NMU women predicted 3rd in GLVC wrestling
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MARQUETTE -- The coaches almost -- that's ALMOST -- predicted a change in the standings from last year in women's wrestling after its first year offered by the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
All seven teams, including Northern Michigan University, were pretty much predicted to finish in the same order they ended last spring.
For the Wildcats, that was third place and is again third place in the coaches' preseason poll that was released last week.
Undefeated league champion McKendree was again predicted to win the GLVC, getting all the first-place votes it could, as coaches vote for all teams except their own. The other No. 1 vote, presumably from McKendree's mentor, went to runner-up Grand Valley State.
McKendree received 36 voting points -- the most possible -- while GVSU got 31 as Northern clocked in with 25.
Those top squads were followed by Quincy in fourth with 21 points, William Jewell fifth with 14, Upper Iowa sixth with eight and Davenport seventh with six.
Those teams finished in that order, though Davenport and Upper Iowa tied at the bottom last season, both winless in their dual meets and Upper Iowa getting the sixth-place nod as an 0-3 team vs. Davenport's 0-5.
At NMU, things should only be looking up for the second-year head coach Adam Wilson and his Wildcats, who finished with GLVC and overall records of 3-2 last season.
That's because Northern returns 11 wrestlers, including each of the five who were named All-GLVC last season -- senior Alissa Caltagirone, junior Sophia Bassino, junior Abbie Miles, senior Mickaela Keane and sophomore Alyssa Keane, the latter two sisters.
The returnees will be bolstered by 15 freshmen, one of the largest rookie classes in the country.
NMU opens the season on Monday with a home meet against North Central College, a small-school powerhouse ranked No. 4 in a preseason national poll in the single division of NCAA women's wrestling.
The Wildcats have two other home meets on Nov. 21 and Dec. 18. Before they get to the second home meet, they'll travel to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, for the Pointer Open hosted by Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Saturday, Nov. 7, and to downstate Adrian and Adrian College for the Adrian Duals on Nov. 14-15.
Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the poll. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.