Pitt-Johnstown ranked No. 1 in NWCA Div. II preseason rankings

Pitt-Johnstown sits on top of the recently released National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Div II preseason rankings.
UPJ finished No. 6 at the NCAA Tournament last season. In the offseason they picked up two National champion transfers form the now defunct Wheeling Jesuit program, who finished as the No. 2 team in the country in 2019. No. 1 at 133 pounds Tyler Warner and No. 3 at 184 Connor Craig should make an immediate impact for the Mountain Cats.
Returning champions, St. Cloud State are ranked No. 2 to start the season. They have one top-ranked wrestler Jake Barzowski at 157 pounds, who finished third in 2018.
About the 2019-20 NWCA Division II Top 25 and Individual Rankings:
The 2019-20 NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association Rankings Committee is made up of two coaches from each of the NCAA’s six regions this season. Super Region 1 – Mike Wehler – Mercyhurst and Don Henry – Gannon; Super Region 2 – Cy Wainright – Newberry and Kenn Caudell – Belmont Abbey; Super Region 3 – Jason Warthan – UIndy and Shawn Nelson – Findlay; Super Region 4 – Chaz Thompson – Fort Hays State and James Kisgen – McKendree; Super Region 5 – Heath Grimm – Upper Iowa and Rocky Burkett – Northern State; Super Region 6 – Brett Hunter – Chadron State and Charlie Pipher – Western State Colorado. Nate Skaar (Upper Iowa Assoc. Wrestling Coach) acts as the chair and moderator for the committee.
Howie Thompson (Upper Iowa Assistant AD for Sports Communication) is the media coordinator for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association rankings committee.
Poll Methodology: This is a tournament-power index ranking. The poll is not based on a team’s dual strength. TPI Point Totals are broken down by the following individual rankings: 1st=20pts, 2nd=16pts, 3rd=13pts, 4th=12pts, 5th=10pts, 6th=9pts, 7th=7pts, 8th=6pts, 9th=4pts, 10th=3pts, 11th=2pts, 12th=1pt. The TPI point totals will be lower than the final actual NCAA Championship points because it does not include bonus points.

Team Rankings (Graphic Courtesy of the NWCA)

Individual Rankings
125
1 Carlos Jacquez Lindenwood
2 Josh Portillo Nebraska-Kearney
3 Cole Laya West Liberty
4 Marcus Povlick McKendree
5 Tyler Kreith Maryville
6 Cole Jones msu Moorhead
7 Brendan Howard Pitt-Johnstown
8 Melvin Rubio Queens
9 Brandon Lucas Bellarmine
10 Bobby Campos Notre Dame
11 Jacob Dunlap Gannon
12 Matt Wilde Kutztown
133
1 Tyer Warner Pitt-Johnstown
2 Wesley Dawkins Nebraska-Kearney
3 Hunter Bray Notre Dame
4 Garrett Vos St. Cloud State
5 Justin Folley Upper Iowa
6 Alexis Soriano Mercyhurst
7 D’andre Brumfield CSU-Pueblo
8 Arik Furseth UW-Parkside
9 Tanner Hitchcock Lindenwood
10 Austin Hertel Gannon
11 Ana Abduljelil Indianapolis
12 Jonathan Andreatta Adams State
141
1 Isaiah Royal Newberry
2 Brandon Ball Fort Hays State
3 Darius Bunch West Liberty
4 Kelan McKenna Notre Dame
5 Louie Sanders Minnesota State
6 Jason Hanenberg Western Colorado
7 Nate Kiem Central Oklahoma
8 Jon Miller UNC-Pembroke
9 Chandler Minnard Ashland
10 Noah Hermosillo Adams State
11 Garrett Aldrich St. Cloud state
12 Aidan Burke Mercyhurst
149
Chris Eddins Pitt-Johnstown
2 James Pleski St. Cloud State
3 Kameron Frame Newman
4 Kyle Rathman Minnesota State
5 Chase Clasen Chadron state
6 Gage Branson Bellarmine
7 Faris Messai Gannon
8 Matt Rose Limestone
9 Natrelle Demison Adams State
10 Kyle Barkovich Indianapolis
11 Tyler Makosy UNC-Pembroke
12 Noah Ottum Colorado Mines
157
1 Jake Barzowski St. Cloud State
2 Nate Smalling McKendree
3 Austin Palmer Newberry
4 Kevin Almond Emmanuel
5 Gavin Londoff Lindenwood
6 Taylor Misuna Notre Dame
7 Kaleb Warner UNC-Pembroke
8 JoJo Gonzalez American International
9 Isaiah Diggs CSU-Pueblo
10 Payton Tawater Colorado Mesa
11 Chad Haegele Kutztown
12 Bryan LaVearn Tiffin
165
1 Matt Malcom Nebraska Kearney
2 Devin Austin Pitt-Johnstown
3 Tyler Harrington Maryville
4 Devin Fitzpatrick St. Cloud state
5 Dan Filipek McKendree
6 Brock Benitz Upper Iowa
7 Logan Grass Mercyhurst
8 Logan Saltou Minnesota State
9 Efe Osaghae Fort Hays State
10 Christian Price Ashland
11 Skyler Lykins Colorado Mines
12 Alonzo Turner Notre Dame
174
Nick Foster Mckendree
2 Michael Raccioppi East Stroudsburg
3 Kolten Eischens St. Cloud State
4 Brock Biddle Pitt-Johnstown
5 Brett Romanzak Ashland
6 Robert Gambrell Colorado Mines
7 Matt Pratt Maryville
8 Zach Johnston Minnesota State
9 Devin Crawl Central Oklahoma
10 Nate Vandermeer Findlay
11 Caleb Spears Newberry
12 Gleason Mappes Indianapolis
184
1 Tony Vezzetti Notre Dame
2 Heath Gray Central Oklahoma
3 Connor Craig Pitt-Johnstown
4 Justin Pichedwatana San Fransisco state
5 Aidan Pasiuk Ashland
6 Phillip Springsteen uMary
7 Tyree Overton St. Cloud state
8 Gino Sita Alderson Broaddus
9 Brody Conner Indianapolis
10 Zebrandon Gant Newberry
11 Brandon Sloop UNC-Pembroke
12 Dalton Hahn Upper Iowa
197
1 Nick Mason Tiffin
2 Nick Baumler Upper Iowa
3 Ryan Vasbinder McKendree
4 Khalil Gipson Adams State
5 Matt Rudy Limestone
6 Matt Blome Minnesota State
7 Logan Kemp West Liberty
8 Elijah Seay King
9 Nick Weldon Newberry
10 Wade French Chadron state
11 Freddie Nixon Gannon
12 Hunter Harnish Mercyhurst
285
1 Andrew Dunn Kutztown
2 Jarrod Hinrichs Nebraska-Kearney
3 Tristen Weirich Ashland
4 Courvosier Morrow Lindenwood
5 Derrick Berberick Shippensburg
6 Logan Radick Maryville
7 Weston Hunt Colorado Mines
8 Jake Robb Mercyhurst
9 Daniel Bland Limestone
10 Ramon Correa Coker
11 Jordan Will Minot state
12 Jordan Magnuson MSU Moorhead