NCAA releases Division I wrestling coaches’ panel and RPI rankings

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA released the second of four coaches’ panel rankings and the debut reveal of the ratings percentage index (RPI) for the 2018-19 wrestling season. The final rankings will be tools used as part of the selection process to determine qualifiers and seeding for the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on March 21-23 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, RPI and coaches’ rankings to earn allocation spots for their qualifying tournaments for the championships. The coaches’ rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches representing each qualifying tournament. The RPI is calculated based on results vs. Division I wrestlers and rankings only include wrestlers that have a minimum of 17 results vs. Division I opponents.

For coaches ranking purposes, they may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. To be eligible, wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents in the weight class and have wrestled within the last 30 days.

Among the top-ranked wrestlers by the coaches are six former national champions with Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell (141 pounds), Jason Nolf of Penn State (157), Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State (165), Mark Hall of Penn State (174), Myles Martin of Ohio State (184) and Bo Nickal of Penn State (197). Additional ranked former national champions include Spencer Lee of Iowa in second at 125 pounds, former Division II national champion Isaiah White of Nebraska in sixth at 165 and Arizona State’s Zahid Valencia in third at 174 pounds.

The top-ranked wrestlers at the remaining weight classes in the second coaches rankings are Sebastian Rivera of Northwestern (125 pounds), Stevan Micic of Michigan (133), Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers (149) and Gable Steveson of Minnesota at heavyweight. Ashnault is the only new top-ranked wrestler by the coaches since the last ranking because of his victory over previously top-ranked Matthew Kolodzik of Princeton, who is second at 149 pounds.

For a full list of the coaches rankings by weight class please click here. 

For the full RPI please click here.