CU restling ranked 18th, four Bulldogs rated nationally

Cumberland dropped four spot to 18th nationally in the NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Top 20 Poll and Jake Williams, Zeke Hunt, Steven Sandefer and Cody Linton are all ranked individually in their weight class, as announced Wednesday by the national office.

The Bulldogs dropped a 31-6 dual match decision against 10th-ranked Lindsey Wilson on Wednesday night, ending a five-match winning streak for the club that included a victory at Shorter University and four consecutive wins in last weekend’s Middle Tennessee Duals in Smyrna. CU’s other three losses this season have all come against NCAA Division I competition – Virginia, Iowa and Chattanooga.

Williams is ranked seventh at 141, posting a 9-2 overall record this year, including a 4-1 Decision against Lindsey Wilson. Sandefer ranks 11th at 149, registering a 5-4 mark, while Hunt is rated sixth at 174 with 13-5 overall record this season. Linton is 11th at 184, posting a 7-3 mark.

Cumberland heads to the Newberry Duals this Saturday for four matches, taking on host Newberry along with UNC-Pembroke, Lindenwood University and Limestone College in Newberry, S.C. 

Bulldogs' Brown, Williams pick up victories vs. Lindsey Wilson

Shane Brown and Jake Williams each won Decisions but No. 10 Lindsey Wilson was too much, posting a 31-6 dual match victory over Cumberland here Wednesday night at the Dallas Floyd Recreation Center.

The loss ended a five-match winning streak for the Bulldogs (5-4) while the Blue Raiders (1-3) posted their first dual match win of the year. CU dropped four Decisions and Forfeited at a pair of weight classes. The squad is currently without two ranked starters who are injured.

Williams, ranked seventh at 141, outlasted Jacob McCombs with a 4-1 Decision for the Bulldogs and Brown started quickly en route to an 8-2 Decision at 157 over Scott Flesher.

LWC’s Cadyn McKeeth, ranked No. 12 at 165, posted an 8-4 Decision over Jacob Shirley and No. 10 James Haywood did enough for a 5-3 Decision against CU’s sixth-ranked Zeke Hunt at 174. Jacob Bradford won for the Blue Raiders at 197, a 6-1 Decision against Kyle Frazier, and after several delays because of a bloody nose, No. 7 Teddy Furnish held off Tyler Smith at the heavyweight class in the final match of the night.

Cumberland heads to the Newberry Duals this Saturday for four matches, taking on host Newberry along with UNC-Pembroke, Lindenwood University and Limestone College in Newberry, S.C.