and is the highest-rated member of the trio. Shandon Akeo (senior, Honolulu, Hawaii, Kapolei HS) is No. 12 at 133 pounds and Griffen McBride (senior, Pleasantville, Iowa) is No. 16 at 174 pounds.
An All-American last season after qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships for the first time, Areyano went 23-2 with 13 falls. He has earned American Rivers all-conference recognition twice in his career.
Akeo went 21-8, earning all-conference honors after finishing fourth at the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional. He was named the American Rivers Conference male athlete of the week on December 9, 2019 after winning the title at the MSOE Invitational.
McBride was an all-conference performer following a 21-9 season. He also finished fourth at the regional meet, one spot away from qualifying for the national tournament. He has a career record of 63-23 and won four tournament titles.
Due to the ongoing CoVID-19 situation, the schedule for the Dutch wrestling team is not finalized.
