QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University men's wrestling program made history Thursday (Oct. 22) as the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) released its 2026–27 NCAA Division II Preseason Coaches Rankings, with the Hawks earning their first-ever top-25 national team ranking and senior Sabian Russell achieving the highest individual ranking in program history.
Quincy enters the 2026–27 campaign tied for 25th nationally with San Francisco State, as both programs received 16 points in the preseason poll. The ranking marks a historic milestone for the Hawks, who had previously received votes in the national poll but had never cracked the top 25 since the program's inception in 2022–23.
Leading the way for Quincy is Russell, who enters his senior campaign ranked No. 2 nationally in the 149-pound weight class. The ranking is the highest ever achieved by a Quincy men's wrestler, surpassing Russell's previous career-best ranking of No. 7, which he reached during the 2025–26 season.
The Yuma, Arizona, native enters his fourth season with the Hawks carrying an impressive 79–33 career record. A two-time NCAA Division II National Championship qualifier and NCAA Super Regional champion, Russell has established himself as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the program's young history.
Last season, Russell earned Second Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) honors, joining teammate Callan Ivy as the first two wrestlers in program history to receive All-Conference recognition.
Despite already qualifying for the NCAA Championships twice in his career, Russell enters his final season with unfinished business. The senior will look to build on his previous national tournament appearances and become the first NCAA All-American in Quincy men's wrestling history.
Russell sits behind only UMary's Jacob Strausbaugh in the preseason 149-pound rankings. Strausbaugh enters the season ranked No. 1 after capturing the NCAA Division II National Championship at 133 pounds last season.
Quincy's historic preseason recognition comes after the Hawks finished 34th at the 2026 NCAA Division II National Championships. The Hawks' 16 points in the preseason team rankings come from Russell's No. 2 individual ranking, with the NWCA team poll calculated using a tournament power index based on individual wrestler rankings.
Glenville State claimed the top spot in the national preseason poll with 70 points, followed by defending national champion Nebraska-Kearney (61.5), Wisconsin-Parkside (58), UMary (57.5) and Gannon (54).
With the program's first top-25 national team ranking and its highest-ranked individual wrestler leading the charge, Quincy enters the 2026–27 season looking to continue building on the momentum established during its first four years of competition.
For a full breakdown of the Hawks' 2026–27 roster, click here.
The Hawks will officially open their 2026–27 season on Sunday, November 1, when they travel to Indianola, Iowa, to compete in the Luther Hill Open.
