May 14, 2007

MANHEIM, Pa. - Led by an impressive 3.95 GPA by junior Webster Farris, the Dana College Vikings came in as the top team in the NWCA/NAIA All-Academic team tally.

Farris, a biology major, was one of five Dana wrestlers to make the All-Academic team, while the overall program at Dana ranked No. 1 with a 3.34 team GPA, finishing ahead of second-place Campbellsville University, which came in with an overall 3.176.

Campbellsville had the most wrestlers to make the individual All-Academic team, placing seven national qualifiers on the squad with Education major Kyle Norred sporting a 3.87.

Two NAIA champions graced the list, as Hayden Harrison of Embry-Riddle and Morningside's Jacob Stevenson were represented.

Harrison carries a 3.85 in what might be the most impressive major among those represented -- Aeronautical Science. Stevenson notches a 3.32 in Business Administration.

"I'm most pleased that our wrestlers are majoring in things like Education, Business Administration and Criminal Justice," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "It's this type of wrestler that will go on to serve our youth as mentors, coaches and leaders in the world of business after their wrestling careers are over."

In all, 15 different schools were represented, over half of all the NAIA teams sponsoring wrestling.

Great Falls, Embry-Riddle, Menlo, Jamestown, Northwestern College, Southern Oregon and King College round out the Top 10 teams.

Thirteen NAIA All-Americans made the list.

"It's also promising that many of the teams in the Top 10 are newer programs established since 1999," said Moyer. "Great Falls, Campbellsville and King College are still in the fledgling stages of their programs."

"The NAIA is one place where the growth of wrestling has been the most prevalent," said Moyer. "You're seeing teams spring up and compete and also making a commitment to academic excellence.

"It's very impressive," he said. "We have a lot of young coaches in the NAIA that are doing all the right things."