June 9, 2006

NORFOLK, Va. - Steve Martins' incoming group of grapplers were ranked eighth by W.I.N Magazine.

For the second consecutive year the incoming Old Dominion freshmen wrestlers have been considered a top-10 recruiting class by the magazine being listed among several of the nation's powerhouses. All five members of the BIG 12 were featured on the list with Old Dominion ranking just behind four-time national champion Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Missouri and ahead of Oklahoma and Iowa State.

Also joining the Monarchs in W.I.N.'s top ten were Penn State, Minnesota, and Michigan from the BIG 10, as well as Lehigh and Arizona State.

Martin's class featured four wrestlers ranked by W.I.N., one of 11 schools in the magazine's Top 25 to have as many incomers ranked.

The publication also noted the Monarchs "weren't the only new kid on the block," joining Missouri as one of the nation's fastest-improving programs.

Headlining the second Top 10 W.I.N. recruiting class for Martin and his staff are five nationally ranked wrestlers: James Nicholson (Iowa), Billy Chamberlain (Pa.), Kyle Hutter (Ill.), Jesse Strawn (Kan.) and Matt Edmondson (Ga.) along with junior college national champion Matt Collum (Iowa Central). In the W.I.N. rankings, Chamberlain was ranked at No. 8 at 119, Edmondson ranked 14th at 189, Hutter came in at No. 11 at 125, and Nicholson ranked ninth at 119.

W.I.N. Magazine's Top 25 recruiting ranks can be viewed by clicking here.