Oct. 14, 2011

STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford wrestling team has been tabbed No. 14 in the InterMat preseason rankings to start the 2011-12 campaign. Senior Nick Amuchastegui and junior Ryan Mango begin the season ranked in the top-10 in their respective weight classes.

The Cardinal is coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history. Stanford finished a program-best 11th at the 2011 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia, Pa. The Cardinal sent four wrestlers to the tournament and produced three All-Americans for the first time in school history.

Amuchastegui, the NCAA runner-up at 174 pounds in 2011, enters his final season on The Farm as the top-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds. He posted a 31-4 overall record a year ago and became just the fourth Stanford wrestler to garner multiple All-America accolades.

Mango is ranked No. 7 at 133 pounds to start the season. The St. Louis, Mo., native went 26-7 overall last year and was one of four Cardinal wrestlers to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He finished sixth overall at 125 pounds to secure his first career All-America honors.

Stanford returns 12 letterwinners to the 2011-12 team and welcomes 10 newcomers to its roster. The incoming freshmen class was ranked No. 24 in the nation and the rookies combined to win 10 state titles in their prep careers.

Stanford opens the 2011-12 campaign at Northwestern on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Cardinal will also face North Central College and Northern Illinois during the opening weekend of the season. Stanford's home opener is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 13 as it takes on Pac-12 foe Cal State Bakersfield at 2 p.m. and Menlo College at 4 p.m.