KANSAS CITY – The NAIA released conference and national rankings for men's wrestling on Tuesday, October 20th.
After an eighth place finish out of 12 teams at last year's Heart of America Championships, Missouri Baptist Men's Wrestling finds themselves at fourth in the 2026-27 preseason ranking. After votes were cast, MBU sits with 104 points, only behind Missouri Valley (109), Central Methodist (174.5), and reigning national champion Grand View (221).
Nine Spartans made appearances in the Heart individual rankings as well. In the 133-pound class, senior John Davis was placed fourth, while redshirt-freshman Brenden Rayl found himself at seventh. Davis finished 2025-26 with a win-loss of 9-16, earning victory by fall in four bouts. Rayl went 13-6, pinning seven of his opponents.
At 149, redshirt-sophomore Brayden Eikermann placed third. In his previous year, Eikermann went 12-13, winning by fall six times.
At 157, junior Noah Richardson is ranked fifth. He saw a successful 18-13 record in 2025-26, pinning seven.
Sophomore CJ Bauer and redshirt-freshman Jeremiah Drake went back-to-back in the 165-pound class. The prior was placed fifth, while the latter is ranked sixth. Bauer won the second-most matches on the squad last season with 21, and the most by any returner. Drake finished 2025-26 with six wins to eight losses.
At 174-pounds, redshirt-junior Evan Morris finds himself ranked sixth after transferring to MBU from Maryville University.
Graduate student Jared Volcic enters his final season in fourth place in the 197-pound group. Volcic was an even 6-6 across last season.
Rounding out the Spartans ranked within the conference is redshirt-junior Amad Soufi, who made his way to fifth in the heavyweight class. Soufi was 17-15 in the previous year, pinning five opponents.
MBU Men's Wrestling is making waves at the national level, too. The team received votes during the process for preseason rankings. Beyond that, four wrestlers are within the top 25 for their respective class.
Davis comes in at No. 20 at 133-pounds after an appearance at the NAIA National Championships last season via an at-large bid. Eikermann also claimed the No. 20 position for the 149-pound class, appearing on the big stage with Davis from an at-large bid.
Soufi is the No. 23 wrestler in the heavyweight class, earning his way to last year's championships through an at-large bid. Drake rounds out the national rankings at No. 24 in the 165-pound group.
Missouri Baptist Men's Wrestling begins their season at the Falcon Open on Saturday, October 31st.
