Missouri Wrestling
Marshall, Mo., (Jan. 21, 2021)- The Missouri Valley College men’s wrestling team maintained its No. 7 National ranking in the latest edition of the NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll, released Thursday. Nine individuals are ranked in their respective weight classes, led by Junior Elias Vaoifi (Independence, Mo.), who stayed at No. 1 at 165 pounds for the third-straight coaches’ poll.
Missouri Valley is ranked No. 7 for the second-straight coaches’ poll, and is one of four teams from the Heart of America Athletic Conference Nationally ranked. Grand View (Iowa) remained at No. 1, with Graceland (Iowa) at No. 12 and Baker (Kan.) ranked No. 14.
Since the previous poll was released two weeks ago, the Vikings competed in four Heart of America Athletic Conference duals. The team defeated Graceland, 31-7, Benedictine (Kan.), 42-7, and Baker, 20-18. Missouri Valley fell to Grand View, 40-3. The Vikings are 11-1 on the season in duals.
Vaoifi leads nine individuals ranked, and is ranked No. 1 at 165 pounds for the third-straight coaches’ poll. Other ranked Vikings include:
No. 17 Junior Devon Schoenberger (Windsor, Ct.) at 125 pounds.
No. 20 Freshman Brayden Bradley (Belton, Mo.) at 125 pounds.
No. 17 Sophomore Joseph Rice (New Plymouth, Idaho) at 141 pounds.
No. 10 Senior William Seibert (Farmington, Mo.) at 165 pounds.
No. 6 Junior Karim Shakur (Martin City, Calif.) at 184 pounds.
No. 16 Junior Hayden Wempen (Riverton, Wyo.) at 184 pounds.
No. 18 Freshman Steven Elwell (Knob Noster, Mo.) at 197 pounds.
No. 11 Sophomore Joshua Isaac (Woodbridge, Va.) at 285 pounds.
Next on the schedule for the Missouri Valley men’s wrestling team is the Missouri Valley Invitational Duals, Saturday, inside the Burns Athletic Complex. The Vikings will dual against Briar Cliff (Iowa), No. 4 Reinhardt (Ga.), William Penn (Iowa) and No. 11 Cumberlands (Ky.). The event starts at 12 p.m.
