Hawks start season No. 10 in NAIA poll

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The Dickinson State wrestling team will open the season ranked No. 10 in the NAIA.

The Blue Hawks tied with Missouri Baptist for the ranking in the preseason coaches’ poll released Wednesday and have three wrestlers ranked No. 3 nationally with two of them atop the North Region rankings.

“Preseason is kind of an unknown,” DSU head coach Thadd O’Donnell said. “Factors are going off of basically what’s returning and you don’t know what’s going to be there coming up.”

Seniors Brad Steele (149 pounds) and Jose Lopez (heavyweight) and junior Bryden Lazaro (125) are ranked No. 3 nationally with Steele, a Beach native, and Lopez topping the North Region rankings.

O’Donnell said he doesn’t have to worry about any of the three coasting by on previous accomplishments this season.

“Guys try too hard and bad things happen,” he said. “Those three guys who aren’t somebody to sit back and float on what they’ve done in the past. They have been in the room working very hard to try and make this the best season they’ve had.”

Senior Jesse Hellinger is ranked 11th at 184 pounds, senior Kevin Keisler is 12th at 197 and sophomore Clayton Steinmetz is 15th at 133.

The Blue Hawks host their Blue-Gray Alumni Dual at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at Scott Gymnasium and have an intersquad dual at Hettinger High School at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3.

They open the season on the road at the Dakota Wesleyan Open on Nov. 10. DSU will host three home duals this season, as well as the Tyler Plummer Classic on Jan. 19.

NAIA Coaches Poll Pts

1. Southern Oregon 139

2. Campbellsville (Ky.) 94.5

3. Grand View (Iowa) 93

4. Baker (Kan.) 71.5

5. Cumberlands (Ky.) 68

6. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 62.5

7. Morningside (Iowa) 62

8. Great Falls (Mont.) 61.5

9. Indiana Tech 56.5

10. Dickinson State 56

10. Missouri Baptist 56

12. Mont. St.-Northern 55.5

13. Midland (Neb.) 53

14. Oklahoma City 46.5

15. Menlo (Calif.) 46

16. Missouri Valley 43.5

16. Dakota Wesleyan 43.5

18. Cumberland (Tenn.) 27.5

19. York (Neb.) 26

20. Wayland Bapt. (Texas) 18

DSU nationally ranked wrestlers

125: 3, Bryden Lazaro

133: 15, Clayton Steinmetz

149: 3, Brad Steele

184: 11, Jesse Hellinger

197: 12, Kevin Keisler

HWT: 3, Jose Lopez

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