Indiana University Athletics
More Preseason Rankings for Jackson, Oliver
10/11/2016 5:27:00 PM | Wrestling
Indiana’s 2015-16 All-Big Ten duo landed on their second individual rankings list
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – With the 2016-17 wrestling season fast approaching, TheOpenMat.com announced Tuesday their 2016 Preseason NCAA Division I College Wrestling Rankings. Once again, Nate Jackson (174) and Elijah Oliver (125) are named in their respective top-20 preseason polls.
Jackson enters the season with the No. 4 Ranking in The Open Mat's 174 lbs. class, just behind No. 3 Casey Kent, No. 2 Zach Epperly, and No. 1 Bo Nickal. Those three, along with Jackson, finished on the All-American podium at last year's NCAA Championships. Jackson is 1-1 against Nickal, winning an airtight match during the dual season last year before falling by one point in the NCAA Semifinal. The fifth-year senior fell short in his only matches against Epperly and Kent, most recently to Kent in the NCAA Consolation Semifinal.
Jackson is projected to face three top-20 wrestlers in the Hoosiers' dual season: No. 16 Micah Barnes (Nebraska) on January 29, No. 7 Alex Meyer on February 10, and No. 13 Zach Brunson (Illinois) on February 12. The latter two will be particularly compelling, as Jackson's matches against fellow seniors Meyer and Brunson have been hard-fought battles in the past. Jackson will face Meyer on Indiana's senior night, and he'll face Brunson on Illinois' senior day.
Oliver debuts at No. 19 on The Open Mat's preseason 125 lbs. rankings, which is the fourth-highest ranking in the Big Ten at his weight. He'll start the season ranked behind Big Ten contenders like No. 12 Ethan Lizak, No. 9 Tim Lambert, and No. 1 Thomas Gilman, but he'll have opportunities against all three at home in the upcoming dual season. In total, Oliver is slated to face five grapplers in the top 20 during dual season, including out-of-conference foes such as No. 8 Josh Rodriguez (North Dakota State) and No. 20 Freddie Rodriguez (SIU-Edwardsville).
Jackson returns for his final collegiate season after tallying a 35-9 record with a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and a fifth-place podium finish at the NCAA Championships. Jackson reached the NCAA semifinals before falling by one point to Bo Nickal (Penn State), and bounced back in the fifth-place bout by beating Lelund Weatherspoon (Iowa State), 5-2.
Oliver made an outstanding entry into the college ranks last season, posting a 32-10 overall record with a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten Championships and his first NCAA berth. For his efforts, Oliver earned a first-team selection to the Amateur Wrestling News' All-Rookie team.
The Hoosiers will open the 2016-17 campaign with a double dual at Cal Poly on Thursday, November 3. Indiana's first home dual of the season will also serve as their Big Ten opener, hosting No. 13 Wisconsin on Friday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Jackson enters the season with the No. 4 Ranking in The Open Mat's 174 lbs. class, just behind No. 3 Casey Kent, No. 2 Zach Epperly, and No. 1 Bo Nickal. Those three, along with Jackson, finished on the All-American podium at last year's NCAA Championships. Jackson is 1-1 against Nickal, winning an airtight match during the dual season last year before falling by one point in the NCAA Semifinal. The fifth-year senior fell short in his only matches against Epperly and Kent, most recently to Kent in the NCAA Consolation Semifinal.
Jackson is projected to face three top-20 wrestlers in the Hoosiers' dual season: No. 16 Micah Barnes (Nebraska) on January 29, No. 7 Alex Meyer on February 10, and No. 13 Zach Brunson (Illinois) on February 12. The latter two will be particularly compelling, as Jackson's matches against fellow seniors Meyer and Brunson have been hard-fought battles in the past. Jackson will face Meyer on Indiana's senior night, and he'll face Brunson on Illinois' senior day.
Oliver debuts at No. 19 on The Open Mat's preseason 125 lbs. rankings, which is the fourth-highest ranking in the Big Ten at his weight. He'll start the season ranked behind Big Ten contenders like No. 12 Ethan Lizak, No. 9 Tim Lambert, and No. 1 Thomas Gilman, but he'll have opportunities against all three at home in the upcoming dual season. In total, Oliver is slated to face five grapplers in the top 20 during dual season, including out-of-conference foes such as No. 8 Josh Rodriguez (North Dakota State) and No. 20 Freddie Rodriguez (SIU-Edwardsville).
Jackson returns for his final collegiate season after tallying a 35-9 record with a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and a fifth-place podium finish at the NCAA Championships. Jackson reached the NCAA semifinals before falling by one point to Bo Nickal (Penn State), and bounced back in the fifth-place bout by beating Lelund Weatherspoon (Iowa State), 5-2.
Oliver made an outstanding entry into the college ranks last season, posting a 32-10 overall record with a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten Championships and his first NCAA berth. For his efforts, Oliver earned a first-team selection to the Amateur Wrestling News' All-Rookie team.
The Hoosiers will open the 2016-17 campaign with a double dual at Cal Poly on Thursday, November 3. Indiana's first home dual of the season will also serve as their Big Ten opener, hosting No. 13 Wisconsin on Friday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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