Lock Haven Women’s Wrestling Tied for 12th in Preseason NWCA Poll

The Lock Haven women’s wrestling team opens the season slotted in a tie for 12th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Preseason NCAA Women’s Coaches Poll with 16 points, Lock Haven Athletics reported. With the start of the season at just over a week away from the Manheim, Pa. announcement, the Bald Eagles share the 12th-position tie with Aurora, Eastern, Fort Hays State and Simpson (Iowa).

Individual Rankings and Team Standings

Two Lock Haven seniors are ranked individually to contribute to the team’s point total, which comes from individual rankings that correlate to placement points at the NCAA tournament as part of a Tournament Power Index ranking rather than a dual-meet strength measure. Azariah Moore, a Montross, Va. native, is ranked No. 5 at 180 pounds following her All-America effort last year at the NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships. Meanwhile, Lindsay Laws is ranked No. 6 at 207 pounds after qualifying for the national tournament a season ago.

At the top of the preseason poll, defending national champion McKendree opens the year at No. 1 with 98 points. Iowa sits at No. 2 with 89 points, Presbyterian is third with 64 points, North Central is fourth with 38 points, and King shares fifth place with Lehigh at 36 points each. Other familiar foes appearing in the preseason poll include Sacred Heart at No. 11, Gannon tied for 21st, and East Stroudsburg at No. 23. Across the country, six returning national champions open the season at No. 1 in their respective weight classes, with McKendree and Iowa boasting three top-ranked wrestlers each, while Lehigh, North Central, Quincy and King each feature one.

Opening the Schedule

Following the release of the preseason rankings, Lock Haven prepares to open its season on Sunday, November 1, by traveling to the Garden State of New Jersey to compete in the Princeton Open.