MANHEIM, Pa. - On the eve of the first event for the Colorado Mesa women's wrestling team, the National Wrestling Coaches Association released their initial individual and team rankings.
 
Colorado Mesa is ranked seventh in the preseason polls with six wrestlers ranked in the top eight of the ten weight classes. The Mavericks finished in fourth place at last season's NCCWC Championships of all NCAA schools that sponsor women's wrestling.
 
Simon Fraser was first in the poll followed by McKendree, Emmanuel, and King to round out the top four schools in the NCAA rankings.
 
The Mavericks have a pair of wrestlers ranked in the top eight at 101 pounds in Jennesis Martinez and Kaylie Catalano. Martinez is ranked third at the weight where she earned all-American honors last season placing third at the NCCWC Championships while Catalano competed at the national meet last year and comes in at No. 8.
 
Sophomore Anja Tschohl is ranked No. 7 at 116 pounds. The Andover, Kan. native placed seventh at the NCCWC Championships last season, earning all-American honors.
 
Marissa Gallegos checks in at No. 3 at 123 pounds in the initial rankings. Gallegos, a redshirt sophomore, placed third at last season's national championship but also made noise at the US Senior Nationals last year where she finished sixth, defeating a two-time Olympian along the way.
 
National runner-up from a year ago, Dalia Garibay is slotted second at 136 pounds. Garibay reached the national final as a freshman a year ago and had a win over eventual national champion Emma Bruntil of McKendree during the season in a dual.
 
Grand Junction native Kaylee Lacy begins her junior season ranked No. 7 at 143 pounds. Lacy earned all-American status last season by finishing eighth at 143 pounds during last season's national championship meet.
 
Freshman are not factored into the preseason polls.
 
The Mavericks have a small contingent of wrestlers competing in the U23 and Junior World Team Trials this weekend in Omaha, Neb. Those results will factor into the subsequent polls following the event.

---
Also, a quick video preview of the tournament this weekend with Coach Travis Mercado and Marissa Gallegos is attached to this article.