King University, a Div. II program in Tennessee, opens as the No. 1 team in the WCWA Women’s College Preseason poll.

Last season, King placed third in the WCWA Nationals. The team, coached by Jason Moorman, returns most of its starters from last season, including three individual athletes with No. 1 preseason rankings. The team features eight athletes who are ranked in the top three of their weight classes in the preseason rankings.

Taking second in the WCWA preseason poll is Oklahoma City University, an NAIA college which placed second at the WCWA women’s college nationals. OCU, coached by Archie Randall, boasts two athletes with individual preseason No. 1 rankings.

Coming in third in the preseason poll is defending WCWA national champion Simon Fraser, a Div. II school from Burnaby Mountain, Canada. Mike Jones’ team features four individual No. 1 wrestlers in the preseason selections.

Rounding out the top 10 are No. 4 Lindenwood, a tie for No. 5 with Jamestown and Missouri Valley, No. 7 Wayland Baptist, No. 8 Missouri Baptist, No. 9 Univ. of the Cumberlands and No. 10 Midland. There are 18 teams ranked in the preseason poll, reflecting the growth of women’s college wrestling this year.

Five returning WCWA individual champions open the season with No. 1 rankings: junior Emily Webster of Oklahoma City (101), senior Victoria Anthony of Simon Fraser (109), senior Alli Ragan of King (136), senior Justina Distasio of Simon Fraser (170) and senior Jenna McLatchy of Simon Fraser (191).

Anthony and Ragan were members of the 2013 U.S. Senior World Team, which placed a strong third at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The other five athletes with No. 1 rankings are junior Nikkie Brar of Simon Fraser  (116), junior Sarah Hildebrandt of King (123), senior Randi Beltz of Missouri Valley (130), senior Stephanie Geltmacher of Oklahoma City (143) and junior Julia Salata of King (155).

The 2014 WCWA Women’s College Nationals are scheduled for Missouri Baptist University, January 24-25 in St. Louis, Mo. 

NCWA WOMEN’S COLLEGE PRESEASON RANKINGS

101 pounds
1. Emily Webster, Jr., Oklahoma City Univ.
2. Darby Huckle, Jr., Simon Fraser Univ.
3. Shannon Constantine, Sr. King Univ.
4. Brianna Rahall, Sr., Oklahoma City
5. Ashley Illif, So., King Univ.
6. Michko Araki, Sr., Simon Fraser Univ.
7. Angela Fragoso, So., Northwest Kansas Tech.
8. Paula Biega, So., Missouri Valley College
9. Alesha Zappitella, Fr., King Univ.
10. Jasmine Alvardo, Fr., Midland Univ.

109 pounds
1. Victoria Anthony, Sr., Simon Fraser Univ.
2. Kristi Garr, Sr., Oklahoma City Univ.
3. Amy Fearnside, So., Univ. of Jamestown
4. Jessica Fresh, Jr., Waldorf College
5. Taylor Zboray, So., Midland Univ.
6. Savanna Noble, So., Lindenwood Univ.
7. Christina Bautista, So., Missouri Valley College
8. Haley Augello, Fr., King Univ.
9. Cody Pfau, Fr., Oklahoma City Univ.
10. Amber Piekanski, Fr., Midland Univ.

116 pounds
1. Nikkie Brar, Jr., Simon Fraser Univ.
2. Kayla Brendlinger, Jr., King Univ.
3. Samantha Klingel, Jr., King Univ.
4. Victoria Nguyen, Sr., King Univ.
5. Sherie Berube, Jr., Univ. of the Cumberlands
6. Shelby Morrison, So., Oklahoma City Univ.
7. Marina Sanchez, So., King Univ.
8. Lauryn Bruggink, Jr., Wayland Baptist Univ.
9. Kalin Knight-Alvarez, Jr., Missouri Baptist Univ.
10. Bree Raposa, Fr., Missouri Baptist Univ.

123 pounds
1. Sarah Hildebrandt, Jr., King Univ.
2. Jacarra Winchester, Jr., Missouri Valley College
3. Breanna Delgado, Jr., Oklahoma City Univ.
4. Diaysha Moore, So., Lindenwood Univ.
5. Alea LaFrancis, So., Missouri Baptist Univ.
6. Gina Carpenter, Sr., Simon Fraser Univ.
7. Jessica Vanbehren, Jr., Wayland Baptist Univ.
8. Gabbi Speer, Fr., Midland Univ.
9. Rachael Archer, Fr., Oklahoma City Univ.
10. Jennifer Anderson, Fr., Simon Fraser Univ.

