Ashland University's wrestling team was chosen as the co-favorite to win NCAA Division II Super Region Three in 2020.
The Eagles tied Notre Dame College for the top spot in the region with 92 points.
An Ashland lineup that has six returning national qualifiers also saw a regionally-ranked grappler in every weight class, and three taking the No. 1 spot in their class.
Redshirt senior Christian Price was 25-9 in the 2018-19 season and qualified for nationals. He sits atop the region in his new weight class, 165 pounds. Redshirt senior Bret Romanzak is another one of Ashland's national qualifiers from a year ago and finished with a 30-6 record last season. He too is picked as the top wrestler in the region in his new class, 174. Junior Tristen Weirich finished as the No. 6 heavyweight in the country last year, earning his first All-American placing. He was chosen as the No. 1 heavyweight in the region this year.
Seven more Ashland wrestlers were ranked regionally this preseason.
Junior Aidan Pasiuk is new to the Eagles' room this year after his transfer from now-defunct Wheeling University wrestling program. He was an All-American last year, placing fifth in the nation at 184. He was picked as the No. 2 grappler in his class in the region coming into the season.
Lawrance Dudgeon, a redshirt senior, was picked to finish No. 3 in the region at 133. Dudgeon did not compete in 2018-19, but was a national qualifier the year before in 2018. Chandler Minnard, another redshirt senior in the Eagles' battle-tested lineup, was picked to finish No. 3 at 141. Minnard was a national qualifier in 2017. He had a 15-7 record in 2018-19 in a season highlighted by his victory at the Midwest Classic.
At 125 pounds, redshirt junior Christian Wellman was selected as the No. 5 wrestler in the region. Carson Speelman, a junior, is expected to be a strong force at 149 this year, picked No. 3 in the region. Speelman was 15-8 last season.
Junior Cameron Jenkins was another Eagle ranked in the region. Jenkins, who had a 15-8 record last year, was selected to finish No. 5 regionally. Peter Abraham, a redshirt sophomore, had a 10-11 record last year and was picked to finish No. 5 in the region at 197.
Ashland has its sights set on the first competition of the season on Saturday (Nov. 2) at the Kent State Duals, where the Eagles will take on Mercyhurst, Kent State and Edinboro beginning at 1 p.m.
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