Northwestern University Athletics
Five Wildcats Ranked in InterMat's Preseason Poll
10/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Oct. 14, 2011
InterMat's NCAA Division I Preseason Rankings
EVANSTON, Ill. – Five Northwestern wrestlers are ranked in their respective weight classes according to InterMat's NCAA Division I preseason rankings. Junior Jason Welch (Walnut Creek, Calif./Las Lomas) and Lee Munster (Fox Lake, Ill./Grant) rank in the top 10 at 157 lbs. and 174 lbs., respectively. As a team, Northwestern is tied for 19th in the first team tournament-strength rankings of the season.
Welch is the highest ranked Wildcat as he enters the 2011-12 season at No. 3 for 157 lbs. As a sophomore, Welch became an NCAA All-American for the first time and placed sixth at the NCAA Championships. A two-time NCAA qualifier, Welch has amassed a 55-17 overall record and 31-4 dual record in two seasons at Northwestern. The top two spots in the weight class are occupied by Cornell's national champion at 149 lbs., Kyle Dake, and Iowa's Derek St. John. Seven Big Ten wrestlers (including Welch) rank in the top 20.
Munster has yet to officially wrestle a match for Northwestern but enters the season ranked 10th at 174 lbs. During his redshirt year he compiled a 14-4 record as an unattached wrestler and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Wisconsin Open. Munster was a highly ranked recruit coming out of Grant High School in Fox Lake, Ill., as InterMat listed him as the No. 4 senior recruit at 189 lbs. and 10th overall.
Another redshirt freshman ranks in the top 20 at heavyweight. Mike McMullan (Easton, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) is tabbed at No. 11 to begin the season. Last year he compiled a 19-6 record with six pins while competing unattached. He also placed eighth at Midlands with a 3-3 record and won the Michigan State Open.
Junior Levi Mele (Vernal, Utah/Uintah) begins the season at No. 16 for 125 lbs. Last year, Mele competed at 133 lbs. and qualified for his first NCAA Championships. He went 2-2 at NCAA's and finished the season with an 18-11 overall record and 11-3 mark in duals. Mele was an Academic All-Big Ten and NWCA All-Academic Team honoree as a sophomore.
Sophomore Kaleb Friedley (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill) rounds out the ranked Wildcats at No. 20 for 149 lbs. After compiling a 25-11 overall record, 16-3 dual mark and placing sixth at the Big Ten Championships Friedley qualified for the NCAA tournament at 149 lbs. Friedley pinned a team-high 13 opponents and scored 77 dual points for Northwestern as a freshman.
Saturday, Nov. 5, is the first chance for Wildcat fans to see the team in action. Northwestern opens the 2011-12 season hosting Stanford at Marist High School in Chicago at 3 p.m. CT.
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