Three GWU Wrestlers Earn Preseason National Accolades
October 14, 2015 | Wrestling
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb has seen three different wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships over the past three seasons – one each in 2013, 2014 and 2015 – and all three have garnered preseason accolades heading into the 2015-2016 campaign.
Redshirt junior Austin Trott (Kingsland, Ga. / Camden County HS) is the highest rated, earning a No. 13 ranking from Amateur Wrestling News at 165 pounds. Trott is also ranked No. 17 this preseason by FloWrestling, 18th by Wrestling USA Magazine and 30th by WrestlingReport.com.
The 2014 NCAA qualifier went 25-9 last season, including a 6-1 mark on the SoCon and a 14-4 dual record. He led the Runnin' Bulldogs with 10 pins, six tech falls and six major decisions on the year.
Trott has won 54 matching combined in his first two seasons as a starter. His 29-9 mark as a redshirt freshman in 2014 included an appearance at the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
This past May, Trott captured sixth at the 2015 UWW/University Nationals at 74 kilograms.
Ryan Mosley (Stone Mountain, Ga. / Shiloh HS) earned preseason rankings from a pair of outlets, appearing at No. 26 by WrestlingReport.com at 149 pounds and No. 32 by Wrestling USA Magazine. A 2015 All-SoCon choice at 149 pounds, Mosley finished last season by earning a berth at the 2015 NCAA Championships in St. Louis.
He wrapped up with a 26-11 overall record that included a 7-0 regular season mark against Southern Conference competition. His 26 wins led the team. Mosley added one pin, two tech falls and tied Trott for the team lead with six major decisions.
Mosley has picked up 41 wins in two seasons as a starter for head coach Daniel Elliott at 149 pounds.
Hunter Gamble (McDonough, Ga. / Union Grove HS) is ranked No. 30 at 184 pounds by Wrestling USA Magazine and No. 33 by WrestlingReport.com heading into his redshirt junior campaign.
Gamble batted through injuries last season to finish with a 13-8 overall mark, which included a 5-2 mark (3-1 SoCon) at 184 pounds. He was 3-1 in dual match competition in the weight class and went 2-1 at the SoCon Championships in Asheville.
Gamble, who qualified for NCAA Division I Championships at 174 pounds as a freshman in 2013, has won 37 matches as a starter.
Gardner-Webb opens its 2015-2016 campaign on the road in Boone, N.C., on Saturday, November 7 – batting Cal State Bakersfield and Anderson (S.C.) University.
The Runnin' Bulldogs – who went 4-3 in the SoCon last season – welcome back a talented roster that features 10 wrestlers who won double figures individually in 2014-2015 and seven who had winning records individually.
Three 20-match winners – Mosley, Trott and 133-pound senior Tyler Ziegler (20-16) – return along with Gamble and projected 141-pound standout Chris Vassar.
