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NCAA releases its first Division I wrestling coaches’ panel rankings for this season

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by Matthew Holmes, NCAA

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA released the first of four coaches’ panel rankings for the 2019-20 wrestling season today. The final rankings will be one of the criteria used as part of the selection process to determine qualifiers and seeding for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on March 19-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The rankings are determined by a vote of 14 coaches in each weight class with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, EIWA, MAC, Pac-12 and SoCon), which is double the amount of voters that had previously been used for the coaches’ panel rankings. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. 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 to be ranked.

Among the top-ranked wrestlers are five former national champions with Spencer Lee of Iowa (125 pounds in 2018 and 2019), Seth Gross of Wisconsin (133 pounds in 2018 at South Dakota State), Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State (165 pounds in 2017 and 2018), Mark Hall of Penn State (174 pounds in 2017) and 184-pounder Zahid Valencia of Arizona State (174-pound champion in 2018 and 2019).

The top-ranked wrestlers at the remaining weight classes in the inaugural rankings are Luke Pletcher, Ohio State (141 pounds); Pat Lugo, Iowa (149); Ryan Deakin, Northwestern (157); Kollin Moore, Ohio State (197) and Gable Steveson of Minnesota at heavyweight.

The first two rankings (Jan. 24/Feb. 13) are used primarily for educational purposes to promote the selection criteria to coaches, student-athletes, media and fans. The third ranking (Feb. 27) will be the ranking that will be used by the NCAA Wrestling Committee to assist in determining the advance allocations to each qualifying tournament. The final ranking following conference tournaments will be used to provide the most accurate and up-to-date rankings to the committee as an important element of the selection criteria during the in-person selection meeting.

Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches’ rankings to earn allocation spots for their qualifying tournaments for the championships.

The above criteria, in addition to head-to-head competition, quality wins, results against common opponents and qualifying tournament placement are all part of the evaluation process for selection and seeding the committee uses for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

For tickets or more information about the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis, visit http://www.ncaa.com/wrestling.

