INDIANAPOLIS – The Maryville wrestling team placed seven wrestlers on the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) All-GLVC list, headlined by Jonovan Smith earning First Team honors. 

Smith, in a short time with the Saints, has been dominant at heavyweight, going 3-0 at the GLVC Championships with a major decision, a technical fall and a fall.

On the second team, the Saints saw two freshmen in Elijah Almarinez (125) and Nick Zamora (157) join senior Cole Ritter (174).

Almarinez has been an instant energy boost for the Saints, leading the team with 24 wins against just 10 losses. He has recorded five falls, four technical falls and four major decisions. Zamora holds an 18-9 record and went on a tear during GLVC action, posting a 3-0 mark at the conference tournament while winning the majority of his GLVC dual matches. Ritter has been a steady force at 174, sitting at 20-8 and matching the 3-0 GLVC tournament performance of his teammates.

Rounding out the third-team honorees were JP Homfeld (133), Mustafa Salimi (165) and Jeremiah Larson (197). Homfeld finished the regular season 18-10, while Salimi went 12-10. Larson concluded his senior campaign with an 18-10 mark, matching Homfeld.

Almarinez was also named the Saints' James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Honoree, recognized for his sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Honorees must be in good academic standing and demonstrate good citizenship outside of competition. He is now eligible to become one of Maryville's two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced at the end of the academic year.

The Saints are just days away from the NCAA Super Region IV tournament, where the top three finishers at each weight class earn a berth to the NCAA National Championships, held this year in Sioux Falls, S.D. The regional takes place Sunday, March 1, on the campus of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla.