Hawks Matmen Ranked for the First Time in HFC History – David Herndon

In only its second season as a National Collegiate Wrestling Association team, the Henry Ford College Hawks have made a name for themselves on the national level.

Rankings released this week by TheOpenMat.com have the Hawks listed as the sixth best team in the nation, and second best in Michigan, behind the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

“This is huge for us, to be getting the recognition,” head coach Grant Mackenzie said. “The goal is to win a national championship; this is a move in the right direction.”

HFC also has two individual wrestlers ranked, Austin Koehler (125 lbs) and Jeff Henderson (235 lbs). Koehler has
a 5-1 record, including two falls against ranked opponents debuted at seventh in the nation.

“Austin has been on fire since he joined the team,” Mackenzie said. “His only loss is to a ranked kid from Michigan, and that was in overtime.”

Jeff Henderson (235) is also ranked seventh in his weight, up from 10th where he debuted two weeks ago. Henderson is 6-0, including a tournament championship in his first day as a Hawk.

Mackenzie also coaches the NCWA team at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Neither the team nor any individuals appeared in the latest ranking from The Open Mat, but in ranking released by the NCWA
itself, Jared Davidson (149) was ranked fifth. Rankings by the NCWA factor in team points scored.

For HFC, Koehler and Henderson both ranked 10th in the NCWA rankings. Heavyweights Darian Holmes (16) and Andrew Osbron (20) both were ranked in the top 20 in the nation as well.
Neither the Hawks nor the Wolverines compete again until February 1.