NAIA Coaches' Poll- 3

Kansas City, MO – Cumberlands moves up to #7 in the latest NAIA Coaches' Poll, announced by the national office on Thursday. UC accumulated 99 points with nine total wrestlers earning individual rankings.

Jesse Kirby is ranked #1 in the 191-weight class for the first time in her career. This also marks the first time a UC women's wrestler has the top ranking since Bridgette Duty was #1 in the 130-weight class in the 2021 post season poll. The season has already been historic for Kirby with an individual tournament title, back-to-back Mid-South Conference Wrestler of the Week awards and an undefeated duals record at 7-0. MaQuoia Bernabe also moves up in the 191-weight class from #5 to #4 marking her fourth straight poll ranked in the top-five for her weight class.

Also moving up was Aliyah Yates, she jumps from fourth to second in the 136-weigt class for her highest ranking of her young UC career. She boasts a 6-2 record on the season including a pair of second place finishes at tournaments as well as a Bronze Medal at the Junior Pan-Am Games earlier this year.

Chamira Cooper has notched a 17-2 record on the season which keeps her #10 ranking at the 170-weight class. She has a pair of individual tournament wins, the most on UC's roster this season while also matching Kirby as being 7-0 in dual matches. Joining Cooper in the rankings at 170 is Ariana Pereira at #14. She has three wins on the season and a top-three finish.

Rounding out the top-ten rankings for UC is Alexis Medina at #10 for the 116-weight class. Her 12-5 season record includes two wins over wrestlers in the top-20 of her weight class with a fall over #9 Katherine Heath from Baker University.

Continuing UC's trend of higher rankings, in the 109-weight class, Jaine Stephens moves up to #15. She has amassed a record of 8-8 on the season. Also moving up to #15 in their weight-class is Kailee Godinez for 155. She has a season record of 13-8 including a top-five finish.

Angelina Castaneda rejoins the rankings at 16^th for the 101-weight class. That is the same ranking she had at the first poll of the season. Castaneda has not competed this season for UC but had a 3-3 record last year where she earned NAIA All-American status.

Kirby is just one of three MSC wrestlers to earn the top spot in their weight class. Along with UC four other MSC schools are ranked in the NAIA. Campbellsville sits atop the poll with Life right behind them at #2. After UC in 7^th is Indiana Tech in 11^th followed by Brewton-Parker at #20.

The Patriots are less than a week away from their next competition. They will wrestle at the NWCA Duals in Louisville, KY on January 6-7.
 
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