Nebraska-Omaha picked to ‘three-peat’ in Division II

EDMOND, Okla. — Two-time defending national champion Nebraska-Omaha is the overwhelming favorite to capture a third straight crown in 2011 after the Mavericks were the unanimous first-place pick in the preseason NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll that was released Thursday.

UNO received all eight first-place votes in balloting of coaches from around the country to finish with 160 points in the rankings.  The Mavericks topped every poll the past two seasons en route to winning back-to-back titles and will be heavily stocked again this year.

Nebraska-Omaha heavyweight Elijah Madison

St. Cloud State (Minn.), which finished seventh in the national tournament last year, earned the No. 2 rating after collecting seven second-place votes and finishing with 150 points.  Augustana (S.D.), last year’s national runner-up, is third with 144 points, followed by Nebraska-Kearney and Newberry (S.C.).

Rounding out the top 10 is Western State (Colo.), Minnesota State, Findlay (Ohio), Wisconsin-Parkside and Upper Iowa.

The top 20 poll, with points and the teams’ national tournament finish last year following by the top-eight rankings at each weight:

Rank        School (State)    Points    Last Year’s Finish

• 1.    Nebraska-Omaha     160    1st
• 2.    St. Cloud State (Minn.)     150    7th
• 3.    Augustana (S.D.)     144    2nd
• 4.    Nebraska-Kearney     136    T-3rd
• 5.    Newberry (S.C.)    121    T-8th
• 6.    Western State (Colo.)     111    10th
• 7.    Minnesota State     108    6th
• 8.    Findlay (Ohio)     88    31st
• 9.    Wisconsin-Parkside     83    5th
• 10.    Upper Iowa     82    T-3rd
• 11.    Central Oklahoma     81    15th
• T12.    Grand Canyon (Ariz.)     76    19th
• T12.    West Liberty (W. Va.)    76    20th
• 14.    Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)     71    11th
• 15.    Kutztown (Pa.)    44    16th
• 16.    San Francisco State (Calif.)     39    25th
• 17.    Ashland (Ohio)    28    36th
• 18.    East Stroudsburg (Pa.)    25    24th
• 19.    Adams State (Colo.)     24    13th
• T20.    Limestone (S.C.)    9    21st
• T20.    Fort Hays State (Kan.)     9    12th

Others receiving votes: Colorado State-Pueblo, Mercyhurst (Pa.), Minnesota State-Moorhead

NCAA Division II
Individual Rankings
125 Pounds

• 1.    Andy Forstner, Minnesota State
• 2.    Kenny Trumbetta, Seton Hill (Pa.)
• 3.    Terrell McKinney, Nebraska-Omaha
• 4.    Russell Weakley, North Carolina-Pembroke
• 5.    Alex Meger, Augustana (S.D.)
• 6.    Trevor Franklin, Upper Iowa
• 7.    Cody Zimmerman, Wisconsin-Parkside
• 8.    Alex Johns, Indianapolis (Ind.)

133 Pounds

• 1.    Kyle Pedretti, Upper Iowa
• 2.    Michael Magaha, Limestone (S.C.)
• 3.    Todd Wilcox, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
• 4.    Blake Fisher, Newman (Kan.)
• 5.    Matt Oliver, Newberry (S.C.)
• 6.    Ryan Link, Pittsburgh-Johnstown
• 7.    Jan Ulinski, Findlay (Ohio)
• 8    Jesse Cruz, Western State (Colo.)

141 Pounds

• 1.    Jay Sherer, Augustana (S.D.)
• 2.    Mario Morgan, Nebraska-Omaha
• 3.    Josh Hensley, Adams State (Colo.)
• 4.    Gabe Suarez, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
• 5.    Adam Hluschak, East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
• 6.    Jimmy Savada, Chadron State (Neb.)
• 7.    Dallas Evans, Seton Hill (Pa.)
• 8.    Naveed Bagheri, San Francisco State (Calif.)

149 Pounds

• 1.    Esai Dominguez, Nebraska-Omaha
• 2.    T. J. Hepburn, Nebraska-Kearney
• 3.    Nate Herda, Augustana (S.D.)
• 4.    Derek Bomsted, Minnesota State-Moorhead
• 5.    Jeremy Espinoza, Findlay (Ohio)
• 6.    Mitch Arnold, Newman (Kan.)
• 7.    Dan Genetin, Ashland (Ohio)
• 8.    Brock Parker, East Stroudsburg (Pa.)

157 Pounds

• 1.    George Ivanov, Nebraska-Omaha
• 2.    Marcus Edgington, Augustana (S.D.)
• 3.    Dillon Bera, Wisconsin-Parkside
• 4.    Sean Byrnes, Newberry (S.C.)
• 5.    Michael Lybarger, Findlay (Ohio)
• 6.    John Sundgren, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
• 7.    Kyle Francis, Western State (Colo.)
• 8.    Bryce Givens, Indianapolis (Ind.)

165  pounds

• 1.            Josh Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
• 2.            Ryan Pankoke, Nebraska-Omaha
• 3.            Victor Carazo, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
• 4.            Tad Merritt, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
• 5.            Matt Gille, Wisconsin-Parkside
• 6.            Gavin Nelson, Augustana (S.D.)
• 7.            Mike Williams, North Carolina-Pembroke
• 8.            Justin Grant, Colorado State-Pueblo

174 Pounds

• 1.            Luke Rynish, Wisconsin-Parkside
• 2.            Anthony Petrella, Gannon (Pa.)
• 3.            Tim Darling, Kutztown (Pa.)
• 4.            Shamus O’Grady, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
• 5.            Ryan Becerra, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
• 6.            Brandon Kelley, Ashland (Ohio)
• 7.            Ben Becker, Minnesota State
• 8.            Skye Wells, Western State (Colo.)

184 Pounds

• 1.            Bryant Blanton, Newberry (S.C.)
• 2.            Charlie Pipher, Western State (Colo.)
• 3.            Aaron Norgren, Minnesota State
• 4.            Aaron Denson, Nebraska-Omaha
• 5.            Derek Skala, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
• 6.            Brady Anderson, Mary (N.D.)
• 7.            Zach Jimenez, San Francisco State (Calif.)
• 8.            Tanner Keck, Central Oklahoma

197 Pounds

• 1.            Donavan McMahill, Western State (Colo.)
• 2.            Ty Copsey, Augustana (S.D.)
• 3.            Mitch Knapp, West Liberty (W.Va.)
• 4.            Luke McPeek, Adams State (Colo.)
• 5.            Jarrett Edison, Central Oklahoma
• 6.            Austin Boehm, Nebraska-Omaha
• 7.            Shane Nolan, North Carolina-Pembroke
• 8.            Lucas Munkelwitz, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

Heavyweight

• 1.            Elijah Madison, Nebraska-Omaha
• 2.            Jacob Kahnke, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
• 3.            Charlie Alexander, Western State (Colo.)
• 4.            Chris Dempsey, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
• 5.            Matt Meuleners, Northern State (S.D.)
• 6.            Matt Clum, Findlay (Ohio)
• 7.            Patrick Carey, Colorado State-Pueblo
• 8.            Brian Rodas, Southwest Minnesota