By Michael Carpenter – October 20, 2023
October 19, 2023 – Cumberland begins the 2023-24 season ranked No. 13 in the NAIA Top 20 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, announced this morning by the national office.
Cumberland are entering the season after their third-straight Top 8 finish at the NAIA National Championships last season finishing in eight in 2022-23 and 2021-22 and fifth in 2020-21.The Phoenix return two All-Americans from last season’s squad. Cole Smith is three-time NAIA All-American and the 2021 165-pound NAIA National Champion. Sammy Shires had quite the freshman season a year ago winning the Mid-South Conference Championship at 133 and a fifth place finish at Nationals.
Cumberland has six wrestlers starting in the Top 25 for their weight class: Smith, Shires, Chris Busutil, Jared Dinh, Jack Latimer, and Eli Clemmons.
