KANSAS CITY - Texas Wesleyan University claims a top individual ranking in the preseason NAIA Women's Wrestling Coaches' Top 20, with Ashley Lekas at No. 1 in the 180-pound class, as the poll opens with defending champions Life (Ga.) at No. 1 overall from Kansas City (Mo.).

Life (Ga.) starts the season atop the rankings with 193 points and eight wrestlers in the top five. Grand View (Iowa) and Providence (Mont.) follow in second and third, while Cumberlands (Ky.), last season's third-place finisher, ranks fourth.

Texas Wesleyan sits at No. 11 with 88 points.
 

Rank	Institution	Points
1	Life (Ga.)	193
2	Grand View (Iowa)	167
3	Providence (Mont.)	161
4	Cumberlands (Ky.)	158
5	William Penn (Iowa)	150
6	Doane (Neb.)	129
7	Indiana Tech	116
8	Ottawa (Kan.)	105
9	Southern Oregon	99
10	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	99
11	Texas Wesleyan	88
12	Hastings (Neb.)	87
13	Wayland Baptist (Texas)	83
14	Oklahoma City	79
15	Baker (Kan.)	69
16	Evergreen State (Wash.)	63
17	Missouri Valley	60
18	Westcliff (Calif.)	54
19	Campbellsville (Ky.)	53
20	Dickinson State (N.D.)	48

 

Receiving votes: Central Methodist (Mo.) 44; Avila (Mo.) 42; Saint Mary (Kan.) 36; Eastern Oregon 25; Waldorf (Iowa) 23; Lourdes (Ohio) 19; Midland (Neb.) 18; Montreat (N.C.) 18; Friends (Kan.) 16; Morningside (Iowa) 8; Missouri Baptist 4; York (Neb.) 2.

Providence (Mont.), William Penn (Iowa), and Life (Ga.) each have two No. 1-ranked wrestlers. All top individuals except Indiana Tech's Riley Dempewolf (207) and Providence's Paige Morales (110) were national champions in Wichita, Kan.
 

Top-Ranked Individuals

• 103: Erin Hikiji, Providence (Mont.)
• 110: Paige Morales, Providence (Mont.)
• 117: Christianah Ogunsanya, William Penn (Iowa)
• 124: Cristelle Rodriguez, Doane (Neb.)
• 131: Jumoke Adekoye, Dickinson State (N.D.)
• 138: Zaynah McBryde, Life (Ga.)
• 145: Esther Kolawole, William Penn (Iowa)
• 160: Latifah McBryde, Life (Ga.)
• 180: Ashley Lekas, Texas Wesleyan
• 207: Riley Dempewolf, Indiana Tech