KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Four wrestlers from the University of Providence men's wrestling team were ranked in Top 20 in their weight class in the preseason NAIA National Poll that was released on Thursday.

Jordan Komac was the highest ranked wrestler, coming in at #7 in the 165 lb. weight class. Joel Avila came in at #12 in the 125 lb. weight class, while KC Buday was #13 at 285 lbs. Hayden Schrull also received a ranking, earning a #20 rank in the 184 lb. weight class.

"I think it's a great start," head coach Steve Komac said. "We definitely want to add a few more guys to that list to feel like we're closer to what we should be with this roster. Having four in the rankings is pretty obvious based on our past body of work. We brought in some new guys that I think will break in there in the future."

As a team, the Argos were receiving votes in the poll, falling just outside the Top 20.

"We feel really good about a number of kids in our lineup that we feel can compete at the national level," head coach Steve Komac said. "We definitely need to cover some ground. We got a few guys that we think can do better than where they're ranked, for sure. We've got some kids that haven't had a chance to show what they can do yet. It's not a bad place to start, but I think there's plenty of room to go up from here."

Having only wrestled six matches last season, Komac believes the team will benefit from having a full schedule under their belt.

"Last year was a pretty rough thing for all of us to endure," he said. "To have the season ready to kick off, with a normal schedule, we're super excited. You can feel it in the room every single day. The practices are great, the kids energy is off the charts, the coaches are excited. We're ready to go."
 
Jordan Komac (165 lbs.) Ranked: 7^th
Komac is a returning NAIA National Qualifier after making it to the third round of the consolation bracket last season. Two seasons ago, Komac won the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament at 165 lbs., vaulting himself into the national conversation. The redshirt sophomore is poised to have a strong season for the Argos.

"Jordan is consistently in the mix for the top-ranked guys in the country," Komac said. "He's never, ever out of a match. He brings a tremendous amount of leadership. He brings a work ethic that's near the top in our room every single day."

Joel Avila (125 lbs.) Ranked: 12^th
Avila is also a returning NAIA National Qualifier, losing in the blood round last season. He put on a strong showing in his first season as an Argo, as he was named the CCC Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 15.

"Joel is a very, very talented young man," Komac said. "He's very athletic and explosive and he loves wrestling. He brings a consistent work ethic to the room on a daily basis and is very coachable. We're very fortunate to have him in our program. He's very fun to watch wrestle and I think he's the kind of wrestler that kids should aspire to be."

KC Buday (285 lbs.) Ranked: 13^th
Buday is also a returning NAIA National Qualifier, making it to the third round of the consolation bracket last season. In limited roles due to the pandemic, Buday has showcased an ability to compete with the top wrestlers in the country.

"Hopefully KC brings nothing but more improvement because every time we watch him he seems to be getting better and better," Komac said. "Having a full season of matches, I think people are going to be surprised. That man is learning how to wrestle more and more every single day. He's also becoming one of the best leaders in our room at the same time."

Hayden Schrull (184 lbs.) Ranked: 20^th
Schrull took last season off to a nurse injury after having a dominant freshman season, when he qualified for the NAIA National Tournament after finishing 2^nd at the CCC Tournament.

"Hayden is a very, very talented young man," Komac said. "He's a great worker. Coming off a season full of injuries, we took the time last year during the COVID season to patch up some injuries. He's getting ready to get back in the lineup for us and we're really excited about that. He competes at a very high-level; he's definitely an All-American talent."

The Argos will host an intra-squad dual on Nov. 2 in the McLaughlin Center. They'll officially kick off their season on Nov. 6 against Northwest and Western Wyoming in Powell, Wyo.