Wrestling ranked No. 13 in NWCA Preseason Tournament Poll; Reed, Layman, Le ranked in top 15 as individuals

By Wes Mayberry

| NWCA Preseason Tournament Poll | NWCA Preseason Individual National Rankings | NWCA Preseason Individual Regional Rankings |

ADA — The Ohio Northern wrestling team is ranked No. 13 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Preseason Tournament Poll for the 2023-24 season.

The Polar Bears received 18.5 points in the poll and are ranked in the same spot as they were to close last season.

Augsburg (Minn.) is the top-ranked team in the poll with 75.5 points, Wartburg (Iowa) is second with 44.5 points, and Baldwin Wallace is third with 43.5 points.

Johnson & Wales (R.I.) and Wisconsin-La Crosse round out the top five.

Individually, junior two-time All-American Jacob Reed (Canal Winchester/Lancaster) is ranked second nationally at 141 pounds, and junior Gavin Layman (Chesterton, Ind.), a returning national qualifier, is sixth at 184. Junior Dylan Le (Dublin/Scioto) is ranked 15th at 133 pounds.

The NWCA also released individual regional rankings of the top six wrestlers in each weight class.

In the Central Region, Reed is ranked first at 141 pounds, Layman is second at 184, Le is third at 133, junior Teagan Hendricks (Jamestown/Greenview) is third at 165, junior Colin Mellott (Wapakoneta) is fourth at 125 and senior Jadon Brownlee (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) is fifth at 285.

The Polar Bears open their 2023-24 season on Saturday at the Mount Union Invitational under 36th-year head coach Ron Beaschler.

National Wrestling Coaches Association - Preseason Tournament Poll

Oct. 31, 2023