Wrestling | 10/28/2016 6:42:00 PM

NEWBERRY, SC— San Francisco State's Sam Alnassiri is ranked 5^th in the 2016-17 d2wrestle.com NCAA Division II National Wrestling Preseason Rankings that were released this afternoon.  Earlier this week, Alnassiri was ranked first in the d2wresstle.com NCAA Division II Super Region IV Preseason Rankings.

Alnassiri went 25-12 in his junior season while qualifying for the 2015-16 NCAA Division II National Championships in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The Sacramento native placed third at the 2015-16 NCAA Division II Super Region IV Championships in Gunnison, Colo., and also placed third at the 2015-16 RMAC Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The senior grappler recorded 10 wins by fall last season and also had five victories by major decision.  He placed first at the Menlo Invitational and was fifth at the Roadrunner Open.  Alnassiri was the Team Most Valuable Wrestler. 

St. Cloud State's Austin Goergen is ranked as the number one wrestler in the nation at 285.  Ranked second is Maryville's Donnell Walker followed by Mercyhurst's Andy Welton and Tiffin's Garrett Gray.  Goergen placed third at last year's Nationals while Walker was 6^th and Welton was 7^th.  Rounding out the top ten at 285 in the nation is the Gators' Sam Alnassiri followed by Ryan Appleby (Kutztown), Dylan Faulkenberg (Indianapolis), DJ Sims (Pitt-Johnstown), Luke Fleming (Findlay) and Kyle Factor (Central Oklahoma).

In the team rankings St. Cloud State (who won the Nationals last year) is ranked number one followed by Maryville, Pitt-Johnstown, Mercyhurst and Upper Iowa.  Rounding out the top ten is Nebraska-Kearney, Notre Dame, Indianapolis, McKendree and Tiffin. 

San Francisco State will begin its 2016-17 next Thursday, November 3 as the Gators take on two NCAA Division I opponents in San Luis Obispo.  They will face Cal Poly at 1pm and Indiana University at 5pm.  The Gators will host their 41^st Annual Purple/Gold Alumni Scrimmage on November 5 beginning at 11am at The Swamp at the Don Nasser Family Plaza.  San Francisco State will conclude its opening week hosting the 49^th Annual SFSU/CC Open on Sunday, November 6 beginning at 9am. 
 
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