LAKELAND, Fla.—Two of the three teams ranked seventh in the NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Top 20 will meet up in Lebanon, Tenn. on Wednesday afternoon.
Southeastern and Cumberland University both are 5-3 on the season and are both ranked seventh in the latest coaches' poll.
The Phoenix went 2-2 during the Missouri Valley Winter Clash with their two losses to top-ranked Grand View, which currently holds the record for consecutive collegiate duals won at 97. The other loss on the season was to third-ranked Lindsey Wilson. Seven of CU's eight matches have been against ranked or receiving votes teams.
Leading the way for CU is senior Carter Cox, who is ranked 10
th at 125 and is 6-0 on the year. At 149, Anthony Maia is ranked seventh with a 5-1 record and is coming off a pin of second-ranked Trevor Anderson of Grand View. Cole Smith checks in at No. 6 at 165, coming off three Top 20 wins and is 8-0.
In total, five Top 20 wrestlers are in the projected lineup for CU.
The Fire take the mat for the first time since a 22-14 win at The Citadel, where they had a major decision by
Coleman Bryant at 174, a first period pin by
Blake Rypel at 184, and a comeback win at 197 by freshman
Trillyon Fils-Aime to clinch the dual. SEU's three losses this season were by a combined 11 points to teams ranked either third or fourth nationally.
Wednesday's dual starts a key stretch of Mid-South Conference South Division duals against Cumberland (1-0), Life (1-0), and Brewton-Parker.
Southeastern has won the last three meetings in the series after Cumberland won the first two. Last year, Southeastern was a 32-10 winner at The Fire Pit. Four wrestlers in SEU's projected lineup for Wednesday wrestled in last year's event and posted a 2-2 record. The last time the teams met in the Volunteer State, the Fire were a 28-10 winner.
The match begins at 2 p.m. Eastern and will be streamed live on the
Cumberland Sports Network.
