CLINTON, S.C. – Only ten days remain until the official start of the Presbyterian College women's wrestling team's highly-anticipated 2023-24 season, a campaign which will follow up on last spring's ninth-place national finish. Approaching his first full year as the program's head coach upon a promotion, Brian Vutianitis' club has been ranked 13^th by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).

Last time out, the Blue Hose were utterly sensational on their way to the aforementioned top-ten placement, ranked inside the NWCA's top 15 from the first match through to the last. PC captured 191 total victories in a dual and tournament setting, collecting 30 top-three standings when inside the bracket system.



Although a large chunk of Presby's contributors have since graduated, Vutianitis directs one of the most well-rounded prospects in the nation in class 136. Paige Wehrmeister – a sophomore – has been selected as the number two grappler at her weight countrywide after a freshman stint for the ages last winter.

Landing a third-place bronze medal at the NCWWC National Championships, Wehrmeister punctuated a debut season where she achieved a stunning record of 38-5. Winning her first 15 matches immediately while closing the calendar with her hand raised in 15 out of her last 16 tussles, Paige thrusted a win percentage of 88% beside five tournament titles.



Elsewhere on PC's primarily-young lineup, Sierra Marie Miller brings a win count of 28 last season into the upcoming one, amassing 18 pins and a silver placement at the Southeast Regional tournament in February.

A grand total of 10 new faces will spread Presbyterian's roster this season, as the journey begins on November 5 with a northeast trip to the Princeton Open. Of the six who competed at that same event in 2022, five of them earned fourth-place or better including three gold prizes.

North Central stands as the NWCA's preseason favorite with 132 total points to their name, followed closely by King and McKendree (the same trio that represented the top three at the conclusion of last season).

Colorado Mesa lands the number four spot, while Gannon and Sacred Heart go into a fresh start tied for fifth-place.

The full list of preseason rankings – both team and individual – can be found below as the Blue Hose prepare for three dates of competition in the month of November.

 
NWCA 2023-24 Preseason Coaches' Rankings
1. North Central (132 pts., 14 individuals ranked)
2. King (67 pts., 10 individuals ranked)
3. McKendree (60 pts., 9 individuals ranked)
4. Colorado Mesa (51 pts., 8 individuals ranked)
T-5. Gannon (29 pts., 5 individuals ranked)
T-5. Sacred Heart (29 pts., 4 individuals ranked)
7. East Stroudsburg (25 pts., 3 individuals ranked)
T-8. Iowa (22 pts., 2 individuals ranked)
T-8. Lock Haven (22 pts., 2 individuals ranked)
10. Adrian (16 pts., 3 individuals ranked)
11. Lindenwood (10 pts., 2 individuals ranked)
12. Mount Olive (13 pts., 2 individuals ranked)
T-13. Aurora (12 pts., 1 individual ranked)
T-13. Northern Michigan (12 pts., 2 individuals ranked)
T-13. Presbyterian (12 pts., 1 individual ranked)
16. Emmanuel (11 pts., 3 individuals ranked)
17. Tiffin (10 pts., 1 individual ranked)
18. Augsburg (9 pts., 1 individual ranked)
T-19. New Jersey City (7 pts., 1 individual ranked)
T-19. Ursinus (7 pts., 1 individual ranked)
T-19. Wisconsin-Stevens Point (8 pts., 2 individuals ranked)
22. Elmira (4 pts., 1 individual ranked)
T-23. Chadron State (3 pts., 1 individual ranked)
T-23. Emory & Henry (3 pts., 1 individual ranked)
T-23. Texas Woman's (3 pts., 1 individual ranked)

 
NWCA 2023-24 Preseason Individual Rankings
 
101
1. Maddie Avila (North Central)
2. Olivia Shore (McKendree)
3. Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin)
4. Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa)
5. Samantha Miller (Mount Olive)
6. Jessica Corredor (King)
7. Isabella Morales (Colorado Mesa)
8. Avery Kibelbeck (King)
 
109
1. Sydney Petzinger (North Central)
2. Kendra Ryan (North Central)
3. Kaelani Shufeldt (Lock Haven)
4. Pauline Granados (McKendree)
5. Izabella Frezzo (New Jersey City)
6. Julianne Moccia (Gannon)
7. Faith Cole (McKendree)
8. Mackenzie Peterson (Texas Woman's)
 
116
1. Jaslynn Gallegos (North Central)
2. Felicity Taylor (Iowa)
3. Samara Chavez (King)
4. Danielle Garcia (King)
5. Payton Stroud (McKendree)
6. Emily Klein (East Stroudsburg)
7. Caitlyn Thorne (Lindenwood)
8. Rose Ann Marshall (Wisconsin-Stevens Point)
 
123
1. Amani Jones (North Central)
2. Mia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg)
3. Jennifer Soto (McKendree)
4. Melanie Mendoza (King)
5. Kalli Roskos (Ursinus)
6. Alisha Narvaez (McKendree)
7. Abby Nelson (Wisconsin-Stevens Point)
8. Laila Oribello (Adrian)
 
130
1. Cameron Guerin (McKendree)
2. Alexis Janiak (Aurora)
3. Victoria Baez-Dilone (King)
4. Montana Delawder (King)
5. Sara Sterner (North Central)
6. Hailey Chapman (Colorado Mesa)
7. Nichole Moore (McKendree)
8. Alexandra Fitzgerald (Sacred Heart)
 
136
1. Yele Aycock (North Central)
2. Paige Wehrmeister (Presbyterian)
3. Nanea Estrella (Iowa)
4. Nina Makem (Augsburg)
5. Holly Beaudoin (Colorado Mesa)
6. Viktorya Torres (McKendree)
7. Claire Dicugno (King)
8. Salome Walker (North Central)
 
143
1. London Houston (North Central)
2. Grace Stem (Lock Haven)
3. Lili Ujfalvi (Gannon)
4. Kendall Bostelman (North Central)
5. Zoe Gress (East Stroudsburg)
6. Marissa Roth (Northern Michigan)
7. Erica Schroeder (Colorado Mesa)
8. Taylor Cutler (Adrian)
 
155
1. Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa)
2. Tiffany Baublitz (King)
3. Nyla Burgess (Adrian)
4. Tiera Jimerson (North Central)
5. Madison Sandquist (Sacred Heart)
6. Noelle Gaffney (Northern Michigan)
7. Skylah Chakouian (Elmira)
8. Andreia Langley (Emory & Henry)
 
170
1. Chey Bowman (King)
2. Cara Broadus (Sacred Heart)
3. Jewel Gonzalez (Gannon)
4. Annabelle Helm (Gannon)
5. Alyssa Arana (Emmanuel)
6. Journey Land (Emmanuel)
7. Larissa Gallo (North Central)
8. Kamila Montanegro (Chadron State)
 
191
1. Traeh Haynes (North Central)
2. Brittyn Corbishley (North Central)
3. Sara Lake (Lindenwood)
4. Jayleen Sekona (Colorado Mesa)
5. Jacklyn Smith (Sacred Heart)
6. Jada Arnold (Mount Olive)
7. Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel)
8. Isabeau Shalack (Colorado Mesa)