LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College wrestling team has been predicted to finish second in the Centennial Conference preseason poll.

The Bears earned 40 total points and one first-place vote in a sampling of the league's head coaches, trailing only three-time defending champion Stevens, which collected the other seven first-place ballots.

Gettysburg was third with 34 points, followed by Merchant Marine (33), Washington & Lee (28), McDaniel (18), Johns Hopkins (15), and Muhlenberg (7).

Despite losing two-time All-American Derek Arnold, CC champion Alex Kramer, and conference medalist Matan Peleg to graduation, head coach Bill Racich figures to field another contender in the 2017-18 campaign.

Much of those high hopes start with senior Christopher Tan. Fresh off a spectacular season in which he became the Bears' first CC champion at 125 pounds since 2008 and placed fifth at the NCAA East Regional, Tan is poised to take his place as one of the nation's best in that class. A 2016 NCAA Championships participant, Tan was 23-5 overall a year ago.

Senior Cody Richmond, currently enjoying a standout year as a starting linebacker for the football team, put together a breakout performance a season ago, placing second in the 184-pound bracket at the CC championship and finishing fifth at regionals. Richmond, who was 13-5, will again be in the mix for gold, especially with the graduation of last year's champion.

Ursinus also returns several grapplers with big-match experience. Senior Jarret DiGiantomasso (13-8 at 165) and sophomore Alfred Corradetti (141) each advanced to the semifinals of their respective draws at the conference meet, while sophomore James Harkness (17-8 at 133) won a match at both the CC and regional championships.

Seniors Deon Edmund (184) and Garrett Maged (141); juniors Patrick Ammirati (133), Anthony Cutrufello (174), Zachary Dellicompagni (157), Zachary Goranson (165), William McGinley (197), and Zebulin Pfeiffer (197); and sophomores Thomas Boldosser (141) and Patrick O'Toole (141) all received significant match experience a year ago.

Combined with an auspicious cast of newcomers, and under the guidance of one of the NCAA's all-time winningest coaches, the formula is there for the Bears to challenge for their first Centennial Conference crown since 2014. The journey begins Saturday, November 4 at the Messiah Invitational.