Monk Ranked Fifth by Amateur Wrestling News; Knutson and LaValle in Top 20

Amateur Wrestling News has released its initial Division I Individual College Wrestling Rankings for the 2013-14 season, and three North Dakota State wrestlers are included. Senior Steven Monk is fifth at 165 pounds, junior Evan Knutson is 19th at heavyweight, and senior Justin LaValle is 20th at 141 pounds.

Monk, a Wausau, Wis., native, went 36-4 as a junior last season and came up one win shy of All-America honors for the second straight season. He enters the 2013-14 campaign with a 94-22 career record, including 36 wins by fall and a 37-5 mark in duals. Monk recorded five wins over opponents ranked in the top 11 last season.

Two of the wrestlers ranked ahead of Monk by AWN are opponents he defeated last season – No. 3 Michael Moreno of Iowa State and No. 4 Nick Sulzer of Virginia.

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Knutson returns for his junior season after placing second at the NCAA West Regional and making his first NCAA Championships appearance in 2013.

LaValle will use his final season of collegiate eligibility at NDSU after qualifying for the 2012 NCAA Championships at Old Dominion. He brings a career record of 62-38 to the Bison lineup.

Intermat released its preseason rankings last week, with Monk coming in at No. 3 at 165 and LaValle at No. 18 at 141 pounds.

Visit Amateur Wrestling News to view the rankings.