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Eads Qualifies, Statesmen Place Seventh at Heart Championship
Oskaloosa–Joe Eads (Jr., Morrison, Ill., Biology) shook off an early loss and went on a revenge tour the remainder of the day to earn another bid to nationals as the William Penn men’s wrestling team competed at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship Saturday.
Host WPU placed seventh out of nine teams with 48.5 points, while #1 Grand View topped the team standings with 216.5 points. Missouri Valley was a distant runner-up with 146.5 points.
Eads dropped his first bout 7-3 to Jovon Mitchell of Missouri Valley, but the 149-pounder rallied with four straight wins, including three by fall. In the third-place match, to guarantee himself a return trip to the NAIA National Championships, he pinned Mitchell in the first period. It will be Eads’ second trip to the final event of the year.
Numerous Statesmen Ranked in Fourth Poll
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s wrestling team continues to have a solid presence nationally as the NAIA released its fourth set of polls Thursday.
WPU is unofficially tied for 35th in the country with 20 points, while Grand View remains #1 with 212 points. Life (Ga.) (176), Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (164), Reinhardt (Ga.) (135), and Indiana Tech (92) round out the top five.
Joe Eads (Jr., Morrison, Ill., Biology) is still considered a major player at 149 pounds as he is fifth in the NAIA. Teammates Ray Lugo (Fr., Hollywood, Fla., Exercise Science), at 197 pounds, and Branson Bottorff (Fr., Mackinaw, Ill., Mechanical Engineering), at 285 pounds, join Eads in the national ranking with both being ranked 20th at their respective weights.