GORHAM, Maine  –  Led by 2024 NCAA Division III All-American senior Colby Frost (Steep Falls, Maine/Bonny Eagle), six member of the University of Southern Maine Huskies' wrestling team earned a spot in the inaugural regional rankings released by the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) on Thursday. 
 
Joining Frost in the regional rankings are sophomores Derek Cote (Lebanon, Maine/Noble) and Michael Sanchez (Neconset, NY/Smithtown), junior Jake Craig (Norridgewock, Maine/Skowhegan), and seniors Kaleb Pool (Tucson, Ariz.) and Anthony Mears (Lawrence, Mass./Central Catholic).  As a team, the Huskies enter the 2024-2025 season ranked fifth in the NEWA Team Rankings. 
 
Ranked first at 149 lbs, Frost is coming off of an outstanding 2023-2024 campaign in which he became the eighth All-American in Huskies' wrestling history, placing sixth at the 2024 NCAA Division III National Championship (149 lbs). Qualifying for the national championship tournament as a freshman in 2022, Frost booked his return trip this season placing third at 149 lbs at the 2024 NCAA Regional Championship. Now a three-time All-Region wrestler, Frost was named to the All-NEWA second team picking up his third all-conference recognition of his career (2023 honorable mention; 2022 second team). Finishing the 2023-2024 season with an outstanding record of 26-6, Frost enters his senior season with a record of 82-23. A William B. Wise Scholar-Athlete and College Sports Academic All-District selection, Frost is a Health Science major.
 
Ranked second at 133 lbs to start the season, Craig is a two-time NWCA Scholar All-American, and two-time NCAA National Championship qualifier at 125 lbs. A 2023 NCAA Division III All-American, Craig repeated as an All-Region wrestler in 2024, Craig placed third overall at the northeast Regional Championship to earn his second bid to nationals, and finished his outstanding sophomore campaign with a record of 29-8. He was unable to fully compete at the 2024 NCAA Championship due to injury.  Earning second team All-New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) honors this season, Craig is a two-time All-NEWA selection, and was voted as the 2023 NEWA Rookie of the Year. In two seasons with the Huskies, Craig has a remarkable record of 55-12. A William B. Wise Scholar Athlete and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District pick, Craig is working towards a degree in Cyber Security.
 
Going 2-2 at the 2024 NCAA Regional Championship last season as a rookie, Cote had a strong freshman campaign for the Huskies, competing at both 165 and 174 lbs. Entering his sophomore season ranked eighth at 165 pounds, Cote was 9-10 as a rookie winning six bouts by fall, including a 2:00 win by fall against Norwich's Joshua Ducharme to help Southern Maine earn a 26-23 win over the Cadets, signifying the Huskies' program-best 10^th consecutive dual meet win. Cote is an Exercise Science major.
 
Ranked eighth at 184 lbs to start the season, Sanchez competed in both the 184 and 197 weight classes as a rookie. Posting a solid 11-11 record during 2023-2024, Sanchez had seven wins by fall, and one by technical fall. Among his notable wins, Sanchez secured a huge win by fall in 4:36 over Nathaniel Phillion of New England College as the Huskies' rallied from a 14-0 deficit to win 32-17. Sanchez is a Business Management major.
 
Ranked fourth at 157 lbs, Pool returns for his senior campaign for the Huskies after a strong 19-9 season a year ago.  Pool had five wins by fall, and four wins by technical fall in 2023-2024, including a match-deciding 17-1 win by technical fall against Norwich's Will Kisatsky for a 26-23 Southern Maine victory.  Pool is a Mechanical Engineering major.
 
A 2024 NWCA Scholar All-American, Mears earned NEWA Honorable Mention honors at the end of the 2023-2024 season, and enters the 2024-2025 season ranked fourth at 197 pounds. A two-time All-Region wrestler, Mears finished seventh at the 2024 NCAA Regional Championship, and compiled a record of 14-10, including a 3-2 record at regional. A Business Management major, Mears has earned William B. Wise Scholar Athlete recognition.
 
Southern Maine opens its season at home on Friday, November 1 (6:00 pm) hosting Bridgewater State University in a dual meet. The Huskies will host their annual Ted Reese Invitational on Saturday, December 7 (10:00 am) before closing out the regular season with a dual meet against New England College on Friday, February 14 (6:00 pm).
 
 
 
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