By Michael Letendre

Manheim, Pa. – Just because COVID-19 cancelled the collegiate season for several NCAA programs, there’s still plenty going on behind the scenes.

And in terms of wrestling rankings, a local grappler continues to carry a presence on the national scene.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association has announced the first edition of the Division III Coaches Rankings on January 21, including the individual top-10 ranking and the team tournament top-15 poll, and Chris Trelli from Springfield College was featured in the latest rankings. 

Trelli, a former Bristol Central standout, appeared in the first national rankings of 2021 for the NCAA Division III program. 

Currently, he’s ranked ninth at the 141 pound weight class.

Trelli, in his junior year for the Pride, was recognized with NWCA All-America honors a season ago following his qualification for the 2020 NCAA Division III Championships.  

Entering this year, Trelli was moving up a class in weight and his abilities are well-respected in and around the Springfield program.

Last season at 133 pounds, Trelli had one heck of a year – going 23-4 overall while finishing third at the regionals.

And the 2021 rankings has multiple Pride wrestlers on the list from a squad that finished in fourth place at last seasons NCAA Division III Regional Championships.

“With 10 wrestlers ranked in each of the 10 weight classes, Springfield College was one of only 17 programs in the nation to have at least three wrestlers [including Trelli] in the national rankings, and one of only two from the Northeast region,” according to the Springfield website. 

As a sophomore in 2019-20, Trelli was named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association 2020 Division III All-America teams.

Springfield, one of the top NCAA III programs in the New England area, had three other student-athletes who were recognized along with Trelli.

The Bristol standout earned the honor after qualifying for the 2020 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.

Trelli picked up third team accolades. 

During that busy sophomore campaign, the Sports Biology major from Bristol – at the wrestle backs of the regionals – put together five consecutive victories after an opening-round loss, advancing to the national level event.

The pandemic cancelled the collegiate wrestling season for the Pride this year but Trelli and the Springfield program hope to bounce back when sports – and life in general for that matter – resumes a bit of normalcy in 2021-22.