University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Ness Leads Four Tar Heels In Preseason Flo Rankings
October 2, 2018 | Wrestling
CHAPEL HILL --- All-American redshirt senior Chip Ness leads four members of the North Carolina wrestling team listed in FloWrestling's preseason individual rankings for the upcoming 2018-19 campaign. Following a year in which the program had two All-Americans for the first time since 1995, Ness is joined by redshirt senior Cory Daniel, redshirt sophomore Kennedy Monday and redshirt freshman Austin O'Connor.
Following his All-American season, Ness is the highest-ranked Tar Heel on the publication's list, coming in at No. 6 at 184 pounds. The senior was 21-12 last year, finishing third at the ACC Championships and grabbing a seventh-place finish at NCAAs. He was able to win four matches in Cleveland, including three against top-10 competition.
Monday checks in at No. 9 at 157 after going 21-17 in his redshirt freshman season. The Arlington, Texas, product qualified for nationals after a third-place ACC finish and collected three wins at the NCAA meet. He went 3-2 in ACC competition and had five wins against ranked opponents on the year, including an upset of No. 2 seed Joey Lavallee of Missouri in Cleveland.
Daniel is ranked No. 14 among the nation's heavyweights entering his final season as a Tar Heel. The Fulton, Maryland, standout earned all-conference honors with a runner-up finish at the ACC Championships last year. Daniel went 23-9 on the season, posting a 13-3 dual record and qualifying for NCAAs along the way.
At 149, O'Connor comes in ranked No. 15 nationally after redshirting in 2017-18. The Lockport, Illinois, native went 15-3 in his redshirt year before an impressive showing in freestyle competition this summer. O'Connor won the App State Open in January, stringing together five straight wins including a 5-2 decision over Virginia Tech's Solomon Chishko. After the completion of the college season, he won the UWW Junior Freestyle national title at the U.S. Open in April, following that up with a gold medal at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships in Brazil at 70kg.
Carolina opens the 2018-19 season at the Hokie Open on Nov. 4 before its first dual at Chattanooga on Nov. 11.
Following his All-American season, Ness is the highest-ranked Tar Heel on the publication's list, coming in at No. 6 at 184 pounds. The senior was 21-12 last year, finishing third at the ACC Championships and grabbing a seventh-place finish at NCAAs. He was able to win four matches in Cleveland, including three against top-10 competition.
Monday checks in at No. 9 at 157 after going 21-17 in his redshirt freshman season. The Arlington, Texas, product qualified for nationals after a third-place ACC finish and collected three wins at the NCAA meet. He went 3-2 in ACC competition and had five wins against ranked opponents on the year, including an upset of No. 2 seed Joey Lavallee of Missouri in Cleveland.
Daniel is ranked No. 14 among the nation's heavyweights entering his final season as a Tar Heel. The Fulton, Maryland, standout earned all-conference honors with a runner-up finish at the ACC Championships last year. Daniel went 23-9 on the season, posting a 13-3 dual record and qualifying for NCAAs along the way.
At 149, O'Connor comes in ranked No. 15 nationally after redshirting in 2017-18. The Lockport, Illinois, native went 15-3 in his redshirt year before an impressive showing in freestyle competition this summer. O'Connor won the App State Open in January, stringing together five straight wins including a 5-2 decision over Virginia Tech's Solomon Chishko. After the completion of the college season, he won the UWW Junior Freestyle national title at the U.S. Open in April, following that up with a gold medal at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships in Brazil at 70kg.
Carolina opens the 2018-19 season at the Hokie Open on Nov. 4 before its first dual at Chattanooga on Nov. 11.
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