Nov. 21, 2012 NAIA Rankings

By Alan Grosbach, Manager of Communications and Sports Information
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Grand View (Iowa) took over at No. 1 in the first regular-season edition of the NAIA Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 poll, the national office announced Wednesday. The Vikings, who claim their sixth top billing in the last seven polls, had 10 individuals land among the top 16 of their respective weight class to tally 137 points. Chad Lowman at 157 pounds, Derek Nightser at 197 pounds and heavyweight Eric Thompson headline the group as Grand View’s No. 1 ranked individuals.

Click here for individual weight classes

Preseason top-ranked Southern Oregon rests at No. 2 with 99.5 points. The Raiders boast eight ranked wrestlers, including a trio of top-ranked individuals in 125-pounder Mitchell Lofstedt, Jimmy Eggemeyer at 149 pounds and 174-pounder Brock Gutches.

Campbellsville (Ky.) checked in at third with 87.5 points thanks to nine listed wrestlers, while No. 4 Missouri Valley and No. 5 Morningside (Iowa) round out the top five with 85.5 and 73.5 points, respectively. Missouri Valley boasts 10 ranked wrestlers and Morningside has nine individuals ranked, including Brian Block at 184 pounds.

No. 6 Great Falls (Mont.), No. 7 Montana State-Northern and No. 15 Indiana Tech all boast one top-ranked individual wrestler.

No. 19 Bacone (Okla.), who is landing its first Top 20 ranking since Oct. 2007, is the lone newcomer to the poll.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the Qualifying Groups.

For a complete look at the 2012-13 NAIA Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll calendar, click here. The next regular-season poll will be announced on Dec. 5.

2012-13 NAIA Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll – No. 1 (Nov. 21)
Rank Prvs. School Total Team Points
1 3 Grand View (Iowa) 137
2 1 Southern Oregon 99.5
3 3 Campbellsville (Ky.) 87.5
4 16 Missouri Valley 85.5
5 9 Morningside (Iowa) 73.5
6 9 Great Falls (Mont.) 71.5
7 10 Montana State-Northern 66.5
8 7 Cumberlands (Ky.) 63.5
9 10 Dickinson State (N.D.) 58
10 9 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 51
11 6 Baker (Kan.) 50.5
12 14 Menlo (Calif.) 50
13 10 Missouri Baptist 47
14 20 Cumberland (Tenn.) 45
15 10 Indiana Tech 44
16 14 Oklahoma City 37
17 20 York (Neb.) 32.5
18 10 Midland (Neb.) 32
19 NR Bacone (Okla.) 29
20 16 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 25.5
Others receiving votes: Wayland Baptist (Texas) 18; Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 16.5; Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) 10; William Penn (Iowa) 8; Concordia (Neb.) 6.5; Jamestown (N.D.) 6; Simpson (Calif.) 4; Northwestern (Iowa) 4; Bethany (Kan.) 2.5; Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 2.5; Truett-McConnell (Ga.) 2; Waldorf (Iowa) 1.5.