Oct. 13, 2010
Lawrenceville, N.J. - James Nicholson and Grant Chapman are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes in the CAA preseason rankings and Old Dominion is picked third as a team, the CAA announced on Wednesday.
Nicholson, a three-time CAA champion and All-American in 2008, was picked to win at 125 pounds. Nicholson has garnered accolades from several publications so far this year, being ranked in the top-11 of three national polls. The Des Moines, Iowa native is ranked No. 10 by Amateur Wrestling News and DIcollegewrestling.net.
Chapman was picked first at 285 pounds. The ODU sophomore went 14-23 last season.
Senior Kyle Hutter was ranked second at 133 pounds. Hutter, a two-time NCAA qualifier, redshirted last season, going 25-1 wrestling unattached.
Also announced was the preseason CAA all-Freshman team, which for the second-straight year ODU led the squad with three members.
Jerome Robinson, a two-time Ohio state champion and the No. 2 recruit at his weight class, earned all-freshman honors at 125.
Cade Blair, a Valley Center, Kan. native, represented ODU at 157 pounds. He won three Kansas state championships and finished sixth at the NHSCA national tournament, earning All-American honors.
Jacob Henderson earned the all-freshman honor at 197 pounds. The Toledo, Ohio native was ranked No. 24 in the nation at his weight class and was Ohio state runner-up twice.
The Monarchs begin the year with its annual Blue/Silver match on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. before beginning the regular season Nov. 7 at the Hokie Open.