WVU's Rader, Jones Earn Preseason Rankings

By Ira Green
WVU Sports Information Office

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 19, 2009) – West Virginia University wrestlers Brandon Rader and Donnie Jones earned preseason rankings in the latest Amateur Wrestling News poll, the publication announced today.

Rader, a redshirt senior and a two-time All-American at 141 pounds, earned the No. 4 overall ranking in his weight class, while classmate Jones, who has qualified for consecutive NCAA tournaments, earned the No. 13 ranking.

Rader missed the entire 2008-09 season with a left-knee injury that he sustained in the 2007-08 campaign. He is the only true freshman in program history to garner All-American status. To date, the Parkersburg, W.Va., native owns a 55-11 overall mark. His 30 wins in 2006 were the second-most as a freshman in program history.

A Slickville, Pa., native, Jones finished the 2008-09 campaign with an 11-5 overall mark, going 6-0 against Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) competition. He finished second on the team in takedowns (53), earned second place at the EWL Championships, and earned his second win at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, beating Millersville’s Jeremy Brooks, 13-6.

The Mountaineers open the dual season at the Sprawl & Brawl in Vestal, N.Y., which will be held at Binghamton on Nov. 22. WVU will face Wyoming at 11:30 a.m., and follow with a match against Illinois at 1:15 p.m.

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