FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

NWCA Team Rankings
NWCA Individual Rankings

Oct. 29, 2009 - The North Central College wrestling team will begin the 2009-2010 season as the 10th-ranked team in NCAA Division III, according to preseason rankings released this week by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

The Cardinals are one of two College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin teams ranked in the NWCA's top 30, as Elmhurst College sits 13th. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is ranked No. 1 in Division III to start the season, followed by Augsburg College (Minn.), Ithaca College (N.Y.), Coe College (Iowa) and St. John's University (Minn.) Wartburg College (Iowa), which has won the last two Division III national championships and five of the last seven, is ranked sixth.

North Central also has three wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in their individual weight classes by the NWCA. Gabe Youel is ranked second nationally at 184 pounds, while Vinnie Sapienza is ninth at 197 and Joe Norton is rated 10th at 125.

Youel has placed fourth at each of the past two Division III National Championships, and has won each of the last three CCIW 184-pound championships. He enters his senior season owning a career record of 122-19 with 31 pins. He ranks sixth in North Central history in career victories, fourth in pins, and first in career winning percentage (.865).

Sapienza enters his senior season with a career record of 72-42. He went 28-11 last season, placing third at the Great Lakes Regional Championships and winning his second straight CCIW title. Norton went 32-9 last season, placing third at the regional championships. He has a career record of 71-47.

North Central is coming off a season which saw it go 15-2 in dual-meet competition, establishing a new school record for wins, and post a second straight CCIW Championship. The Cardinals finished third at the Great Lakes Regional and 14th at the Division III National Championships.