MAC announces 2021-22 preseason wrestling rankings; LHU tabbed 11th
CLEVELAND – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) on Wednesday announced the preseason rankings for the 2021-22 wrestling season. The preseason weight class individual rankings and team rankings were provided by WrestleStat and they will continue to be updated throughout the upcoming season.
Leading the way for Lock Haven in the rankings was Luke Werner (125 lbs.) and Cole Manley (133 lbs.), who are both ranked No. 2 in their respective weight classes. Ben Barton is ranked No. 5 at 157 pounds.
Last season (2020-21) – in the Bald Eagles only competition – Werner led the way for Lock Haven at the 2021 MAC Championships in late-February with a fifth-place finish.
During the 2019-20 season, Werner placed third at the MAC Championships and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in his career. Werner is knocking on the door of 100 wins and he’ll enter the 2021-22 season with 91 career victories.
Manley went 14-5 during the 2019-20 season. Highlighting the season was his showing at the Southern Scuffle. At the prestigious Scuffle, Manley – unseeded at 133 pounds – capped his breakout performance with a fifth-place finish. He was 6-2 overall in two days of action vs. some of the best competition of the season.
Barton, a transfer from Campbell University, is a two-time NCAA Division I national-championship qualifier.
As a team, Lock Haven is projected to finish 11th among the 13 MAC programs. Central Michigan was tabbed as the preseason-favorite and Cleveland State was projected second, while Northern Illinois rounded out the top-three.
Lock Haven will open the 2021-22 season on Sunday, November 7 at the Clarion Open tournament.
LHU in the 2021-22 Preseason MAC Rankings – –
125: Luke Werner, No. 2
133: Cole Manley, No. 2
141: Nick Stonecheck, unranked
149: Kollin Myers, No. 9
157: Ben Barton, No. 5
165: Ashton Eyler, No. 9
174: Tyler Stoltzfus, unranked
184: Colin Fegley, No. 12
197: Parker McClellan, No. 10
285: Colby Whitehill, unranked
