St. Cloud State takes over Jan. 16 Div. II Rankings

EDMOND, Okla. — St. Cloud State (Minn.) took over as the new No. 1 team in NCAA Division II wrestling, topping the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll that was released Wednesday.

The Huskies captured the NWCA Division II National Duals title for the second consecutive year last weekend in Springfield, Ill. and received all eight first-place votes in balloting of head coaches from around the country to vault from fourth to first in the rankings.

Several teams make big jumps in the poll, with Division II newcomer Notre Dame (Ohio) going from seventh to second with 152 points after a runner-up finish to St. Cloud.  Seven-time Division II champion Central Oklahoma is third, followed by Newberry (S.C.) and Wisconsin-Parkside, with the Rangers going from 17th to fifth with last weekend’s fourth-place showing.

Rounding out the top 10 is Upper Iowa, Kutztown (Pa.), Findlay (Ohio), West Liberty (W.Va.) and Colorado Mesa.  Kutztown moved from 20th to seventh with its seventh-place finish in the National Duals.

Defending national champion Nebraska-Kearney was No. 1 in the first three polls, but tumbled to a tie for 13th after going 1-2 in Springfield.

The top 20 poll, with points and each team’s last ranking following by the individual rankings at each weight:

1. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 160 4th

2. Notre Dame (Ohio) 152 7th

3. Central Oklahoma 143.5 3rd

4. Newberry (S.C.) 133.5 2nd

5. Wisconsin-Parkside 127 17th

6. Upper Iowa 124 5th

7. Kutztown (Pa.) 109 20th

8. Findlay (Ohio) 104 8th

9. West Liberty (W.Va.) 83 T10th

10. Colorado Mesa 77 14th

11. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 75 12th

12. Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 64 6th

T13. Nebraska-Kearney 61 1st

T13. Minnesota State-Mankato 61 9th

15. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 41 19th

16. Ashland (Ohio) 34 18th

17. Adams State (Colo.) 31 16th

18. Indianapolis (Ind.) 26 NR

19. Augustana (S.D.) 22 13th

T20. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 15 T10th

T20. North Carolina-Pembroke 15 NR

Others receiving votes:  Indianapolis (Ind.), Lake Erie (Ohio), Mercyhurst (Pa.), North Carolina-Pembroke, Shippensburg (Pa.), Tiffin (Ohio).

Individual Rankings

125 Pounds

1. Jesse Hillhouse, Colorado State-Pueblo

2. Kyle McCrite, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

3. Alex Johns, Indianapolis (Ind.)

4. Jeff Vesta, Newberry (S.C.)

5. Ben Sergent, Findlay (Ohio)

6. David Demo, Minnesota State-Mankato

7. Eric Forde, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

8. Max Byrd, Ashland (Ohio)

133 Pounds

1. Andy Pokorny, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

2. Trevor Franklin, Upper Iowa

3. Casy Rowell, Central Oklahoma

4. Michael Labry, Ashland (Ohio)

5. Justin Reinsma, Southwest Minnesota

6. Daniel DeShazer, Nebraska-Kearney

7. Jose Matos, Gannon (Pa.)

8. Dave Fogle, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)

141 Pounds

1. Daniel Ownbey, North Carolina-Pembroke

2. Trevor Johnson, Mary (N.D.)

3. Naveed Bagheri, San Francisco State (Calif.)

4. C.J. Napier, Fort Hays State (Kan.)

5. B.J. Young, Newberry (S.C.)

6. Josh Myers, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)

7. Ryan Fillingame, Adams State (Colo.)

8. Maurice Miller, Notre Dame (Ohio)

149 Pounds

1. Raufeon Stots, Nebraska-Kearney

2. Jordan Basks, Central Oklahoma

3. Bobby Ward, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

4. John Rivera, Notre Dame (Ohio)

5. Nate Herda, Augustana (S.D.)

6. Cameryn Brady, Indianapolis (Ind.)

7. Keenan Hagerty, Maryville (Mo.)

8. Deral Brown, Newberry (S.C.)

157 Pounds

1. Dillon Bera, Wisconsin-Parkside

2. Jon Gappmaier, Colorado Mesa

3. Bobby Williams, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)

4. Taylor Knapp, Newberry (S.C.)

5. Zach Vargo, Lake Erie (Ohio)

6. Braden Turner, East Stroudsburg State (Pa.)

7. Jeffery Pelton, Notre Dame (Ohio)

8. Clinton Poster, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

165 Pounds

1. Joey Davis, Notre Dame (Ohio)

2. Matt Vandermeer, Lake Erie (Ohio)

3. Cody Quinn, Minnesota State-Mankato

4. Wade Gobin, Upper Iowa

5. Blake Ridenour, Newberry (S.C.)

6. Chris Watson, Central Oklahoma

7. Isaiah Jimenez, San Francisco State (Calif.)

8. Dylan Granard, Colorado Mesa

174 Pounds

1. Mike Williams, North Carolina-Pembroke

2. Elliot Copeland, Western State (Colo.)

3. Eric Burgey, Notre Dame (Ohio)

4. Kelly Henderson, Central Oklahoma

5. Jake Cramer, Tiffin (Ohio)

6. Brendon Eichmann, Minnesota State-Mankato

7. Reece Wright-Conklin, Newman (Kan.)

8. Blake Sorenson, Upper Iowa

184 Pounds

1. Adam Walters, Findlay (Ohio)

2. Shamus O’Grady, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

3. Dallas Smith, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)

4. Tanner Keck, Central Oklahoma

5. Aaron Norgren, Minnesota State-Mankato

6. Mitch Schultz, Upper Iowa

7. Matt Gille, Wisconsin-Parkside

8. Travis McKillop, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)

197 Pounds

1. Carl Broghammer, Upper Iowa

2. Matt Baker, Maryville (Mo.)

3. Joe Brandt, Ashland (Ohio)

4. Tanner Kriss, Fort Hays State (Kan.)

5. Tyson Searer, East Stroudsburg (Pa.)

6. Jayd Docken, Augustana (S.D.)

7. Davion Willis, Wisconsin-Parkside

8. Vinny Campanile, Kutztown (Pa.)

285 Pounds

1. Matt Meuleners, Northern State (S.D.)

2. Jake Kahnke, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

3. Tyrell Fortune, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

4. James Malechek, Wisconsin-Parkside

5. Orlando Scales, Notre Dame (Ohio)

6. Ziad Haddad, Kutztown (Pa.)

7. Andrew Tumlin, Findlay (Ohio)

8. Cody Dauphin, Central Oklahoma