NWCA National NCAA Division II Preseason Rankings

MANHEIM, Pa.- A first-time #1, the Lander Bearcats, will open the 2023-24 season atop the preseason edition of the NWCA Division II Coaches Poll, released Oct. 30 by the Association.

The Bearcats, who finished runner-up at the 2023 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, top the poll with 82 total points and a poll-high eight ranked wrestlers. West Liberty sits at #2 in the preseason poll, with 69 points behind five ranked wrestlers. Defending National Champion Central Oklahoma is in the three-spot with 63 points, with St. Cloud State (56 points) in fourth with its six ranked wrestlers and McKendree and Upper Iowa tied for the five-spot with 48 points each.

Six of the preseason top-ranked individuals are returning National Champions from a season ago, highlighted by two-time National Champion Dalton Abney of Central Oklahoma at 197. At 133, Gavin Quiocho of Glenville State is back after his title a season ago, as is Tiffin’s Zack Donathan at 141. Nick Novak of St. Cloud State is back and sits at #1 at 157, Chase Luensman of Upper Iowa tops the ranking at 165 and West Liberty’s Ty McGeary comes back to defend his title at 184. Another of the top-ranked wrestlers, Jaxson Rohman of Augustana, comes sits atop the 125 ranking after finishing as National Runner-up at the weight a season ago.

At 149, Wyatt Tunrquist of Northern State is a first-time #1, finishing third last season. Turnquist was ranked as high as seventh last year. James Penfold of Lake Erie tops the 174 ranking for the first time ever after taking fourth a season ago, while Indianapolis’ Cale Gray is #1 at 285 for the first time in his career after taking fourth last season. Penfold topped out at #4 in the rankings a season ago, while Gray was as high as seventh in the rankings last season.

Two weight classes feature nine returning All-Americans among their ranked wrestlers, with 149 and 165 both having nine guys who have been on the podium. Both 141 and 197 feature eight returning All-Americans, while 133 and 184 have seven returning AAs in their top 12 ranked individuals.

Super Region 5 leads the way with 31 ranked wrestlers and seven teams ranked in the Top 25. Super Region 3 has the most #1s, with four among its 23 ranked wrestlers and five Top 25 teams. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) leads all conferences with 26 ranked wrestlers and six ranked teams.

The season kicks off officially Wednesday, Nov. 1, with various teams around NCAA DII in action. Sixty-six teams will compete under the NCAA DII banner this season, including four programs taking the mat for the first time in Frostburg State, Grand Valley State, Montevallo, and Sioux Falls. The top three at each weight class from each of the six regions will descend upon Wichita, Kansas, for the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships March 15-16.

125

1. Jaxson Rohman Augustana
2. James Joplin Lander
3. Christian Mejia Mckendree
4. Shane Corrigan Uw-Parkside
5. Studd Morris Central Oklahoma
6. Zach Shupp Newberry
7. Trevon Gray Pitt-Johnstown
8. Jose Diaz Gannon
9. Graham Shore Findlay
10. Brady Carter East Stroudsburg
11. Logan Seliga Unc-Pembroke
12. Manuel Leija Davenport

133

1. Gavin Quiocho Glenville State
2. Quen Campbell Chadron State
3. Devin Flannery Millersville
4. Vincent Scollo West Liberty
5. Reece Barnhardt Mary
6. Elijah Lusk Lander
7. Patrick Allis Western Colorado
8. Tommy Frezza Central Missouri
9. Caleb Meekins St. Cloud State
10. Ryan Wehner Lake Erie
11. Logan Robinson Unc-Pembroke
12. James Davis Upper Iowa

141

1. Zack Donathan Tiffin
2. John Carayiannis Belmont Abbey
3. Jake Niffeneger Mercyhurst
4. Tate Murty Upper Iowa
5. Dylan Lucas Central Oklahoma
6. Corey Gamet Lake Erie
7. Nick James Nebraska-Kearney
8. Cayden Henschel Uw-Parkside
9. Hunter Burnett Augustana
10. Grayston Diblasi Colorado Mines
11. Ray Rioux Indianapolis
12. Alyeus Craig St. Cloud State

149

1. Wyatt Turnquist Northern State
2. Jalen Spuhler Uw-Parkside
3. Jacob Ealy Pitt-Johnstown
4. Zeth Brower Lander
5. Christian Small Lake Erie
6. Devan Moore Newberry
7. Colby Njos St. Cloud State
8. Josh Laubach Mckendree
9. Chris Donathan Grand Valley State
10. Dallas Wilson Mount Olive
11. Craig Cook Millersville
12. John Burger Nebraska-Kearney

157

1. Nick Novak St. Cloud State
2. Gabe Johnson Central Oklahoma
3. Casey Barnett Tiffin
4. Jamar Williams West Liberty
5. Max Kiel Belmont Abbey
6. Gage Bernall Lander
7. Devin Bahr Northern State
8. Eric Faught Upper Iowa
9. Jack Haskin Lake Erie
10. Pj Wunderlich Newberry
11. Ben Durocher Uw-Parkside
12. Jake Nicolosi Mount Olive

165

1. Chase Luensman Upper Iowa
2. David Hunsberger Lander
3. Alec Cook West Liberty
4. Anthony Hererra St. Cloud State
5. Cory Peterson Mckendree
6. Dillon Walker Mercyhurst
7. Trent Mahoney King
8. John Ridle Central Missouri
9. Braydon Huber Mary
10. Aaden Valdez Adams State
11. Dalton Gimbor Kutztown
12. Guy Deleonardis Glenville State

174

1. James Penfold Lake Erie
2. Max Bruss Mary
3. Cole Hernandez Western Colorado
4. Nate Barrett Ashland
5. Zeke Waltz Mckendree
6. Owen Butler Indianapolis
7. Calan Staub Mount Olive
8. Cole Casilio Gannon
9. Jack Mackiernan American International
10. Trent Munoz Nebraska-Kearney
11. Connor Twigg Tiffin
12. Brandon Matthews Lander

184

1. Ty Mcgeary West Liberty
2. Daniel Beemer Ashland
3. Matt Weinberg Kutztown
4. Billy Higgins Nebraska-Kearney
5. Reece Worachek Uw-Parkside
6. Colter Bye Upper Iowa
7. Anthony Desvigne Central Oklahoma
8. Keegan Gehlhausen Chadron State
9. Cade Mueller Augustana
10. Anthony Giampietro Millersville
11. Zebrandon Gant Newberry
12. Treyton Cacek Northern State

197

1. Dalton Abney Central Oklahoma
2. Derek Blubaugh Indianapolis
3. Tereus Henry Fort Hays State
4. Dominic Murphy St. Cloud State
5. Matt Kaylor Mary
6. Logan Kvien Mckendree
7. Cole Huss Northern State
8. Caden Steffen Southwest Minn. State
9. Dakoda Rodgers Pitt-Johnstown
10. Anthony Yacovetti Lander
11. Jacob Noon Tiffin
12. Brylan Clouse Lake Erie

285

1. Cale Gray Indianapolis
2. Juan Edmond-Holmes Lander
3. Jake Swirple Minot State
4. Francesco Borsellino West Liberty
5. Mason Watt Chadron State
6. La’ron Parks Notre Dame
7. Isaiah Vance Pitt-Johnstown
8. Luke Tweeton Mary
9. Devon Rice Newberry
10. Crew Howard Nebraska-Kearney
11. Taniela Feliciano-Takaf Simon Fraser
12. Clay Ours Tiffin