CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Mid-American Conference has announced the preseason rankings for the 2023-24 wrestling season. The preseason weight class individual rankings and team rankings have been provided by WrestleStat, which will continue throughout the upcoming season.
Based on the rankings, George Mason (70.5) is expected to finish seventh among the 13-team conference. Lock Haven currently sits in first in the Conference (126.5 points) and is followed by second-place Central Michigan (119 points) and third-place Cleveland State (86.5 points). A look at the full team rankings and each weight class is listed below.
The Patriots are preseason seventh overall and have three individual wrestlers rank in the Top 5 in their weight class based on the rankings.
Nate Higley is ranked atop the 147-pound weight class after a tremendous first season on the mat. Unseeded at the MAC Championships, Higley earned the NCAA bid after finishing runner-up at the conference tournament. The redshirt-freshman took down two ranked opponents en route to the 149-pound MAC Championship final. Central Michigan's NCAA Qualifier #26 edged Higley, 7-5, in the final to win the championship.
The Patriot standout won the MAC Conference Freshman of the Year award, becoming the first Patriot to win the conference accolade in more than 20 years. He finished season with a 24-17 record, including a team-high 10 falls.
Malachi Duvall is ranked third in the conference at 184 pounds. The redshirt sophomore was one of five Mason wrestlers to finish with 20+ wins last season with a 24-12 record. He finished 3-0 in the conference, including a fall against Lock Haven's Colin Fegley, a technical fall against Bloomsburg's Bruno Stolfi, and a decision against Rider's Isaac Dean. Finished on the podium in fifth place at the 2023 MAC Championships.
Chad Nix is a preseason slate for fifth in the 285-pound weight class. The transfer from Campbell finished 11-5 overall for the Camels last season, earning four pins.
The Patriots open the 2023-24 season on Sunday at the Citadel Invite.
A look at the full team rankings and each weight class is listed below.
2023-24 MAC Conference Pre-Season Rankings
Team Scores
1 Lock Haven 126.5
2 Central Michigan 119
3 Cleveland State 86.5
4 Rider 82.5
5 Ohio 81
6 Clarion 73.5
7 George Mason 70.5
8 Northern Illinois 54
9 SIUE 47
10 Buffalo 42
11 Kent State 32
12 Edinboro 32
13 Bloomsburg 28.5
125 Pounds
1 JR Anthony Noto Lock Haven
2 SO Blake West Northern Illinois
3 JR Joey Fischer Clarion
4 JR Tristan Daugherty Buffalo
5 SO Benjamin Aranda Cleveland State
6 JR Sean Spidle Central Michigan
7 SO Ben Monn George Mason
8 JR Will Betancourt Rider
9 SO Davian Guanajuato SIUE
10 JR Bronson Garber Bloomsburg
11 FR Jacob Houpt Kent State
12 SO Caleb Edwards Edinboro
13 FR Ryan Meek Ohio
133 Pounds
1 JR Gable Strickland Lock Haven
2 SR Richie Koehler Rider
3 JR Jacob Manley Cleveland State
4 JR Lucian Brink Northern Illinois
5 JR Vince Perez Central Michigan
6 JR Brandon Wittenberg George Mason
7 SR Ty Varndell Clarion
8 SO Marcel Lopez SIUE
9 JR Tommy Maddox Buffalo
10 FR Matt Ellis Kent State
11 JR Logan Jaquay Edinboro
