Cornell finishes season as top program in NWCA Div. I Mid-Major Coaches Poll

Manheim, Pennsylvania – With all regular season duals coming to completion, the final NWCA Division I Men's Wrestling Mid-Major Top 20 was released with Cornell finishing the season in the top position.

The Big Red from the Ivy League, finished 12-4 and were the top-ranked school in each of the three Mid-Major polls released this season. This will be the final season Cornell competes in the EIWA as the Ivy League will create its own automatic qualifier in the 2024-25 season. Eight EIWA teams finished in the Top 20 with fellow Ivies Penn and Princeton joining Cornell in the poll.

South Dakota State ended the season second with a 13-4 record as an affiliate member of the Big 12. Northern Iowa, also an affiliate of the Big 12, moved up a spot to third, while Lehigh, a Patriot League member, was fourth. Little Rock, one of three mid-majors in the Pac-12 as affiliates, finished its record-breaking season 15-5 and Pac-12 dual meet champions.

Campbell and Appalachian State are the two lone SoCon representatives in both the main Division I Men's Wrestling Coaches Poll and the Mid-Major Poll. Penn, Cal Poly and Army West Point rounded out the Top 10.

Methodology: The NWCA Division I Men's Wrestling Mid-Major Coaches Poll is voted on by one coach from Division I wrestling conferences with mid-major representation. Each first-place vote is worth 20 points, 19 points for a second-place vote, 18 for a third-place vote, and so on through to one point for a 20th-place vote. The poll is based on dual meet results and represents schools that are in not full members in all-sports conferences considered the "Power 4/5."

NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Mid-Major Coaches Poll

February 28, 2024

Rank/Team (First)/Record/Points/Last/Conf./All-Sports

1 Cornell (4) (12-4) 99 1 EIWA Ivy League

2 South Dakota State (1) (13-4) 96 2 Big 12 Summit

3 Northern Iowa (8-6) 88 4 Big 12 Missouri Valley

4 Lehigh (7-4) 84 3 EIWA Patriot

5 Little Rock (15-5) 81 5 Pac-12 Ohio Valley

6 Campbell (14-3) 72 6 SoCon CAA

7 Appalachian State (10-3) 63 7 SoCon Sun Belt

8 Penn (6-5) 61 10 EIWA Ivy League

9 Cal Poly (6-5) 60 7 Pac-12 Big West

10 Army West Point (7-4) 51 12 EIWA Patriot

11 Navy (8-6) 49 9 EIWA Patriot

12 Northern Illinois (13-2) 45 11 MAC MAC

13 Binghamton (9-4) 41 13 EIWA America East

14 Northern Colorado (10-5) 38 14 Big 12 Big Sky

15 Wyoming (7-7) 32 15 Big 12 Mountain West

16 Central Michigan (8-8) 22 16 MAC MAC

17 Princeton (6-7) 20 NR EIWA Ivy League

18 Rider (8-7) 19 19 MAC MAAC

19 Bucknell (8-8) 12 18 EIWA Patriot

20 North Dakota State (3-11) 7 20 Big 12 Summit

Others Receiving Votes: Cleveland State 3, The Citadel 3, Air Force 1, Drexel 1, Lock Haven 1, Ohio 1.

Dropped Out: No. 16 Air Force (5-7).