MANHEIM, Pa. – The Vermont State University Castleton Wrestling was ranked 14th in Team Dual rankings as released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association on Friday afternoon. Drew Marchese and Nathaniel Camiscioli are ranked in the top 15 of their respective weight classes, with the Spartans having 10 wrestlers across all weight classes ranked regionally in the top eight of their weight class. The program also received team and individual rankings from the Open Mat and D3wrestle.com.

Castleton is off to a 3-2 start in dual action this season, good enough for 14th nationally, after retaining the Green Mountain Championship against Norwich and beating No. 15 Coast Guard for the second time in program history. The Spartans fell to West Liberty and No. 4 Roanoke before taking down No. 24 Stevens in the latest Spartan dual match.

At 125 pounds, Marchese marks the first of two Spartans ranked in the top-15 of his weight class, sitting seventh. Marchese is off to a 14-1 start overall on the season, and 5-0 in dual matches, with wins over No. 4 Roanoke, No. 24 Stevens, West Liberty, Norwich, and No. 15 Coast Guard. Camiscioli also sits seventh at 157 pounds, starting the season at 11-2 overall, and 3-2 in dual bouts. He found himself with wins over Norwich, No. 15 Coast Guard, and No. 4 Roanoke.

In the Region 1 rankings, Castleton has 10 wrestlers occupying the top eight in all weight classes. Marchese (125) and Josh Negron (197) were ranked first, while Nicolas Balella (141), Camiscioli (157), and Desmond McLaughlin (184) ranked second. Jashon Holmes (165) was the lone third-place ranking, with Joseph Kennedy (149) and Colby Celuck (174) placing sixth in their respective weight classes. Keonta Crawford was positioned seventh at 285, and Stone Farnsworth checked in at eighth at 133 pounds.

The Open Mat placed the Spartans ninth in team dual rankings, with four wrestlers placing in the top-20 of their respective weight classes. Camiscioli (157) was slotted seventh, while Marchese (125) was listed ninth. Negron (197) was placed 17th, and Holmes rounded out the Open Mat rankings, placed 20th at 165 pounds.

Castleton received three honorable mentions from D3wrestle.com: McLaughlin (184), Negron (197), and Evan Day (285). Marchese (125) and Holmes (165) were labeled as contenders in their weight classes, while Camiscioli earned an eighth-place ranking at 157 pounds.

The team competes in split-squad action tomorrow (December 13), with part of the team heading to the Scott Viera Tournament hosted by Roger Williams at 9 a.m., and the other parts travels out to Illinois for the North Central College Invitational at 10 a.m. EST.