Nebraska-Omaha maintains No. 1 spot entering NCAA Division II Championships

EDMOND, Okla. - Nebraska-Omaha will be the favorite in next week's NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships after the Mavericks maintained their No. 1 position in the final rankings, according to the poll that was released Tuesday by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association.

UNO, which qualified all 10 individuals in running away with last weekend's Super Regional Two title, earned all eight first-place votes in balloting of coaches from around the country to finish with 160 points and remain No. 1. The Mavericks topped the poll in all seven rankings this season and will be looking for their fifth Division II national title.

Minnesota State-Mankato moved from third to second with 150 points after also advancing its entire 10-man team to the national tournament in winning the Super Regional Three crown. Super Regional One champion Newberry (S.C.), which has eight qualifiers, dropped to third with 146 points.

Super Regional Four winner Western State (Colo.) was fourth in the voting with 140 points and has seven national qualifiers. Defending champion Nebraska-Kearney came in fifth, followed by Central Oklahoma, Adams State (Colo.), Pittsburgh-Johnston (Pa.), Wisconsin-Parkside and St. Cloud State (Minn.)

The NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships will be held March 13-14 in Houston, Texas as part of the Division II Winter Sports Festival.

The top 20 poll, with points and the teams' last ranking following by the top-eight rankings at each weight:

Rank School (State) Points Last Ranking
1. Nebraska-Omaha 160 1st
2. Minnesota State-Mankato 150 3rd
3. Newberry (S.C.) 146 2nd
4. Western State (Colo.) 140 4th
5. Nebraska-Kearney 117 5th
6. Central Oklahoma 116 7th
7. Adams State (Colo.) 115 12th
8. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 113 6th
9. Wisconsin-Parkside 86 8th
10. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 82 10th
11. Upper Iowa 75 9th
12. Central Missouri 57 16th
13. Augustana (S.D.) 55 13th
14. West Liberty State (W.Va.) 47 NR
15. Chadron State (Neb.) 39 15th
T16. San Francisco State (Calif.) 34 NR
T16. Ashland (Ohio) 34 20th
18. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 32 14th
19. Findlay (Ohio) 31 18th
20. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 24 11th
Others receiving votes: Gannon (Pa.), Kutztown (Pa.), Minnesota State-Moorhead, Shippensburg (Pa.).

125 Pounds
1. Curtis Schurkamp, San Francisco State (Calif.)
2. Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.)
3. Matt Oliver, Newberry (S.C.)
4. Tim Elliott, Central Oklahoma
5. Cody Zimmerman, Wisconsin-Parkside
6. Andy Forstner, Minnesota State-Mankato
7. Tommy Edgmon, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
8. Devlon Webb, Chadron State (Neb.)

133 Pounds
1. Cody Garcia, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
3. Joe Kemmerer, Kutztown (Pa.)
4. Trevor Franklin, Upper Iowa
5. Andrew Young, Newberry (S.C.)
6. Grant Baker, Central Missouri
7. Naveed Bagheri, San Francisco State (Calif.)
8. Marques Bravo, Western State (Colo.)

141 Pounds
1. Raymond Dunning, Adams State (Colo.)
2. Mario Morgan, Nebraska-Omaha
3. Doug Surra, West Liberty State (W.Va.)
4. Matt Irwin, Indianapolis (Ind.)
5. Jimmy Savala, Chadron State (Neb.)
6. Gabe Suarez, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
7. John Putman, Minnesota State-Mankato
8. Ben Lockett, San Francisco State (Calif.)

149 Pounds
1. Craig Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside
2. Tommy Abbott, Minnesota State-Mankato
3. Esai Dominguez, Nebraska-Omaha
4. Chris Freije, Western State (Colo.)
5. Ryan Etherton, Nebraska-Kearney
6. Kevin McElhaney, Gannon (Pa.)
7. Latra Collick, Newberry (S.C.)
8. Jacob Roberts, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

157 Pounds
1. Todd Meneely, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Noomis Jones, Adams State (Colo.)
3. Danny Grater, Fort Hay State (Kan.)
4. Chase Walker, Mesa State (Colo.)
5. Travis Elg, Minnesota State-Mankato
6. Andy Lamancusa, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
7. Mike Rogers, Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
8. Travis Eggers, Upper Iowa

165 Pounds
1. Josh Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
2. Corey VanGroll, Wisconsin-Parkside
3. Taylor May, Nebraska-Kearney
4. Justin Shannon, Findlay (Ohio)
5. Aaron Denson, Nebraska-Omaha
6. Tyler Tubbs, Minnesota State-Moorhead
7. Tim Matheson, Minnesota State-Mankato
8. Tad Merritt, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

174 Pounds
1. Ross Taplin, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Tommy McCarty, Central Oklahoma
3. Marty Usman, Nebraska-Kearney
4. Brett Hunter, Chadron State (Neb.)
5. Jesse Feinsod, New Mexico Highlands
6. Justin Ferguson, Ashland (Ohio)
7. Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa
8. Chris Barrick, Shippensburg (Pa.)

184 Pounds
1. Brent Pankoke, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Brad Padgett, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
3. Lucas Haag, Wisconsin-Parkside
4. Nick Henning, Augustana (S.D.)
5. Kyle Sand, Adams State (Colo.)
6. Larry Wilbanks, Western State (Colo.)
7. Travis Barbarick, Central Missouri
8. Jacob Tazzi, Gannon (Pa.)

197 Pounds
1. Donavan McMahill, Western State (Colo.)
2. Josh Majerus, Chadron State (Neb.)
3. Josh Ohl, Ashland (Ohio)
4. Keeno Griffin, Newberry (S.C.)
5. Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha
6. Pat Mahan, Minnesota State-Mankato
7. Ty Copsey, Augustana (S.D.)
8. Matt Farrell, Nebraska-Kearney

285 Pounds
1. Cy Wainwright, Newberry (S.C.)
2. Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato
3. Dustin Finn, Central Oklahoma
4. Tony Lewis, Nebraska-Omaha
5. Travis Clark, Findlay (Ohio)
6. Cody Beck, Central Missouri
7. Frank McGrath, Gannon (Pa.)
8. Charlie Alexander, Western State (Colo.)