Skip To Main Content

UIndy Athletics

19D2WR

Wrestling Jackie Paquette, Associate AD for Student Support & Community Engagement

Six Greyhound wrestlers to open 2019 NCAA Division II Championship action Friday

WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE: TRACKWRESTLING
FOLLOW VIA TWITTER: @UIndyWrestling

SENDING SIX, PLACING TEN
: All 10 of the Greyhounds that wrestled the Super Regional placed at the event, with UIndy just one of 5 programs in the country to place all 10 of its competitors at its respective regional. Six Greyhounds placed in the top three of their respective weight class, earning them a trip to the 2019 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. The six qualifiers is tied for the second-most in a single year in program history, with the 1971 and 1976 editions of Greyhound wrestling also sending six to the National meet. Seven UIndy wrestlers went to Nationals in both 2007 and 2014.

AND THE RUNNER UP IS: As a team, UIndy wrestling finished second at the 2019 NCAA Division II Super Region 3 tournament, amassing 122.5 points to finish just 2.5 points behind Super Regional Champion Notre Dame (OH). 

In addition to the runner up as a team, four Greyhounds finished second in their respective weight classes: Ana Abduljelil (133), Heath Lange (157), Shelden Struble (165) and Brody Conner (184). 

CLEVELAND ROCKS: The last time the NCAA meet was held in Cleveland was in 2014, with UIndy placing eighth as a team behind four All-Americans that season at Public Hall. The eighth place team finish is second-best in the history of Greyhound wrestling, with only the 1961 squad's seventh place finish at the NAIA tournament better.

THEY'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE: Of the six Greyhound qualifiers, four have wrestled at the NCAA meet before. Redshirt senior Lange and senior Struble are both making their third appearance at Nationals, while Abduljelil and Conner are both making their second trip.

BACK TO THE PODIUM: Lange is the lone Greyhound coming into the weekend with an All-American finish already in his career, as the Ohioan finished eighth at 157 two seasons ago. 

O-H-I-O: Four of the six UIndy qualifiers are Ohio natives and will have the luxury of wrestling in their home state this weekend. Abduljelil is a Columbus native, Lange came to the Greyhounds from Indian Lake, OH, Struble is from Bryan, OH, and Angelo Robles is actually a Cleveland native and will get to close out his career in a UIndy singlet in his hometown.

FIRST TIMERS: Robles and Brian Wagner, both redshirt seniors, are making their first trip to Nationals this year. Robles, the Greyhound 141 qualified via a third place finish at the Super Region 3 tournament, while Wagner also finshed third to punch his first ticket to Nationals, at 197.

SENIOR SENDOFF: Four of the UIndy wrestlers that will take the mat Friday and Saturday will do so for the final time in a Greyhound singlet. Robles, Lange and Wagner are all redshirt seniors, while Struble is a senior. In total, 11 UIndy wrestlers will graduate this year.

TO BE THE BEST, YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE BEST: Struble's 165 bracket is arguably the toughest of the tournament, with 11 of NCAA Division II's top 12 ranked individuals lurking in the field. Struble himself comes into the weekend in  the #6 spot in the rankings, but is unseeded in the bracket. 

PIN WATCH: The one-two punch of #12 Heath Lange and #6 Shelden Struble at 157 and 165 has produced a combined career total of 65 pins, with Struble sticking 35 opponents and Lange pinning 30 as a Greyhound. The totals are good enough to put Struble in a tie for third all time on the career pins listings for the UIndy Wrestling, while Lange sits in a tie for seventh-most pins all time. 
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Ana Abduljelil

Ana Abduljelil

5' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
Brody Conner

Brody Conner

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Heath Lange

Heath Lange

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Angelo Robles

Angelo Robles

5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Shelden Struble

Shelden Struble

5' 11"
Senior
Brian Wagner

Brian Wagner

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Ana Abduljelil

Ana Abduljelil

5' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
Brody Conner

Brody Conner

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Heath Lange

Heath Lange

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Angelo Robles

Angelo Robles

5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Shelden Struble

Shelden Struble

5' 11"
Senior
Brian Wagner

Brian Wagner

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
Skip Ad