Freshmen Pearson, Briggs Join Lottie in National Wrestling Rankings
Thanks to recent surges in performance, true freshmen Asha Pearson and Shannon Briggs have joined standout junior mainstay Markayla Lottie in the Top 25s of their respective weight classes, helping the Avila women's wrestling team receive national votes in the second in-season edition of the 2023-24 NAIA Women's Wrestling Coaches' Top 20, the association unveiled this morning.
Avila has had two or more nationally-ranked wrestlers in every edition of the national poll so far this season, keeping the Eagles firmly in the receiving votes section of the team rankings, outside of the Top 20 but not by that much. Lottie has been featured in all three polls this season, while Briggs and Pearson, both true freshmen, are appearing in the national rankings for the first time in their collegiate careers.
Asha Pearson has been a starter at the lightest weights since the start of the year for the Eagles, wrestling in the season opener against William Woods and winning a total of six matches to date. That includes a third-place finish at the Falcon Invite in her first collegiate tournament, and a win over Patience Okemba is Avila's dual victory over Ottawa last week.
The freshman from Kansas City charts into her first national rankings at No. 20 in the 101-pound weight class.
Markayla Lottie has been an Avila wrestling standout since the beginning of the program, and has carried that success into year three for both the team and for her. The Eagle junior leads the team with a grand total of eight wins on the season, including a victory in last week's dual against Ottawa and a sixth-place finish at Doane's Conner/Oppenheim Open over this past weekend.
Lottie has been ranked in the Top 20 in all three polls this season, and the junior from Raytown, Missouri checks in at No. 17 in the 116-pound weight class this week.
Just as they did at the smallest weight class, the Eagles had some questions marks at the largest weight class going into the season, and freshman Shannon Briggs has swiftly provided the answer. Briggs has posted an overall record of 5-4 thus far this season, including wins in both of Avila's duals – she punctuated Avila's victory over Ottawa by pinning Siara Arrington in a revenge match for a defeat earlier in November at the Falcon Invite.
The freshman from Englewood, Florida charts into her first national rankings at No. 20 in the 191-pound weight class.
Many KCAC teams are represented in the latest NAIA poll, including four straight conference foes ranked between 13th and 16th and a couple more teams in the receiving votes tier. Most notably, Ottawa, who Avila defeated last week, jumped from 17 to 14, while Saint Mary, who Avila faces this week, jumped from receiving votes to 15.
The full list of the latest rankings from the NAIA can be found on their website.
Avila women's wrestling will return to the mat at Mabee Fieldhouse on Thursday, December 7 for their second KCAC dual of the season. The women kick off the doubleheader at 7 PM with the men to follow at 8 PM; as always, you can watch all the action on the Avila Sports Network with James Russell on the call from Kansas City.
