October 27, 2011

King Men’s Wrestling Recognized in Regional and National Rankings

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The men's wrestling team at King College is on the brink of their season beginning and they are already receiving attention regionally and nationally on both an individual and team level. Eight members have been ranked inside the top-6 of their weight class regionally while two individuals were ranked on a national stage. King as a team was tabbed fifth in the region behind multiple nationally-ranked teams and received votes in the NCAA National Coaches' Poll, recognizing them among the top programs in the country.

NCAA Rankings - click here

As a member of the Super Region II, King was voted to finish fifth out of 13 teams. The top four teams in the region are all nationally ranked, beginning with No. 7 Central Oklahoma, who was tabbed first in the region. Ohio schools Ashland (No. 10) and Findlay (No. 14) ranked second and third in the region while Limestone College (No. 17) sits in front of King in the fourth spot.

King was ranked in front of Truman State, Belmont Abbey, Central Missouri, Tiffin, St. Andrews, Lake Erie College and Ouachita Baptist to round out the regional team rankings.

Eight of King's 10 starting grapplers are ranked in the top-6 of their respective weight classes, regionally. Redshirt-junior D'Marcus Spencer (Indianapolis, Ind.) comes to King from Lincoln Community College and is already making waves in the 125-pound regional rankings being listed fifth in his weight class. Senior Caleb Myers (133#) and sophomore Nic Stella (149#) were ranked fourth in their weight classes.

The Tornado placed a wrestling in the top-6 of the five heaviest weight classes, beginning at 165 pounds with junior Dyvon Passmore (Miami, Fla.). Passmore and senior Jon Forbes (174#) were both ranked sixth in their respective weight classes while senior Dondricus Anderson (Macon, Ga.) was tabbed the fifth-best grappler in the heavyweight division.

King's highest regional rankings came from a pair of athletes that combine the team most experienced and most excitable up-and-coming wrestler. No stranger to King men's wrestling and the national wrestling community, Frank Morgan (Maynardville, Tenn.) was ranked second in the region at 197 pounds. Last year, Morgan ran away with a regional championship and twice was a point away from victory at the national competition. At 184 pounds, junior Brandon Tressler (Orlando, Fla.) received a second place vote and will be one to watch as he matures into a competitor looking to achieve lofty goals and meet high expectations.

Tressler and Morgan both were ranked in the top-8 nationally at their respective weight classes. Tressler was ranked seventh while Morgan was respected with a sixth overall ranking.

As a team, King was left just outside of the top-20 teams, nationally, but received votes to be recognized in the poll as tabulated by the NCAA.

"It is really great to see the recognition of our program by our peers," said Head Coach Nate Moorman. "We feel we are still being overlooked, but that is something we have to prove to everybody with how we compete this season."

The Tornado will hold an intersquad scrimmage this Sunday, Oct. 30, at 1:00 p.m. in the Student Center Complex gymnasium, marking their first action on the mat this season. Their first competition will be held on Nov. 6 at the Hokie Open in Salem, Virginia. The Tornado will then host the King Open for their first official action on their home mats, Nov. 13. 

Complete rankings at both the regional and national level are below.

 

Pre-Season Super Region II Rankings

NCAA Division-II National Rankings
  1. Central Oklahoma 
  2. Ashland 
  3. Findlay
  4. Limestone
  5. King College
  6. Truman St.
  7. Belmont Abbey
  8. Central Missouri
  9. Tiffin
  10. St. Andrews
  11. Lake Erie
  12. Ouachita Baptist
 

Rank      School (State)           Points   2011 Finish

1.            St. Cloud State (Minn.) 153      2nd
2.            Newberry (S.C.)           150      6th
3.            Upper Iowa                  144     4th
4.            Nebraska-Kearney       132      8th
5.            Grand Canyon (Ariz.)    130     7th
6.            Augustana (S.D.)          124     3rd
7.            Central Oklahoma        107     13th
8.            Pitt-Johnstown (Pa.)     94       T-10th
9.            Wisconsin-Parkside       90      9th
10.          Ashland (Ohio)              74      20th
11.          Mercyhurst (Pa.)           70      25th
12.          Minnesota State           69       T-10th
13.          Adams State (Colo.)     63       21st
14.          Findlay (Ohio)              53       14th
15.          Maryville (Mo.)              47       NR
16.          Fort Hays State (Kan.) 44       T-22nd
17.          Limestone (S.C.)           31      27th
18.          UNC-Pembroke             28      T-17th
19.          SF State (Calif.)           23       T-17th
20.          Shippensburg (Pa.)     15       T-22nd 

Others receiving votes: Central Missouri, Colorado School of Mines, East Stroudsburg (Pa.), Gannon (Pa.), King (Tenn.), Kutztown (Pa.), Mary (N.D.), Northern State (S.D.), Western State (Colo.).

