October 22, 2003

Wrestling 10^th in Preseason Poll

Four Lopers Ranked Individually

            Kearney, NE – The Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team, coming off a runner up finish at last year’s NCAA Division II National Championships, is picked 10^th in the Wrestling Coaches Association Preseason Top 25 poll, which was released today.

            UNK, which has won three of the last four RMAC Championships, is the third highest ranked RMAC team. Both Adams State is 5^th (26 points) and Western State 7^th (22) are ahead of the Lopers.

            UNK received 18 points and are ahead of fellow West Region members San Francisco State (17^th), Central Washington (19) and RAMC rival Chadron State (19).

            North Dakota State, which placed fourth at the NCAA’s last March, is preseason No. 1 with two-time defending national champion Central Oklahoma second.

            All three returning UNK All-Americans are individually ranked. They are Kansas junior Bryce Abbey (125 lbs./3^rd), Kearney junior Adam Keiswetter (133 lbs./6^th) and Lyman sophomore Jeff Slyvester (197 lbs./6^th). Fremont junior Aaron Dalton, who was one of eight NCAA qualifiers last year, is ranked sixth at 157 lbs. However, he will probably compete at 165 lbs. for UNK this winter.

            UNK begins its season November 15^th at the Dakota Wesleyan Open.