Notre Dame reclaims No. 1 in new Div. II Coaches Poll

EDMOND, Okla. -- Defending national champion Notre Dame (Ohio) took over the top spot in the NCAA Division II wrestling poll released Friday by the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association.


The Falcons received five first-place votes and had 156 points to jump from sixth to first in overtaking Maryville (Mo.). The Saints, the No. 1 choice in the first two polls of the season, earned the remaining three first-place votes and finished with 153 points in balloting of eight head coaches from around the country.


Nebraska-Kearney dropped a spot to third with 144 points, five ahead of fourth-place Ouachita Baptist (Ark.). Mercyhurst (Pa.) earned 123 points for fifth, while McKendree (Ill.), St. Cloud State (Minn.), Western State (Colo.), Shorter (Ga.) and Lindenwood (Mo.) rounded out the top 10.


It’s the first-ever ranking for Shorter, a first-year program that earned 89 points in vaulting all the way to ninth after receiving votes in the last poll.


NDC has three top-ranked individuals in defending national champions Jon Rivera (157 pounds), Joey Davis (174) and Garrett Lineberger.


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

Rank /School (State)/Points/Last Ranking

1. Notre Dame (Ohio) 156 6th

2. Maryville (Mo.) 153 1st

3. Nebraska-Kearney 144 2nd

4. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 139 3rd

5. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 123 4th

6. McKendree (Ill.) 120 8th

7. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 199 5th

8. Western State (Colo.) 93 15th

9. Shorter (Ga.) 89 NR

10. Lindenwood (Mo.) 80 17th

11. Central Oklahoma 75 9th

12. Kutztown (Pa.) 71 11th

13. North Carolina-Pembroke 65 T13th

14. Newberry (S.C.) 54 10th

15. California Baptist 48 12th

16. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 43 T13th

17. Upper Iowa 41 19th

18. Tiffin (Ohio) 20 20th

19. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 19 NR

20. Colorado Mesa 14 18th


Others receiving votes: Adams State (Colo.), Ashland (Ohio), Augustana (S.D.), Central Missouri, Findlay (Ohio), Lake Erie (Ohio).

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS


125 Pounds

1. T.J. North, Augustana (S.D.)

2. Matt Turek, Gannon (Pa.)

3. Gerald Huff, Adams State (Colo.)

4. Garrett Evans, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)

5. Marco Tamayo, Lindenwood (Mo.)

6. Willie Bohince, Mercyhurst (Pa.)

7. Patrick Mestrez, Belmont-Abbey (N.C.)

8. Josh Kieffer, Indianapolis (Ind.)

133 Pounds

1. Daniel DeShazer, Nebraska-Kearney

2. Michael Labry, Ashland (Ohio)

3. Nate Rodriguez, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)

4. Zak Hale, Anderson (S.C.)

5. Matt Paulus, Upper Iowa

6. Zach Shank, Western State (Colo.)

7. Ryan Bohince, Mercyhurst (Pa.)

8. Collin Crume, Indianapolis (Ind.)

141 Pounds

1. Josh Myers, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)

2. Kyle Webb, Lindenwood (Mo.)

3. Daniel Ownbey, North Carolina-Pembroke

4. Maurice Miller, Notre Dame (Ohio)

5. Alex Anunciation, California Baptist

6. Sam Hanau, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)

7. Mike Screptock, Tiffin (Ohio)

8. Tim Urenda, Colorado State-Pueblo

149 Pounds

1. Keenan Hagerty, Maryville (Mo.)

2. Frank Cagnina, Central Missouri

3. Terrel Wilbourn, Lindenwood (Mo.)

4. Nick Goebel, Findlay (Ohio)

5. Jeremy Landowski, Mercyhurst (Pa.)

6. Andrew Bannister, Notre Dame (Ohio)

7. Destin McCauley, Nebraska-Kearney

8. Josh Howk, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

157 Pounds

1. Jon Rivera, Notre Dame (Ohio)

2. Clint Poster, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

3. James Martinez, Colorado Mesa

4. Chase White, Nebraska Kearney

5. Francis Mizia, Mercyhurst (Pa.)

6. Joey White, Findlay (Ohio)

7. Greg Hegerty, Maryville (Mo.)

8. Jordan Rinken, Upper Iowa

165 Pounds

1. Chris Watson, Central Oklahoma

2. Nick Haferkamp, McKendree (Ill.)

3. Dimitri Willis, Maryville (Mo.)

4. Cody Quinn, Minnesota State-Mankato

5. Gabe Fogarty, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

6. Angelo Bortoluzzi, Mercyhurst (Pa.)

7. Tyler Reinhart, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)

8. Bo Candelaria, Kutztown (Pa.)

174 Pounds

1. Joey Davis, Notre Dame (Ohio)

2. Elliot Copeland, Western State (Colo.)

3. Zeb Wahle, Maryville (Mo.)

4. Jacob Begin, Southwest Minnesota

5. August Mizia, Mercyhurst (Pa.)

6. Josh Rodriguez, Fort Hays State (Kan.)

7. Terrence Zaleski, North Carolina-Pembroke

8. Clayton Jennissen, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

184 Pounds

1. Garrett Lineberger, Notre Dame (Ohio)

2. Dallas Smith, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)

3. Nick Brughardt, Maryville (Mo.)

4. Terrence Smith, Shorter (Ga.)

5. Kyle Piatt, Western State (Colo.)

6. Jared Holliday, Newberry (S.C.)

7. Jon Inman, Fort Hays State (Kan.)

8. Jon Vogt, McKendree (Ill.)

197 Pounds

1. Romero Cotton, Nebraska-Kearney

2. Kenny Breaux, Lindenwood (Mo.)

3. Julian Smith, McKendree (Ill.)

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

5. Sam Mangum, Western State (Colo.)

6. Andrew Reggi, San Francisco State (Calif.)

7. Jalal Paige, Shippensburg (Pa.)

8. Jake Cramer, Tiffin (Ohio)

285 Pounds

1. Ziad Haddad, Kutztown (Pa.)

2. Garrett Gray, Tiffin (Ohio)

3. Donnell Walker, Maryville (Mo.)

4. Austin Goergen, St. Cloud State (Minn.)

5. Cole Wilson, Southwest Minnesota

6. Trey Page, Fort Hays State (Kan.)

7. Logan Hopp, Upper Iowa

8. Andy Welton, Mercyhurst (Pa.)