Cobbers Venture Into Program History
MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/08/13)—Concordia stepped into unchartered territory as they became the first team in school history to be ranked in the top 6 of the nation. The Cobbers moved up three spots in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll and are now ranked sixth in Division III.
Concordia earned the three-spot leap by winning all four matches at the Gator Duals before Christmas. The four victories pushed CC's dual-meet record to 6-1 on the season.
The Cobbers' previous high-water national ranking mark came at the end of the 2010-11 season when they reached seventh in the final poll of the year after placing seventh at the NCAA National Meet.
A trio of Cobber individuals continue to be ranked in the top 10 of their weight class. Jake Long is ranked third at 149, Kyle LeDuc is eighth at 157 and Cody Kasprick is fourth at 285.
Long drops one spot from the last national ranking on Dec. 17. He is now 14-7 on the year and went 3-1 at the Gator Duals. LeDuc also drops one spot from the Dec. 17 rankings. He was slotted in the No.7 spot. LeDuc has a team-best 16 wins on the year and is 16-5. He also went 3-1 at the Gator Duals. Kasprick stayed locked into his No.4 spot at 285 despite going 4-0 at the Gator Duals. He has won eight of his last 11 matches on the season and is 13-6.
Concordia will put their school-best ranking on the line when they participate in the highly competitive NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals on Jan. 11-12 in Des Moines, Iowa. The Cobbers will open the prestigious dual-meet tournament by squaring off against No.11-ranked UW-La Crosse. La Crosse has two wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of the nation. Austin Schoen is seventh at 141 and Eric Twohey is second at 184. The winner of the Cobber/Eagle match will face the winner of the Wabash/Loras bout. Wabash is currently ranked third in the nation and Loras is unranked.
NWCA Division III Top 25 Poll (Jan. 8, 2014)
1. Wartburg College (IA) (5 - 0)
2. Augsburg College (MN) (4 – 0)
3. Wabash College (IN) (3 – 1)
4. UW–Whitewater (6 – 2)
5. Wilkes University (PA) (10 – 1)
6. Concordia College – Moorhead (MN) (6 – 1)
7. Olivet College (MI) (6 – 4)
8. Cortland State (NY) (3 – 2)
9. Coe College (IA) (7 – 1)
10. Ithaca College (NY) (4 – 0)
11. UW–La Crosse (6 – 1)
12. Luther College (IA) (8 – 2)
13. Messiah College (PA) (8 – 2)
14. Johnson & Wales University (RI) (3 – 0)
15. Roger Williams University (RI) (5 – 0)
16. SUNY Brockport (1 – 0)
17. Cornell College (IA) (6 – 2)
18. Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) (4 – 2)
19. Mount Union (OH) (4 – 1)
20. Springfield College (MA) (0 – 0)
21. Ursinus College (PA) (3 – 0)
22. Saint John's University (MN) (6 – 6)
23. Heidelberg College (OH) (4 – 6)
24. Delaware Valley College (PA) (1 – 3)
25. UW–Stevens Point (4 – 5)
26. Thiel College (PA) (3 – 2)
27. Alma College (MI) (6 – 2)
28. Wheaton College (IL) (7 – 1)
29. Augustana College (IL) (9 – 3)
30. University of Dubuque (IA) (4 – 3)