Howes, Webb Retain Spots in National Rankings
Avila men's wrestling had two wrestlers ranked in the final NAIA ratings of the 2023 calendar year, the association unveiled last month. Both athletes – Daryus Webb and Gavin Howes – are making their second straight appearance in the rankings, and Webb has now been featured in all four releases so far this season. The Eagles remain in the receiving votes tier of the national poll.
Standout senior Daryus Webb has continued to cement his status as one of the best wrestlers in his weight class in the country in his final season. Webb has lost only four matches all year, and they are all against wrestlers ranking in the top ten of the latest NAIA rankings. He's the only Eagle with double-digit wins after closing out 2023 by winning his final seven contests, including all four at the 2023 Eagle Duals at Mabee Fieldhouse – a feat that helped him earn KCAC Men's Wrestler of the Week honors for the first time this season.
The senior from St. Louis jumps up from 15th to 11th in the 184-pound weight class.
One of the newer members of the Avila wrestling program, Gavin Howes has given the Eagles a highly reliable option at heavyweight in his first season in Kansas City. Howes burst onto the scene by placing second at the Falcon Invite in early November, losing only to NAIA No. 1 Greg Hagan in the process, and now, Howes ranks second on the Eagles in total victories this season, trailing only Webb.
The junior, formerly of Otero Community College, jumps up to 22nd in the 285-pound weight class.
The KCAC continues to be well-represented in the national men's wrestling landscape. Four total teams are featured in the third in-season edition of the poll, including Ottawa at No. 10 nationally and Saint Mary at No. 17. Avila and Friends are the two schools in the receiving votes tier. The latest poll can be viewed below, and on the NAIA website.
Webb, Howes and the rest of the Eagles will next return to Mabee Fieldhouse this Saturday, January 6, for the 2024 Avila Duals. Avila will face three other schools in dual competition, and you can watch all the action live and for free on the Avila Sports Network with James Russell on the call from Kansas City.
| Rank | Last Time | Team | Points |
| 1 | 1 | Grand View (Iowa) | 278 |
| 2 | 2 | Life (Ga.) | 252 |
| 3 | 3 | Menlo (Calif.) | 174 |
| 4 | 4 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 165 |
| 5 | 5 | Doane (Neb.) | 162 |
| 6 | 8 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 160 |
| 7 | 9 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 132 |
| 8 | 6 | Providence (Mont.) | 125 |
| 9 | 12 | Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | 119 |
| 10 | 10 | Ottawa (Kan.) | 118 |
| 11 | 12 | Indiana Tech | 115 |
| 12 | 15 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 113 |
| 13 | 15 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 104 |
| 14 | 11 | Missouri Valley | 101 |
| 14 | 7 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 101 |
| 16 | 14 | Morningside (Iowa) | 96 |
| 17 | 19 | Saint Mary (Kan.) | 90 |
| 18 | 20 | Southern Oregon | 80 |
| 19 | RV | Eastern Oregon | 77 |
| 20 | 20 | Oklahoma City | 73 |
Dropped From Top 20: Baker (Kan.), Marian (Ind.)
Receiving Votes: Montana State-Northern 68, Baker (Kan.) 65, Lourdes (Ohio) 61, Central Methodist (Mo.) 55, Marian (Ind.) 54, Briar Cliff (Iowa) 49, Corban (Ore.) 49, Keiser (Fla.) 37, Cornerstone (Mich.) 35, St. Thomas (Fla.) 35, Texas Wesleyan 34, Rochester (Mich.) 30, Graceland (Iowa) 28, Rio Grande (Ohio) 25, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 24, Wayland Baptist (Texas) 24, Concordia (Neb.) 22, Vanguard (Calif.) 22, Avila (Mo.) 21, Dickinson State (N.D.) 20, Midway (Ky.) 20, Northwestern (Iowa) 20, Missouri Baptist 15, St. Ambrose (Iowa) 13, Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 12, William Penn (Iowa) 10, Friends (Kan.) 8, Simpson (Calif.) 7, Jamestown (N.D.) 5, Siena Heights (Mich.) 5, Central Baptist (Ark.) 3, Waldorf (Iowa) 3
Top-Ranked Individuals | Individual Rankings
125 – Hunter Sparks, Eastern Oregon
133 – Carson Taylor, Grand View (Iowa)
141 – Evan Potter, Southern Oregon
149 – Blake Gonzalez, Grand View (Iowa)
157 – Brevin Balmeceda, Life (Ga.)
165 – Keller Rock, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
174 – Riley Smucker, Life (Ga.)
184 – Isaiah Luellen Grand View (Iowa)
197 – Owen Braungardt, Grand View (Iowa)
285 – Greg Hagan, Grand View (Iowa)
