Three Eagles Retain Spots in National Rankings
Avila women's wrestling had three wrestlers ranked in the first NAIA ratings of the 2024 calendar year, the association unveiled last week. All three athletes – Markayla Lottie, Sara Soureshjani, and Shannon Briggs – have now appeared in the rankings at least thrice this season, and, remarkably, all three athletes attained the same spot in the Top 20 in their respective weight classes. The Eagles remain in the receiving votes tier of the national poll.
Junior standout Markayla Lottie has not slowed down to start off 2024 in what's already been another excellent season. After closing out 2023 by winning three of her four matches at the Eagle Duals in mid-December, Lottie kicked off 2024 by winning two of her three matches at the KCAC/GPAC Duals in January in Nebraska.
Lottie's record now stands at 14-8, best on the team. She has now been featured in every NAIA ranking so far this season. The junior from Raytown, Missouri is now ranked 19th in the 116-pound weight class.
Sara Soureshjani has seen a lot of action so far in 2024 as she stakes her claim to a featured role as one of Avila's middleweights. She won two of her five matches at the KCAC/GPAC Duals and followed that by winning two of her four matches at Saint Mary's Spire Classic the following weekend.
The sophomore from Overland Park has now been featured in the national rankings three times this season. She jumps up a spot to 19th in the 143-pound weight class.
Freshman Shannon Briggs is off to a red hot start in 2024 as she continues to give the Eagles a reliable force at heavyweight. Briggs won four of her five matches, including one by forfeit but also two by pin, most on the team, at the KCAC/GPAC Duals at York, giving her double-digit wins now in her freshman campaign.
The freshman from Englewood, Florida remains ranked 19th in the 191-pound weight class. She is also ranked No. 11 at 191 by independent media organization The Open Mat. That group only ranks the top 15 wrestlers in each weight class, meaning Briggs is the only Eagle to appear in their rankings.
The KCAC continues to be well-represented in the national women's wrestling landscape. Nine total teams are featured in the third in-season edition of the poll, including four teams ranked between 14th and 18th. Avila is one of four schools in the receiving votes tier. The latest poll can be viewed below, and on the NAIA website.
You can next catch Lottie, Soureshjani, Briggs, and the rest of the Eagles in a full week of action that begins this Wednesday, January 31, with a KCAC dual in Wichita against Friends. You can watch all the action live and for free on the KCAC Network.