NCAA Division I Wrestling Coaches Rankings (through Jan. 19) #

125 POUNDS
Rank Name Team Conference
1 Spencer Lee Iowa Big Ten
2 Jack Mueller Virginia ACC
3 Pat Glory Princeton EIWA
4 Nicholas Piccininni Oklahoma St. Big 12
5 Brandon Paetzell Lehigh EIWA
6 Michael DeAugustino Northwestern Big Ten
7 Devin Schroder Purdue Big Ten
8 Michael Colaiocco Penn EIWA
9 Drew Hildebrandt Central Mich. MAC
10 Brandon Courtney Arizona St. Pac 12
11 Alex Mackall Iowa St. Big 12
12 Joey Prata Virginia Tech ACC
13 Patrick Mckee Minnesota Big Ten
14 Nic Aguilar Rutgers Big Ten
15 Luke Werner Lock Haven MAC
16 Jacob Schwarm UNI Big 12
17 Kilian Cardinale Old Dominion MAC
18 Eric Barnett Wisconsin Big Ten
19 Fabian Gutierrez Chattanooga SoCon
20 Logan Treaster Navy EIWA
21 Jakob Camacho NC State ACC
22 Daniel Vega South Dakota St. Big 12
23 Sidney Flores Air Force Big 12
24 Gage Curry American EIWA
24 Trey Chalifoux Army West Point EIWA
26 Justin Cardani Illinois Big Ten
27 Nolan Hellickson Harvard EIWA
28 Joe Manchio Columbia EIWA
29 Sean Carter Appalachian St. SoCon
30 Bryce West Northern Ill. MAC
31 Korbin Meink Campbell SoCon
32 Jonathon Tropea Rider MAC
33 Jack Medley Michigan Big Ten
133 POUNDS
1 Seth Gross Wisconsin Big Ten
2 Austin DeSanto Iowa Big Ten
3 Sebastian Rivera Northwestern Big Ten
4 Roman Bravo-Young Penn St. Big Ten
5 Charles Tucker Cornell EIWA
6 Mickey Phillipi Pittsburgh ACC
7 Montorie Bridges Wyoming Big 12
8 Travis Piotrowski Illinois Big Ten
9 Sammy Alvarez Rutgers Big Ten
10 Noah Gosner Campbell SoCon
11 Cameron Sykora North Dakota St. Big 12
12 Derek Spann Buffalo MAC
13 Ridge Lovett Nebraska Big Ten
14 Todd Small Iowa St. Big 12
15 Devan Turner Oregon St. Pac 12
16 Anthony Madrigal Oklahoma Big 12
17 Tim Rooney Kent St. MAC
18 Collin Gerardi Virginia Tech ACC
19 Nick Farro Lehigh EIWA
20 Louie Hayes Virginia ACC
21 Taylor LaMont Utah Valley Big 12
22 Jordan Decatur Ohio St. Big Ten
23 Mosha Schwartz Northern Colo. Big 12
24 Joshua Krammer Arizona St. Pac 12
25 Reece Witcraft Oklahoma St. Big 12
26 Jarrett Trombley NC State ACC
27 Jack Skudlarczyk UNI Big 12
28 DJ Fehlman Lock Haven MAC
29 Chance Rich CSU Bakersfield Pac 12
29 Casey Cobb Navy EIWA
31 Allan Hart Missouri MAC
32 Garrett Pepple Michigan St. Big Ten
33 Codi Russell Appalachian St. SoCon
141 POUNDS
1 Luke Pletcher Ohio St. Big Ten
2 Nick Lee Penn St. Big Ten
3 Mitch McKee Minnesota Big Ten
4 Real Woods Stanford Pac 12
5 Max Murin Iowa Big Ten
6 Tristan Moran Wisconsin Big Ten
7 Dom Demas Oklahoma Big 12
8 Ian Parker Iowa St. Big 12
9 Chad Red Nebraska Big Ten
10 Joshua Heil Campbell SoCon
11 Zachary Sherman North Carolina ACC
12 Tariq Wilson NC State ACC
13 Dylan Duncan Illinois Big Ten
14 Dusty Hone Oklahoma St. Big 12
15 Dresden Simon Central Mich. MAC
16 Michael Blockhus UNI Big 12
17 Grant Leeth Missouri MAC
18 Evan Cheek Cleveland St. MAC
19 Doug Zapf Penn EIWA
20 Kyle Shoop Lock Haven MAC
21 Shakur Laney Ohio MAC
22 DJ (Durbin) Lloren Fresno St. Big 12
23 Mitch Moore Virginia Tech ACC
24 Cole Matthews Pittsburgh ACC
25 Sa`Derian Perry Old Dominion MAC
26 Salvatore Profaci American EIWA
26 Alex Madrigal George Mason MAC
28 Matt Kazimir Columbia EIWA
29 Peter Lipari Rider MAC
30 Ryan Pomrinca Lehigh EIWA
31 Parker Filius Purdue Big Ten
32 Angelo Martinoni CSU Bakersfield Pac 12
33 Cole Mattin Michigan Big Ten
149 POUNDS
1 Pat Lugo Iowa Big Ten
2 Austin O`Connor North Carolina ACC
3 Boo Lewallen Oklahoma St. Big 12
4 Brayton Lee Minnesota Big Ten
5 Brock Mauller Missouri MAC
6 Sammy Sasso Ohio St. Big Ten
7 Kizhan Clarke American EIWA
8 Kanen Storr Michigan Big Ten
8 Max Thomsen UNI Big 12
10 Henry Pohlmeyer South Dakota St. Big 12
