Cornell vaults up to No. 6 in NWCA Coaches Poll as dual season picks up speed

Manheim, Pennsylvania – Wins over Arizona State and Virginia Tech buoyed Cornell six spots as the Big Red were one of the nation’s biggest movers as the first NWCA Division I Coaches Poll of 2023 was released on Tuesday.


Cornell opened up the new year topping then-No. 3 Arizona State 19-12 in neutral site dual in Austin, Texas. The Big Red followed by heading into the sold out Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, Virginia, and picking off then-No. 8 Virginia Tech 22-12.


Unbeaten Penn State (8-0) and Iowa (9-0) remained atop of the poll for the eighth straight poll in the 2022-23 regular season. The Nittany Lions topped then-No. 11 Wisconsin in Madison, while Iowa got past pesky Illinois 25-19 at home before topping Purdue 37-6 on the road.

Iowa State (9-2) and Michigan (5-0) both earned a pair of weekend wins and ended this week’s voting tied for third. NC State (9-0) moved into the top five for the first time this season. The Wolfpack beat Binghamton 36-3.


Iowa State handed Arizona State its second loss of the week with a gritty 19-15 win over the Sun Devils in Ames. Michigan (5-0) swept a pair of duals in California, first beating then-No. 24 Cal Poly 30-11 and then blanking CSU Bakersfield 36-0. Ohio State (7-1) topped Indiana and remained at No. 7, while Arizona State (2-2) dropped five spots to No. 8. Missouri (4-2) held firm at No. 10 after beating then No. 13 Northern Iowa 24-12.


Northwestern improved to 2-0 after an 18-11 win over then-No. 9 Minnesota. The Wildcats moved to No. 11, the program’s highest position in the poll since December 11, 2012 when Northwestern was ranked 10th.


Illinois and West Virginia entered the Top 25 after their weekend performances. After the loss to Iowa, Illinois earned an 18-17 win over then-No. 11 Wisconsin to move into the poll at No. 25, tied with Pittsburgh, which fell at home 24-11 to West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 6-1 and also beat Ohio 28-9 on Friday. West Virginia’s appearance in the Top 25 is the first for the program since January 12, 2016 and the first in the Tim Flynn era.

This Week: On Thursday, North Dakota State will be the only ranked team in action as they head west to face Stanford. On Friday, the 42nd annual Virginia Duals kicks off in Hampton, Virginia highlighted by No. 19 South Daktota State and No. 23 Maryland. No. 3 Michigan is at No. 21 Michigan State, No. 9 Virginia Tech is at No. 22 Appalachian State, No. 24 West Virginia is at Chattanooga, No. 18 Rutgers is at Indiana, Army West Point is at No. 5 NC State, Buffalo is at No. 25 Pittsburgh, No. 15 Northern Iowa is at Utah Valley, No. 11 Northwestern is at No. 2 Iowa, No. 12 Minnesota is at No. 16 Nebraska, and No. 10 Missouri as at Air Force.


On Saturday, North Dakota State is at California Baptist, No. 6 Cornell hosts No. 20 Lehigh, No. 10 Missouri heads up I-25 to face Wyoming, No. 25 Illinois hosts Purdue and No. 3 Iowa State will take its turn wrestling at Utah Valley.


Sunday’s action includes No. 20 Lehigh at Binghamton, No. 13 Oklahoma State at Columbia, No. 18 Rutgers at No. 7 Ohio State, No. 22 Appalachian State at The Citadel, No. 11 Northwestern at No. 16 Nebraska, Princeton at No. 8 Arizona State, No. 14 Wisconsin at No. 3 Michigan and No. 21 Michigan State at No. 12 Minnesota.

Methodology: The NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll is voted on by two coaches from each Division I wrestling conference. Each first-place vote is worth 25 points, 24 points for a second-place vote, 23 for a third-place vote and so on through to one point for a 25th-place vote. The poll is based on dual meet results.

NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll

January 10, 2023


Rank/Team(First)/Record/Points/Conf/Previous

1 Penn State (13) (8-0) 349 Big Ten 1

2 Iowa (1) (9-0) 335 Big Ten 2

3 (tie) Iowa State (9-2) 309 Big 12 4

3 (tie) Michigan (5-0) 309 Big Ten 5

5 NC State (9-0) 301 ACC 6

6 Cornell (4-2) 262 EIWA 12

7 Ohio State (7-1) 258 Big Ten 7

8 Arizona State (2-2) 255 Pac-12 3

9 Virginia Tech (5-2) 237 ACC 8

10 Missouri (4-2) 224 Big 12 10

11 Northwestern (2-0) 207 Big Ten 16

12 Minnesota (7-1) 189 Big Ten 9

13 Oklahoma State (5-1) 179 Big 12 14

14 Wisconsin (6-3) 171 Big Ten 11

15 Northern Iowa (3-2) 168 Big 12 13

16 Nebraska (4-2) 140 Big Ten 15

17 North Dakota State (4-2) 117 Big 12 17

18 Rutgers (8-1) 104 Big Ten 18

19 South Dakota State (3-2) 87 Big 12 19

20 Lehigh (4-5) 73 EIWA 20

21 Michigan State (7-0) 52 Big Ten 23

22 Appalachian State (4-1) 43 SoCon 24

23 Maryland (5-1) 41 Big Ten 22

24 West Virginia (6-1) 40 Big 12 NR

25 (tie) Illinois (3-3) 21 Big Ten NR

25 (tie) Pittsburgh (5-2) 21 ACC 21

Dropped Out: No. 25 Cal Poly (3-4).

Others Receiving Votes: Cal Poly 17, Indiana 10, Penn 10, Stanford 8, North Carolina 6, Oregon State 6, Northern Colorado 1.