2023-2024 Men’s Wrestling Season Preview

2022-2023 Heart finish: 4th of 11 teams

Notable returners:
Kael Bunce, Sr., Stockbridge, Mich.
(National qualifier, 18-9, four falls)
Makail Stanley, Sr., Oreana, Ill.
(National qualifier, 18-7, six falls)
Cameron Hargrove, Jr., Shreveport, La.
(National qualifier, 21-9, three falls),
Branson Bottorff, Jr., Shreveport, La.
(National qualifier, 21-9, three falls)

Notable losses:
Steven Skewes
(Letterwinner)

Notable newcomers:
Lane Scorpil, So., Columbus Junction, Iowa
Quinten Aney, So., Mediapolis, Iowa
Isaac Boucher, Jr., Kalona, Iowa

Deep with new and returning grapplers, the Statesmen men's wrestling team is prepped to build off of last year's success as it hits the mats for the 2023-2024 campaign.

William Penn, once again under the direction of Head Coach Aron Scott, finished fourth at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship last year and returns all four of its national qualifiers, while adding talent across the board.

The team features seven individuals ranked in the Heart with five holding positions in the NAIA polls.

125

A pair of returners are squaring off to lead WPU at the sport's lowest weight.  Dylan McConville (Sr., Portland, Ore., Business Management) was 4-8 a year ago, while Brendan Nantz (So., Tipton, Iowa, Industrial Technology) owned a 5-9 mark in 2022-2023.

133

Lane Scorpil (So., Columbus Junction, Iowa, Industrial Technology) enters as the favorite to pace the Statesmen after qualifying for nationals at his previous school Iowa Wesleyan.

Brendan Ferenchik (Sr. Campobello, S.C., Business Management) will serve as his backup.

141

Three individuals are vying for the starting nod at a deep 141-pound weight class.  Sabri Sino (So., Franklin, Wis., Sports Management) has the edge in experience as he went 16-14 (three falls) last season.

Hector Diaz (So., Miami, Fla., Human Services) was 1-4 a year ago, while Carson Jensen (Jr., Idaho Falls, Idaho, Exercise Science) is also in the mix as a newcomer.

149

WPU will have a new body at 149 with transfers Quinten Aney (So., Mediapolis, Iowa, Business Management) and Drew Evans (Jr., Collinsville, Ill., Business Management) competing for the starting spot.

157

2022-2023 national qualifier Kael Bunce (Sr., Stockbridge, Mich., Mechanical Engineering) (18-9 record, four falls) has the inside track, while fellow returner Braden Peglow (So., Vail, Ariz., Business Management) comes in with good experience after posting a 6-10 mark last season.

165

A two-time qualifier at 149 pounds, Cameron Hargrove (Jr., Bolingbrook, Ill., Sports Management) has added a significant amount of muscle and will look to find success two weights higher.  He was 21-9 with three falls last winter.

Newcomers Jesus Diaz (Sr., Miami, Fla., Sociology) and Ryan Van Donselaar (Jr., Otley, Iowa, Exercise Science) will add depth behind Hargrove.

174

Like Hargrove, Makail Stanley (Sr., Oreana, Ill., Biology) is also a two-time national qualifier, coming off a campaign in which he went 18-7 with six falls.  He will be pushed by newcomer Kendal Pugh (Fr., Letts, Iowa, Business Management).

184

A trimmed down Branson Bottorff (Sr., Mackinaw, Ill., Industrial Technology) reached the national tournament last year and will be seeking to return; he was 12-17 with a pair of pins last year.

Cameron Mitchell (Sr., Houston, Texas, Exercise Science), who was 2-3 in 2022-2023, is also competing for the spot at 184 pounds.

197

Jesse Schwery (So., Panama, Iowa, Secondary Education) returns to the mat after redshirting last season.  Hopes are high after he went 21-18 with nine falls as a freshman in 2021-2022.

Kaden Kaiser (So., Urbandale, Iowa, Undecided) will battle with Schwery for the lineup spot.

285

Maxwell Diaz (Sr., Miami, Fla., Sports Management), who was 10-12 with seven falls a campaign ago, will face off with newcomer Isaac Boucher (Jr., Kalona, Iowa, Nursing) at heavyweight.

Schedule/Conference

The Statesmen will open up the season this Saturday in Wichita, Kan. at the Friends Falcon Invitational, while the Heart dual campaign begins next Thursday at Waldorf.

WPU will host five duals as well as again be the hosts for the Heart Championship on February 16-17.