Wrestling News

AGGIES RANKED SIXTH IN DIVISION III PRESEASON POLL
Four Wrestlers Listed In Individual Rankings

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - The Delaware Valley College wrestling team opens the 2007-08 season with a top 10 ranking as the Aggies are listed sixth in the Brute-Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III preseason poll. In addition, four wrestlers are ranked among the top 10 in their respective weight classes.

Delaware Valley is behind only defending national champion Augsburg College (MN), Wartburg College (IA), University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Heidelberg College (OH) and Luther College (IA) in the team rankings. Last year, the Aggies went 17-2 in dual meets, captured the NCAA Midwest Regional and placed 18th at the NCAA Division III Championships.

Individually, Ryan Herwig (Glen Burnie, MD/Mount St. Joseph's) is the top-ranked Aggie as the senior is fourth in the 157-pound weight class. A two-time national qualifier who just missed out on top eight finishes and All-American honors on each occasion, Herwig notched a 33-15 record with 12 pins last season. He placed second at the Midwest Region and picked up a wild-card berth to the NCAAs.

Junior Kevin Orr (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) is ranked fifth at 197 pounds. He was 21-6 with 10 pins before he suffered a season-ending injury toward the latter part of the 2006-07 campaign.

Fellow junior Kyle Bilquist (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) enters the season ranked seventh among all heavyweights. Bilquist transferred in from Division I Monmouth University (he did not wrestle at the school) before last season and shook off any rust from a two-year hiatus from the sport by winning 38 of 45 matches (17 pins). He placed second at the regional and earned a wild-card berth to nationals.

Senior and three-time national qualifier Dan Hall (Waretown, NJ/Southern Regional) returns to the lineup after missing last season with an injury and is ranked eighth nationally at 141 pounds. Hall captured three consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) titles at the weight class in the last three years that the conference sponsored wrestling, including the 2005-06 campaign where he went 17-12 and was one win shy of a top eight finish and All-American accolades at the NCAAs.

Delaware Valley opens the 2007-08 season on Sunday, November 11 (10:00 a.m.) when it competes at the Central Jersey Open hosted by The College of New Jersey.