11 Brock Zacherl Clarion MAC
12 Cole Martin Wisconsin Big Ten
13 Andrew Alirez Northern Colo. Big 12
14 Collin Purinton Nebraska Big Ten
14 Yahya Thomas Northwestern Big Ten
16 Griffin Parriott Purdue Big Ten
17 Colston DiBlasi George Mason MAC
18 Jonathan Millner Appalachian St. SoCon
19 Requir van der Merwe Stanford Pac 12
20 Mike D`Angelo Princeton EIWA
21 Graham Rooks Indiana Big Ten
22 Tanner Smith Chattanooga SoCon
23 Jacob Butler Oklahoma Big 12
24 Bryce Andonian Virginia Tech ACC
25 Alec Hagan Ohio MAC
26 Jaron Jensen Wyoming Big 12
27 Jimmy Hoffman Lehigh EIWA
28 Russell Rohlfing CSU Bakersfield Pac 12
29 Jarod Verkleeren Penn St. Big Ten
30 Joshua Maruca Arizona St. Pac 12
31 Denton Spencer Virginia ACC
32 PJ Ogunsanya Army West Point EIWA
33 Hunter Richard Cornell EIWA
157 POUNDS
1 Ryan Deakin Northwestern Big Ten
2 Hayden Hidlay NC State ACC
3 David Carr Iowa St. Big 12
4 Kaleb Young Iowa Big Ten
5 Quincy Monday Princeton EIWA
6 Jesse Dellavecchia Rider MAC
7 Kendall Coleman Purdue Big Ten
8 Josh Humphreys Lehigh EIWA
9 Markus Hartman Army West Point EIWA
10 Will Lewan Michigan Big Ten
11 Jarrett Jacques Missouri MAC
12 Larry Early Old Dominion MAC
13 Anthony Artalona Penn EIWA
14 BC LaPrade Virginia Tech ACC
15 Justin Thomas Oklahoma Big 12
16 Justin Ruffin SIUE MAC
17 Peyton Robb Nebraska Big Ten
18 Jacob Wright Fresno St. Big 12
19 Logan Parks Central Mich. MAC
20 Austin Headlee North Carolina ACC
21 Jake Tucker Michigan St. Big Ten
22 Wyatt Sheets Oklahoma St. Big 12
23 Matt Zovistoski Appalachian St. SoCon
24 Jahi Jones Maryland Big Ten
25 Zac Carson Ohio MAC
26 Jacori Teemer Arizona St. Pac 12
27 Justin McCoy Virginia ACC
28 Taleb Rahmani Pittsburgh ACC
29 Alexander Klucker Lock Haven MAC
30 Jared Franek North Dakota St. Big 12
31 Elijah Cleary Ohio St. Big Ten
32 Tyler Eischens Stanford Pac 12
33 Dewey Krueger Wyoming Big 12
165 POUNDS
1 Vincenzo Joseph Penn St. Big Ten
2 Alex Marinelli Iowa Big Ten
3 David McFadden Virginia Tech ACC
4 Evan Wick Wisconsin Big Ten
5 Isaiah White Nebraska Big Ten
6 Shane Griffith Stanford Pac 12
7 Joshua Shields Arizona St. Pac 12
8 Tanner Skidgel Navy EIWA
9 Travis Wittlake Oklahoma St. Big 12
10 Jake Wentzel Pittsburgh ACC
11 Ethan Smith Ohio St. Big Ten
12 Thomas Bullard NC State ACC
13 Dan Braunagel Illinois Big Ten
14 Quentin Perez Campbell SoCon
15 Kennedy Monday North Carolina ACC
16 Philip Conigliaro Harvard EIWA
17 Zach Hartman Bucknell EIWA
18 Ebed Jarrell Drexel EIWA
19 Cael McCormick Army West Point EIWA
20 Shayne Oster Northwestern Big Ten
21 Troy Keller Buffalo MAC
22 Grant Cuomo Princeton EIWA
23 Tanner Cook South Dakota St. Big 12
24 Izzak Olejnik Northern Ill. MAC
25 Nick Kiussis West Virginia Big 12
26 Bailee O`reilly Minnesota Big Ten
27 Drew Hughes Michigan St. Big Ten
28 Randy Meneweather II Air Force Big 12
28 Shane Jones Old Dominion MAC
30 Bernie Truax Cal Poly Pac 12
31 Peyton Mocco Missouri MAC
32 Brett Donner Rutgers Big Ten
33 Dazjon Casto The Citadel SoCon
174 POUNDS
1 Mark Hall Penn St. Big Ten
2 Michael Kemerer Iowa Big Ten
3 Jordan Kutler Lehigh EIWA
4 Dylan Lydy Purdue Big Ten
5 Bryce Steiert UNI Big 12
6 Mikey Labriola Nebraska Big Ten
7 Kaleb Romero Ohio St. Big Ten
8 Anthony Valencia Arizona St. Pac 12
9 Devin Skatzka Minnesota Big Ten
10 Hayden Hastings Wyoming Big 12
11 Anthony Mantanona Oklahoma Big 12
12 Samuel Colbray Iowa St. Big 12
13 Joseph Gunther Illinois Big Ten
14 Daniel Bullard NC State ACC
15 Ben Harvey Army West Point EIWA
16 Neal Richards VMI SoCon
17 Brandon Womack Cornell EIWA
18 Dean Sherry Rider MAC
19 Jacob Oliver Edinboro MAC
19 Spencer Carey Navy EIWA
21 Clay Lautt North Carolina ACC
22 Andrew McNally Kent St. MAC
