Webb, Howes Maintain Spots in National Rankings
Avila men's wrestling had two wrestlers ranked in the first NAIA ratings of the 2024 calendar year, the association unveiled last week. Both athletes – Daryus Webb and Gavin Howes – are making their third straight appearance in the rankings, and Webb has now been featured in all five releases so far this season. Both are also appearing in the latest national rankings from wrestling media organization The Open Mat. The Eagles remain in the receiving votes tier of the NAIA national poll.
Standout senior Daryus Webb has picked right back up in 2024 where he left off from last calendar year. After closing out 2023 by going 4-0 at the Eagle Duals, Webb won all three of his matches – including one by forfeit – at the Avila Duals earlier this month at Mabee Fieldhouse. He has now won his last ten matches this season heading into this weekend, and he leads all Eagles with a sparkling record of 16-4 so far this season.
The senior from St. Louis remains ranked 11th in the 184-pound weight class. He was also ranked 10th in the weight class by The Open Mat.
Avila newcomer Gavin Howes isn't quite on the hot streak that Webb is, but has still been one of the Eagles' best wrestlers on the balance of the season, giving Avila a legitimate tandem at heavyweight alongside Nathan Coley. Howes split his matches at last month's Eagle Duals and dropped both of his decisions at the Avila Duals earlier in January, but his nine total victories this season trails only Webb for second place on the squad.
The junior, formerly of Otero Community College, slides down to 24th in the 285-pound weight class. He is also ranked 20th in The Open Mat's Top 20 in his 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. 8 nationally and Saint Mary at No. 17. Avila and Oklahoma Wesleyan 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 are in action this weekend at the Missouri Valley Invitational in Marshall, Missouri. The action runs all day Friday starting at 11 AM, and concludes Saturday starting at 10 AM. You can find details on how to watch and follow along at our website, avilaathletics.com.
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| Rank | Last Time | Team | Points |
| 1 | 2 | Life (Ga.) | 273 |
| 2 | 1 | Grand View (Iowa) | 270 |
| 3 | 3 | Menlo (Calif.) | 212 |
| 4 | 6 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 165 |
| 5 | 5 | Doane (Neb.) | 159 |
| 6 | 4 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 151 |
| 7 | 7 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 142 |
| 8 | 10 | Ottawa (Kan.) | 133 |
| 9 | 12 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 123 |
| 10 | 8 | Providence (Mont.) | 120 |
| 11 | 9 | Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | 114 |
| 12 | 11 | Indiana Tech | 111 |
| 13 | 13 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 108 |
| 14 | 14 | Missouri Valley | 96 |
| 15 | 14 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 93 |
| 16 | 18 | Southern Oregon | 91 |
| 17 | 17 | Saint Mary (Kan.) | 90 |
| 18 | 19 | Eastern Oregon | 89 |
| 19 | 16 | Morningside (Iowa) | 74 |
| 20 | RV | Montana State-Northern | 65 |
Dropped From Top 20: Oklahoma City
Receiving Votes: Oklahoma City 62, Lourdes (Ohio) 61, Baker (Kan.) 59, Central Methodist (Mo.) 55, Marian (Ind.) 52, Corban (Ore.) 43, Briar Cliff (Iowa) 43, Keiser (Fla.) 36, Cornerstone (Mich.) 32, Vanguard (Calif.) 31, Texas Wesleyan 31, Dickinson State (N.D.) 30, Rochester (Mich.) 28, Rio Grande (Ohio) 26, Wayland Baptist (Texas) 23, St. Thomas (Fla.) 23, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 23, Concordia (Neb.) 21, Midway (Ky.) 20, Graceland (Iowa) 20, Avila (Mo.) 19, Northwestern (Iowa) 15, Missouri Baptist 15, Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 13, St. Ambrose (Iowa) 12, Simpson (Calif.) 8, William Penn (Iowa) 6, Oklahoma Wesleyan 6, Jamestown (N.D.) 6, Siena Heights (Mich.) 5, Waldorf (Iowa) 2, Central Baptist (Ark.) 2
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 – Bradley Antesberger, Doane (Neb.)
285 – Greg Hagan, Grand View (Iowa)
