Wrestling earns top 10 academic ranking on NWCA list

SEWARD, Neb. – Among the 43 wrestling programs in the NAIA, Concordia University ranks ninth on the National Wrestling Coaches’ Association list of top academic teams. The ranking, released this week by the NWCA, combines the GPAs of 12 varsity wrestlers for each team in the NAIA. Among GPAC schools, the Bulldogs placed second with their collective GPA of 3.119.

Individually, Concordia junior Enrique Barajas was named NAIA All-Academic by the NWCA. The exercise science major from Hayward, Calif., carries a GPA of 3.6, highest of any of head coach Dana Vote’s national qualifiers.

Barajas was one of six Bulldogs to qualify for the 2014 NAIA Wrestling National Championships. He finished his first season at Concordia with a record of 18-16.

This announcement is yet another example of the impressive turnaround orchestrated by Vote, who just completed his second year. This past season the Bulldogs placed second at the regional and conference levels and qualified six individuals for nationals, a year after a sixth-place GPAC finish and no national qualifiers.

NWCA All Academic NAIA Wrestling Team
School – GPA
1. Dakota Wesleyan University – 3.33
2. Bethany College – 3.3275
3. University of Great Falls – 3.32
4. Cumberland University – 3.299
5. Grand View University – 3.196
6. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) – 3.193
7. Indiana Tech – 3.144
8. Campbellsville University – 3.126
9. Concordia – 3.119
10. Life – 3.108