The Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College wrestling team is set to travel to Chanute, Kansas on Saturday (2/13/2016) for the North-Central District national qualifying tournament at Neosho Community College.  Since the re-instituted wrestling program began at NEO in the 2013-14 wrestling season, the Norsemen have been inpressive in the District Championships and are looking for their third title in a row.

The North-Central qualifier involves nine junior college programs.  The host school Neosho CC (ranked #21); Colby CC (#14); Pratt CC (#21); Northwest Kansas Tech (#25); Labette CC; Barton CC; Wentworth Military Institute; Arkansas Baptist College, and NEO, currently ranked #1 in the recently released NJCAA National Rankings.

The Norsemen are led by two NJCAA #1 ranked wrestlers 174 lbs. sophomore Jacobe Smith (33-2), Muskogee, OK, and a defending National Champion and 285 lbs. sophomore Blake Andrews (39-5), Grapevine, Texas. Both wrestlers are also ranked #1 in the North-Central District. Neither wrestler has been beaten by a junior college opponent.

Also ranked #1 in the North Central District along with being ranked nationally by the NJCAA is: 133 lbs. freshman, Curtis Burnett (26-15), Independence, KS (NJCAA ranking #7); 141 lbs. sophomore, Mitchell Sellers (23-10), Tahlequah, OK (#4); 149 lbs. sophomore, Kristian Holguin-Mendez (27-11), Sapulpa, OK (#7); 157 lbs. sophomore, Dawaylon Barnes (30-7), Muskogee, OK (#6); 184 lbs. redshirt sophomore Jacob Hill (28-14), Augusta, KS (#5); and 197 lbs. sophomore, Josh Latham (20-7), Chickasha, OK (#2).

Ranked #3 in the North-Central District is 125 lbs. freshman Logan Terrill (19-15), Ark City, KS. Unranked in the region at 165 lbs. is freshman Saul Ortiz (17-12), Wichita Northwest, KS.

The North-Central District will qualify 70% of the total number of wrestlers entered into the tournament on Saturday according to NJCAA rules for the NJCAA National Championship Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa February 26-27, 2016.