12 JR Michael Cassidy Bloomsburg
13 SO Paul Woo Ohio
141 Pounds
1 SR Josh Mason Bloomsburg
2 SO McKenzie Bell Rider
3 SO Wyatt Henson Lock Haven
4 SO Dylan Layton Cleveland State
5 SR Jordan Decatur Kent State
6 FR Jacob Brya Northern Illinois
7 SO Amonn Ohl Edinboro
8 JR Aidan Waszak Ohio
9 SR Caleb Brooks Buffalo
10 SO Michael Rapuano George Mason
11 SO Chandler Ho Clarion
12 FR Eric Almarinez SIUE
13 SO Jimmy Nugent Central Michigan
149 Pounds
1 SO Nathan Higley George Mason
2 SR Quinn Kinner Rider
3 SR Corbyn Munson Central Michigan
4 JR Caleb Tyus SIUE
5 JR Ryan Burgos Edinboro
6 JR Jaivon Jones Northern Illinois
7 JR Kyle Schickel Clarion
8 JR Nick Stonecheck Lock Haven
9 FR Derek Raike Ohio
10 FR Billy Meiszner Kent State
11 JR Cade Balestrini Bloomsburg
12 SO Kaleb Burgess Buffalo
13 SO Douglas Terry Cleveland State
157 Pounds
1 JR Johnny Lovett Central Michigan
2 SO Peyten Keller Ohio
3 SO Alejandro Herrera-Rondon Clarion
4 SO Keegan Knapp Kent State
5 SR Luke Kemerer Edinboro
6 JR Connor Eck Lock Haven
7 FR DJ McGee George Mason
8 SR Jake Silverstein Rider
9 SO Shane Heil Cleveland State
10 SR Munkhtulga Zuunbayan Northern Illinois
11 JR Ty Raines Buffalo
12 JR Caine Tyus SIUE
13 SO Will Morrow Bloomsburg
165 Pounds
1 JR Avery Bassett Lock Haven
2 SR Tracy Hubbard Central Michigan
3 SO Garrett Thompson Ohio
4 SR Justin Ruffin SIUE
5 JR Daniel Patten Cleveland State
6 FR Cole McComas Rider
7 JR Eli Brinsky Clarion
8 FR Evan Maag George Mason
9 SO Jake Evans Northern Illinois
10 SR Hunter Shaut Buffalo
11 SO Aaron Ferguson Kent State
12 JR Joey Arnold Edinboro
13 FR Macon Myers Bloomsburg
174 Pounds
1 JR Alex Cramer Central Michigan
2 JR John Worthing Clarion
3 JR Tyler Stolzfus Lock Haven
4 JR Sal Perrine Ohio
5 SR Deandre Nassar Cleveland State
6 JR Michael Wilson Rider
7 JR Jared McGill Edinboro
8 JR Jay Nivison Buffalo
9 SR AJ Burkhart Kent State
10 SO Bradley Gillum SIUE
11 SO Hayden Pummel Northern Illinois
12 SR Paul Pierce George Mason
13 SO Anthony Derosa Bloomsburg
184 Pounds
1 JR Zayne Lehman Ohio
2 JR Colin Fegley Lock Haven
3 SO Malachi Duvall George Mason
4 SR Cameron Pine Clarion
5 JR Matt Zuber Northern Illinois
6 FR Chase Kranitz Buffalo
7 SO Deron Pulliam SIUE
8 SO Adrien Cramer Central Michigan
9 SO Isaac Dean Rider
10 SO Joey Lyons Cleveland State
11 JR Tanner Culver Bloomsburg
12 FR Eli Makel Edinboro
13 FR Kyle Snider Kent State
197 Pounds
1 SR Ben Smith Cleveland State
2 JR Sam Mitchell Buffalo
3 JR Cameron Wood Central Michigan
4 SR Ryan Yarnell SIUE
5 FR Austin Starr Ohio
6 SO Blake Schaffer Kent State
7 JR Tyler Kocak George Mason
8 SO Brad Morrison Lock Haven
9 SR Jack Kilner Edinboro
10 JR Brett Wittmann Clarion
11 JR Asa Terrell Rider
12 JR David Tuttle Bloomsburg
13 FR Carter Grewe Northern Illinois
285 Pounds
1 SO Bryan Caves Central Michigan
2 JR Daniel Bucknavich Cleveland State
3 SR Isaac Reid Lock Haven
4 JR David Szuba Rider
5 SO Chad Nix George Mason
6 SO Jordan Greer Ohio
7 JR Shane Noonan Bloomsburg
8 JR John Meyers Clarion
9 FR Kade Sottolano Edinboro
10 SO Jacobi Jackson Northern Illinois
11 JR Robbie Unruh Buffalo
12 FR Corey Boerio Kent State
13 FR Bryson Buhk SIUE
