The Mountaineers' duo of defending Southern Conference champions, Kyle Blevins (Sapulpa, Okla./Sapulpa) and Austin Trotman (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor), were both ranked as high as 13th nationally in their respective weight classes.

Blevins finished the 2010-11 season as the No. 18 wrestler at 165 pounds after taking Tournament Outstanding Wrestler honors at the 2011 SoCon event and posting a 2-2 record in the NCAA Championship. Last year, he tied the program record with 38 wins in the season and won 15 of his final 16 regular-season bouts. Blevins has been honored by the SoCon as Wrestler of the Week in each of the last two seasons, and the senior was tabbed preseason all-conference by the league's coaches.

Trotman has won a SoCon crown in each of the last two seasons and could become the first Mountaineer to three-peat since Mark Fee (165) in 2001-03. A three-time NCAA Championship qualifier, Trotman looks to be the first wrestler in Appalachian history to qualify for the national event in four seasons. The 184-pounder is a two-time all-conference selection and was named SoCon Wrestler of the Year in 2010. Trotman stands 23 wins away from the ASU career-wins record and could surpass that mark this season.

Appalachian begins its 2011-12 campaign on Sunday at the Hokie Open in Salem, Va. The Mountaineers host their only home competition of the fall on Sunday, Nov. 13 as they host Anderson and Belmont Abbey at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, in Varsity Gym.

Kyle Blevins (165 pounds):
The Open Mat, 13th
WIN Magazine, 13th
WrestlingReport.com, 13th
Amateur Wrestling News, 15th
InterMat Wrestling, 15th
D1 College Wrestling, 16th

Austin Trotman (184 pounds):
WrestlingReport.com, 13th
InterMat Wrestling, 14th
WIN Magazine, 14th
The Open Mat, 15th
Amateur Wrestling News, 16th
D1 College Wrestling, 19th