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Senior Cole Kubesh (R) and sophomore Gabe Zierden (L) are ranked in the Top 10 in the very first NWCA Division III rankings.
Senior Cole Kubesh (R) and sophomore Gabe Zierden (L) are ranked in the Top 10 in the very first NWCA Division III rankings.
Posted: Jan 22, 2021

Kubesh & Zierden Nationally Ranked

MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/22/21)---Concordia will start the 2021 season with a pair of wrestlers ranked in the Top 10 in their weight class. Senior Cole Kubesh and sophomore Gabe Zierden earned the honor in the very first National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III rankings.  

It's the first time the Cobbers have had more than one wrestler ranked in the Top 10 of the nation since the 2016 season.

Kubesh and Zierden are coming off highly successful seasons where they both qualified for the NCAA National Meet in March but had to put their national dreams on hold because of the Covid pandemic.

Kubesh starts the year ranked No.7 at 125. He finished second at the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional last year and ended with a 22-9 overall record. He led the team with 10 pins and was 8-2 in his last 10 matches of 2020.     

Zierden was rewarded for his outstanding freshman season by starting 2021 in the No. 8 spot at 197. He was the first Cobber freshman to qualify for the NCAA National Meet since 2015. Zierden also won 22 matches last season and finished with a 22-10 overall mark. He led the team in major decision victories.    

Kubesh and Zierden will start their shortened 2021 campaign when they take part in the Cobber intrasquad dual meet on Jan. 30. The Cobbers will face their first opponent when they travel to Collegeville to take on St. John's on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.  

NWCA National Rankings – Jan. 21, 2021
125
 1. Robbie Precin – North Central College (so)
2. Nick Arborio – Western New England University (sr)
3. Andrew Perelka – John Carroll University (jr)
4. Samuel Braswell – Averett University (sr)
5. Joey Manginelli – Springfield College (so)
6. Jack Stanley – Baldwin Wallace University (so)
7. Cole Kubesh – Concordia-Moorhead (sr)
 8. Zac Blasioli – Millikin University (sr)
9. Carlos Champagne – Wabash College (jr)
10. Brady Kyner – Wartburg College (sr)

197
 1. Isaac Lahr – UW La Crosse (sr)
2. Jon Wagner – US Coast Guard Academy (sr)
3. Michael Dooley – Stevens Institute of Technology (jr)
4. Logan Hagerbaumer – Millikin University (sr)
5. Quinn Haddad – The College of New Jersey (jr)
6. Cash Thompson – Ohio Northern University (sr)
7. Devon Pingel – Adrian College (sr)
8. Gabe Zierden Concordia-Moorhead (so)
 9. Braden Homsey – Ferrum College (jr)
10. Kobe Woods – Wartburg College (sr)