23 Layne Malczewski Michigan St. Big Ten
24 Gregg Harvey Pittsburgh ACC
25 Jackson Hemauer Fresno St. Big 12
26 Mason Eaglin Duke ACC
27 Jacob Covaciu Indiana Big Ten
28 Phillip Spadafora Maryland Big Ten
29 Jeremiah Kent Missouri MAC
30 Andrew Shomers Oklahoma St. Big 12
30 Joe Grello Rutgers Big Ten
32 Jared Siegrist Lock Haven MAC
33 Cody Hughes Virginia Tech ACC
184 POUNDS
1 Zahid Valencia Arizona St. Pac 12
2 Hunter Bolen Virginia Tech ACC
3 Trent Hidlay NC State ACC
4 Taylor Lujan UNI Big 12
5 Lou Deprez Binghamton EIWA
6 Taylor Venz Nebraska Big Ten
7 Abe Assad Iowa Big Ten
8 Aaron Brooks Penn St. Big Ten
9 Nino Bonaccorsi Pittsburgh ACC
10 Andrew Morgan Campbell SoCon
11 Trevor Allard Bloomsburg MAC
12 Noah Stewart Army West Point EIWA
13 Jelani Embree Michigan Big Ten
14 Zach Braunagel Illinois Big Ten
15 Zach Carlson South Dakota St. Big 12
16 Chris Weiler Lehigh EIWA
17 Cameron Caffey Michigan St. Big Ten
18 Johnny Sebastian Wisconsin Big Ten
19 Owen Webster Minnesota Big Ten
20 Anthony Montalvo Oklahoma St. Big 12
21 Billy Janzer Rutgers Big Ten
22 Marcus Coleman Iowa St. Big 12
23 Tanner Harvey American EIWA
24 Matthew Waddell Chattanooga SoCon
25 Brit Wilson Northern Ill. MAC
26 Rocky Jordan Ohio St. Big Ten
27 Dylan Wisman Missouri MAC
28 Alan Clothier Northern Colo. Big 12
29 Jonathan Loew Cornell EIWA
30 Travis Stefanik Princeton EIWA
31 Colt Doyle Oregon St. Pac 12
32 Tate Samuelson Wyoming Big 12
33 Max Lyon Purdue Big Ten
197 POUNDS
1 Kollin Moore Ohio St. Big Ten
2 Noah Adams West Virginia Big 12
3 Patrick Brucki Princeton EIWA
4 Jacob Warner Iowa Big Ten
5 Christian Brunner Purdue Big Ten
6 Nathan Traxler Stanford Pac 12
7 Jay Aiello Virginia ACC
8 Eric Schultz Nebraska Big Ten
9 Ethan Laird Rider MAC
10 Dakota Geer Oklahoma St. Big 12
11 Ben Darmstadt Cornell EIWA
12 Thomas Lane Cal Poly Pac 12
13 Lucas Davison Northwestern Big Ten
14 Jake Woodley Oklahoma Big 12
15 Kordell Norfleet Arizona St. Pac 12
16 Greg Bulsak Clarion MAC
17 Tanner Sloan South Dakota St. Big 12
18 Jordan Pagano Rutgers Big Ten
19 Jacob Seely Northern Colo. Big 12
20 Tanner Orndorff Utah Valley Big 12
21 Wyatt Koelling Missouri MAC
22 JT Brown Army West Point EIWA
23 Jake Jakobsen Lehigh EIWA
24 Nick Reenan NC State ACC
24 Gage Braun Northern Ill. MAC
26 Stephen Buchanan Wyoming Big 12
27 Hunter Ritter Minnesota Big Ten
28 Drew Phipps Bucknell EIWA
29 Joel Shapiro Iowa St. Big 12
30 Landon Pelham Central Mich. MAC
31 Jacob Koser Navy EIWA
32 Sam Schuyler Buffalo MAC
33 Cordell Eaton North Dakota St. Big 12
285 POUNDS
1 Gable Steveson Minnesota Big Ten
2 Mason Parris Michigan Big Ten
3 Tony Cassioppi Iowa Big Ten
4 Matt Stencel Central Mich. MAC
5 Trent Hillger Wisconsin Big Ten
6 Tanner Hall Arizona St. Pac 12
7 Tate Orndorff Utah Valley Big 12
8 Jordan Wood Lehigh EIWA
9 Demetrius Thomas Pittsburgh ACC
10 Yaraslau Slavikouski Harvard EIWA
11 Josh Hokit Fresno St. Big 12
12 Gannon Gremmel Iowa St. Big 12
13 Carter Isley UNI Big 12
14 Jere Heino Campbell SoCon
15 Dalton Robertson Northern Colo. Big 12
16 Christian Lance Nebraska Big Ten
17 John Borst Virginia Tech ACC
18 Brian Andrews Wyoming Big 12
19 Ben Sullivan Army West Point EIWA
20 Seth Nevills Penn St. Big Ten
21 Brandon Metz North Dakota St. Big 12
22 Gary Traub Ohio St. Big Ten
23 Cary Miller Appalachian St. SoCon
24 Quinn Miller Virginia ACC
25 Jon Spaulding Edinboro MAC
26 Thomas Penola Purdue Big Ten
27 Andrew Gunning North Carolina ACC
28 Tyler Bagoly Clarion MAC
29 Colton McKiernan SIUE MAC
30 Jordan Earnest Ohio MAC
31 Luke Luffman Illinois Big Ten
32 Deonte Wilson NC State ACC
33 Brandon Ngati West Virginia Big 12

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