INDIANAPOLIS- Four UIndy wrestlers are in the top 12 in NCAA Division II at their weight class, according to the Division II Coaches Association Rankings, released Wednesday.
Ana Abduljelil,
Kyle Barkovich,
Gleason Mappes and
Brody Conner are all ranked in their respective weight classes, led by Conner's #9 nod at 184. The redshirt senior is a two-time NCAA Division II National Qualifier at 184, making a nationals appearance in each of the last two seasons for UIndy. Conner, who became just the second Greyhound wrestler in program history to be named an Academic All-American last season, is also a two-time NCAA Elite 90 finalist. The Lawton HS (Mich.) product ascended to as high as the #4 spot at 184 a season ago, is the #8 184 in The Open Mat Division II Rankings and the #3 184 in the Super Region 3 rankings.
Barkovich comes in at #10 at 149, after closing out last season just a match away from his first trip to the NCAA meet. Also a redshirt senior, Barkovich was ranked as high as #8 at 149 a season ago, and has been as high as #7 in his UIndy career. Barko sits atop the Super Region 3 rankings at 149.
Coming in at #11 at 133 is Abduljelil. The senior Greyhound made his second trip to the NCAA meet a season ago, his first at 133. Abduljelil qualified for Nationals in 2017 as a true-freshman 125, but the #11 ranking marks the highest in his career for the Columbus, Ohio, native. Abduljelil comes in at #8 in the The Open Mat's rankings, and sits at #2 in the Super Region 3 rankings.
Mappes, who was also a match away from a trip to the NCAA Division II Championships a season ago, comes into the 2019-20 season at #12 at 174. The sophomore is #11 in The Open Mat's rankings, and starts the year at #3 in the Super Region rankings.
An additional Greyhound appears in The Open Mat's individual rankings, with redshirt junior
Cayden Whitaker taking the #16 spot at 197. Whitaker was ranked as high as #9 in the Coaches Association rankings a season ago, and comes in at #4 in the Super Region 3 poll at 197.
Rounding out the Super Region 3 ranked Hounds, junior
Nick Brady comes in a #4 at 125, redshirt junior
Matt McKinney at #5 at 141, redshirt sophomore
Dawson Combest is #6 at 157, redshirt sophomore
Jack Eiteljorge is #4 at 165, and redshirt freshman
Dylan Hinton comes in at #4 at heavyweight.
In the team rankings, the Greyhounds are out of the top 25 in the D2 Coaches Association poll, but come in at #24 in The Open Mat Preseason DII Rankings. In Super Region 3, UIndy comes in as the #3 team.
UIndy opens its season Saturday, Nov. 9 at Maryville's Kaufman Brand Open.
