Grand View is No. 1 in NAIA Coaches Poll for the 35th straight time

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the 40th time since the start of the 2000-01 season, Grand View (Iowa) locks down the No. 1 ranking in the NAIA Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll, the national office announced Wednesday. The Vikings claimed 208 points in the third regular-season installment. The fourth edition is scheduled for release on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 2000-01)

• Grand View boasts the No. 1 ranking for the 40th time in program history, which is the most for any institution since the start of the 2000-01 season. Additionally, the Vikings, who are gunning for a sixth-straight national title, have held the mark in 35-straight editions.

• The last time Grand View was not ranked No. 1 was on Oct. 17, 2012.

• Once again, Grand View boasts 12 ranked grapplers – all of which rank among the top six in their respective weight class.

• Six of the 10 weight classes are led by individuals from Grand View – Da’Wayne Robertson (125 pounds), Jacob Colon (133 pounds), Grand Henderson (165 pounds), Lawton Benna (174 pounds), Michael Pixley (184 pounds) and Dean Broghammer (285 pounds).

• Robertson is 10-4 on the year, including a 5-2 decision against then-No. 1 Troy Lakin of Menlo (Calif.) on Dec. 19. He also knocked off then-No. 8 Joshua Johnson of Warner Pacific (Ore.), 6-4, on the same day. Similar to Robertson, Henderson – the national runner-up last season – jumps into the No. 1 ranking after upsetting the previous top-ranked individual. The 165-pounder downed then-No. 1 Blake Cooper of Warner Pacific, 6-4.

• Colon and Pixley are both defending national champions. Colon is 14-2 on the year with his only losses coming to NCAA Division I grapplers, while Pixley is 10-1 with his only loss being an injury default in the first-place match at the Luther Hill Invitational on Dec. 10.

• All other top-ranked individuals held strong for at least a second-straight installment – Tyler Fraley of Williams Baptist (Ark.) (141 pounds), Victor Hughes of Baker (Kan.) (149 pounds), Cam Tessari of Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (157 pounds), Benna (174 pounds), Dalton Bailey of Life (Ga.) (197 pounds) and Broghammer (285 pounds).

• The next six teams remain unchanged from the Dec. 7 edition with No. 2 Indiana Tech (74.5), No. 3 Williams Baptist (68.5), No. 4 Menlo (63.5), No. 5 Montana State-Northern (63 points), No. 6 Oklahoma City (60.5) and No. 7 Southern Oregon (55.5) making up the group.

• Indiana Tech, which is in the second position for a fourth-straight poll, boasts nine ranked individuals. Mitch Pawlak at 133 pounds and 165 pounder John Weldon headline the group. Pawlak, who is No. 2 at 133 pounds, is 7-3 on the season and has won five-straight matches since falling to Ian Parker of NCAA Division I Iowa State in the consolation semifinals of the Michigan State Open. Weldon, who is No. 3 at 165 pounds, is 8-2 on the season.

• No. 9 Midland (Neb.) and No. 20 York (Neb.) are the two newcomers to the Top 20. The Warriors have six ranked grapplers, highlighted by No. 2 Hugo Perez at 125 pounds. The Panthers have three individuals ranked, including No. 5 Oscar Marin at 125 pounds.

• Since 2001, only Grand View (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16), former members Notre Dame (Ohio) (2010-11) and Lindenwood (Mo.) (2006-07) have spent the entire season ranked No. 1.

Rank	Previous Rank	School	Total Team Points
1	1	Grand View (Iowa)	208
2	2	Indiana Tech	74.5
3	3	Williams Baptist (Ark.)	68.5
4	4	Menlo (Calif.)	63.5
5	5	Montana State-Northern	63
6	6	Oklahoma City	60.5
7	7	Southern Oregon	55.5
8	9	Missouri Valley	48.5
T9	16	Great Falls (Mont.)	48
T9	RV	Midland (Neb.)	48
T11	13	Concordia (Neb.)	43.5
T11	11	Wayland Baptist (Texas)	43.5
13	8	Campbellsville (Ky.)	42.5
14	12	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	40.5
15	15	Cumberlands (Ky.)	40
16	10	Life (Ga.)	36.5
17	18	Cumberland (Tenn.)	29
18	17	Morningside (Iowa)	27.5
19	19	Southeastern (Fla.)	23
20	RV	York (Neb.)	22.5