Super Region II Individual Rankings

125#

1. Ben Sergent UF (So.) 2011 NQ 1-2
2. Brandon Davis ASH (Sr.)2010 NQ (RS '11)    
3. Shane Summerlin BAC (Jr.)2011 NQ 0-2
4. Ryan Banning TSU (Jr.) 6th region 2011
5. D'Marcus Spencer KC(JR.) 3rd JUCO 10'
 6. Eric Brown SAP (Sr.  ) 1-2 regionals 11'

165#

1. Mason True UF (Jr.) 11' Region 5th @174
2. Derrick Adkins UCO (Jr.) 11' region 1-2
3. Dan McGillivray LC (Jr.) 11' Juco AA 3rd
 4. Todd Brier CMSU (So )11' region 1-2@165
5. Zach Hayes TSU (Sr.) 11' region 1-2@184
6. Dyvon Passmore KC (Jr.)


133#

1. Trison Graham UCO (So.) AA 11' 7th
2. Mike Magaha LC (Jr.) Regional Champ 11'
3. Dan Mandara ASH (Jr.) R-Champ 11' @125
4. Caleb Myers KC (Sr.) 1-2 Region 11'
 5. Nick Weisjahn UF (Sr.)             
6. Casey Gashaw SAP (Sr.) Redshirted 11'


174#

1. Michael Lybarger UF (Sr.) 11' Nat'l Champ
2. Kelly Henderson UCO (Jr.) 11' AA 6th
3. Bryce Sopko (Sr.) 11' region 2nd
4. William Ressel CMSU (Sr.) 11' R- 6th@174
5. Richard Manwarren SAP(Jr.)11region5th@165
6. Jon Forbes KC (Sr.) 11'region 2-2

141#

1. Dan Genetin AU (Jr.) 2x NQ
2. Casey Rowell UCO (So.) Redshirt 11'
3. Alex Maus TSU (Jr.) Redshirt 11'
4. Will James BAC (So.) 1-2 Regionals 11'
5. Chris Andrews UF (Sr.) 1-2 Reg 11' 133  
6. Sterling Perry SAP ( JR.)

 

184#

1. Tanner Keck UCO (Jr.) 2X NQ
2. Brandon Tressler KC (Jr.) 11' NQ
 3. Adam Walters UF (So.) 11' NQ @157
4. Landon Hall LC (Sr.) 08' NQ
5. Jeremi Bartley BAC (Sr.) 11' region 1-2
6. Phil Witt CMSU (So.) 10' region 5th@184

149#

1. Ryan Maus TSU (So.) 11' NQ 141
2. Ky Corley UCO (Jr.) 11' NQ 141
3. Marc Hoff AU (Sr.) 11' Region 5th @157      
4. Nic Stella KC (So.) 11' Reg 5th @ 149
 5. Theran Goodale LC (Jr.) 1-2 Region 11'
6. Jeremy Espinoza UF (Sr.) 10' NQ 1-2 @ Nat

197#

1. Dan Scanlan LC (Sr.) National Champ 08'
2. Frank Morgan KC (Sr.)NQ Reg champ 11'
 3. Jarrett Edison UCO (Jr.) 2x NQ
4. Alex Hughes TU (So.)11' region 5th
5. Corby Running AU (So.) 11' region 6th
6. Andrew Tumlin UF (Jr.) 11' region 6th@ 285

 

157#

1. Cory Dauphin UCO (So.) 11' AA 6th
2  Jake Varilek BAC (Jr.) 2x NQ
3. Tommy Graszl AU (Sr.) NQ 10'
4. Jeremy Bommarito LC (Jr.) 11'Juco AA 2nd
5. Andrew Gasber LEC (So.) 11' Reg 6th@165
6. Scott Neumann CMSU (Sr.) 11' Reg 6th @157

285# (Hwt)

1.  Jacob Southwick ASH (Sr.)11' AA 4th
 2. Cody Beck CMSU (Jr.) 2x NQ 11' Redshirt
3. Cody Dauphin UCO (So.) 11' NQ
4. Matt Clum UF (Sr.) 10' NQ
5. Dondricus Anderson KC (Sr.)11' Reg 2-2
 6. Charles Weber LC (Sr.)