STEVENS POINT – The UW-Stevens Point wrestling team has been ranked No. 17 in the BRUTE – ADIDAS National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Pre-Season Team Ranking. The Pointers finished last season ranked No. 10 in the poll, finishing with a 15-3-1 record.

The Pointers finished second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) tournament last season behind the UW-La Crosse Eagles. The Pointers lost to the Eagles by a 2-point deficit in the conference championship.

The Eagles are ranked No. 1 in this season NCAA Div. III Preseason Poll. The Pointers and the Eagles will square off on Jan. 15 in Stevens Point.

Other WIAC teams earning preseason rankings include UW-Whitewater (No. 19) and UW-Oshkosh (No. 23). The Pointers travel to UW-Oshkosh Dec. 2 and host UW-Whitewater Feb. 5.

UW-Stevens Point returns junior All-American Ben Engelland (Neenah), who has made it to the NCAA Div. III National Tournament two times in as many tries. Engelland finished fifth at the tournament in the 184-pound class and finished the season with a 28-4 record. Engelland is ranked fourth in the NCAA Div. III Preseason Poll in the 184-pound weight class.

The Pointers start the 2009-10 season on Nov. 10, when they host Lakeland College in a dual meet. Action is set to start at 7:00 p.m.