130 pounds
1. Randi Beltz, Sr., Missouri Valley College
2. Tianna Camous, So., Lindenwood Univ.
3. Cheyenne Youngblood, So., Missouri Baptist Univ.
4. Lindsey Villamia, So., Missouri Baptist Univ.
5. Anna McAleavey, So., Lindenwood Univ.
6. Rachael Factora, Jr., Lindenwood Univ.
7. Crista Hartinger, Fr., Midland Univ.
8. Megan Black, Fr., King Univ.
9. Rachael Young, So., Oklahoma City Univ.
10. Carla Ponce, Fr., Oklahoma City Univ.

136 pounds
1. Alli Ragan, Sr., King Univ.
2. Monica Ramirez, So., Lindenwood Univ.
3. Kayla Aggio, So., Oklahoma City Univ.
4. Beatrize Martinez, Sr., Oklahoma City Univ.
5. Kerstin Harmon, Sr., Univ. of the Cumberlands
6. Shai Mason, Jr., Univ. of Jamestown
7. Sara Bollinger, So., Missouri Baptist Univ.
8. Stacy Martin, Jr., King Univ.
9. Natalia Hinojo, Fr., Oklahoma City Univ.
10. Forrest Molinari, Fr., Missouri Baptist Univ.

143 pounds
1. Stephanie Geltmacher, Sr., Oklahoma City Univ.
2. Tamyra Mensah, Jr., Wayland Baptist Univ.
3. Amanda Hendey, Jr., King Univ.
4. Bailey Halvorson, Sr., Simon Fraser Univ.
5. Rachael Shannon, Sr., Lindenwood Univ.
6. Crystal Borrow, Sr., Lindenwood Univ.
7. Frances Efiong, Sr., Missouri Valley College
8. Yvonne Galindo, Fr., Oklahoma City Univ.
9. Sarah Saenz, Jr., King Univ.
10. Sonja Grant, Jr., Midland Univ.

155 pounds
1. Julia Salata, Jr., King Univ.
2. Christina Zamora, Jr., Univ. of Jamestown
3. Demi Strub, Jr., Oklahoma City Univ.
4. Mary Westman, So., Univ. of Jamestown
5. Valerie Rosales, Jr., Wayland Baptist Univ.
6. Amy Spafford, So., Lindenwood Univ.
7. Natasha Galarza, Jr., Lindenwood Univ.-Belleville
8. Jackie Williams, Jr., King Univ.
9. Gaby Guzmann, Fr., Lindenwood Univ.
10. Krissa Avalone, So., Missouri Baptist Univ.

170 pounds
1. Justina Distasio, Sr., Simon Fraser Univ.
2. Brittany David, Sr., Lindenwood Univ.
3. Lorrie Ramos, Jr., King Univ.
4. Victoria Francis, So., Lindenwood Univ.
5. Lillia Gudzyuk, So., Univ. of Jamestown
6. Brittany Jones, Sr., Missouri Valley College
7. Kerri Bumpers, Jr., King Univ.
8. Monika Podgorski, So., Simon Fraser Univ.
9. Darcie Manning-O’Brien, So., Missouri Baptist Univ.
10. Raylina Macias, So., Midland Univ.

191 pounds
1. Jenna McLatchy, Sr., Simon Fraser Univ.
2. Heather O’Connor, Jr., Oklahoma City Univ.
3. Angela Vyborny, Sr., Wayland Baptist Univ.
4. Malexis McAdoo, So., King Univ.
5. Alana Jimenez, So., Lindenwood Univ.-Belleville
6. Cherese Thomas, Sr., Oklahoma City Univ.
7. Leya Luafelemana, Sr., Northwest Kansas Tech.
8. Megan Freeman, Fr., Lindenwood Univ.
9. Welina Tong, Fr., Midland Univ.
10. Brionna Buenovista, Fr., Midland Univ.

Team Rankings
1. King University, Div. II, 111 pts.
2. Oklahoma City University, NAIA, 104 pts.
3. Simon Fraser Univ., Div. II, 90 pts.
4. Lindenwood Univ., Div. II, 71 pts.
5. (tie) University of Jamestown, NAIA, 36 pts.
5 (tie) Missouri Valley College, NAIA, 36 pts.
7. Wayland Baptist University, NAIA, 23 pts.
8. Missouri Baptist University, NAIA, 23 pts.
9. University of the Cumberlands, NAIA, 10 pts.
10. Midland University, NAIA, 8 pts.
11 (tie) Waldorf College, NAIA, 7 pts.
11 (tie) Lindenwood University-Belleville, 7 pts.
13. Northwest Kansas Tech, JC, 4 pts.
14. Menlo College, NAIA, 0 pts.
15. Pacific University, Div. III, 0 pts.
16. Southwest Oregon CC, JC, 0 pts.
17. McKendree Univ., Div. II, 0 pts.
18. Campbellsville Univ., NAIA, 0 pts.