BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Five Campbell wrestlers are ranked in InterMat's recently announced preseason individual polls.
With a combined 10 NCAA Championships appearances between the group,
Korbin Meink (125 pounds),
Josh Heil (149),
Austin Murphy (174),
Caleb Hopkins (184) and
Chris Kober (197) all appear in InterMat's initial rankings for the 2021-22 season.
Coming in at No. 32 at 125 pounds, Meink is a two-time NCAA qualifier at 125, claiming SoCon titles in 2019 and 2020 as a sophomore and junior before redshirting the abbreviated 2021 season.
Campbell's first-ever four-time NCAA qualifier, Heil is ranked No. 14 at 149 pounds. The sixth year senior, who has amassed 84 career wins, is a former 2020 NWCA First Team All-American and 2021 NWCA Division I Scholar All-American, in addition to being named All-SoCon three times.
Coming off a top-12 finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships, Murphy is ranked No. 13 at 174. The Cincinnati, Ohio senior posted a 15-2 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark in SoCon bouts in his first season as a starter for the Camels in 2021 on the way to All-SoCon honors.
Another first year starter in 2021, Hopkins heads into the 2021-22 season at No. 17 at 184 pounds. In 2021, Hopkins went 12-3 overall and 7-0 in SoCon matchups, suffering his only regular season defeat to then-No. 2 Hunter Bolen from Virginia Tech. Hopkins was also named a 2021 NWCA Division I Scholar All-American and All-SoCon.
Kober, a two-time NCAA qualifier with three-time SoCon podium finishes, is ranked No. 24 at 197 pounds, rounding out the 2021-22 preseason rankings for the Camels. The fifth year senior won the 197 SoCon title and was named All-SoCon, going 7-2 on the year with his only losses coming in St. Louis at the NCAA Championships.
Campbell announced its
2021-22 schedule last week, officially opening the season at home, hosting Montreat on November 3.
Campbell claimed its third straight SoCon regular season and tournament championships in 2021, going 8-1 overall and a perfect 7-0 in conference duals. The Camels extended their SoCon dual win streak to 16 in the process, going unbeaten through its league slate for the second straight season.
Ranked as high as No. 22 in the NCWA team poll and No. 19 by InterMat, a school record seven Camels qualified for the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo., while first year head coach
Scotti Sentes was named national Rookie Head Coach of the Year (Amateur Wrestling News), as well as SoCon Coach of the Year.
