EDMOND, Okla. – Augustana begins the 2011-12 season as the No. 6-ranked team in the country, the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association announced Wednesday via its preseason rankings. The Vikings received 124 points in the poll.
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference-neighbor St. Cloud State is the preseason favorite. The Huskies earned four of the eight first-place votes and 153 points.
Newberry is second (three first-place votes, 150 points), Upper Iowa is third (144 points), Nebraska-Kearney is fourth (one first-place vote, 132 points) and Grand Canyon is fifth (130 points).
Four Vikings are nationally ranked.
Nate Herda, a junior from Rock Rapids, Iowa, is the preseason No. 1 at 149 pounds. Herda finished 26-8 a year ago. He was an All-America honoree after finishing third at the NCAA Championship. Herda also collected All-NSIC first team honors last season.
Jason Jeremiason, who finished third in the nation last season, is No. 2 at 133 pounds. Jeremiason, a senior, went 25-5 last season en route to All-America honors. The Marshall, Minn., native was also an All-NSIC second-team pick and earned conference wrestler of the week honors twice.
Marcus Edgington, a 157-pounder, is ranked No. 6 in his weight class. A senior from Sioux City, Iowa, Edgington went 27-9 in 2010-11. He finished seventh at nationals, was an All-American and earned a spot on the All-NSIC second team.
Carl Serck is ranked seventh at 174 pounds. He registered a 28-7 record last season and narrowly missed nationals after placing fifth at the Super Region Three Championship. Serck is a senior from Hudson, S.D.
Augustana finished third and had seven All-America honorees at the 2011 NCAA Championship. The Vikings, who took second at the Super Regional Three Championship, finished the dual season with a record of 14-2 and were the NSIC champions with a flawless 7-0 conference campaign.
The Vikings will hold their annual intrasquad dual Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Elmen Center.
Date Ranked: 10/26/2011
Ranked By Division II Coaches Association
Teams
Rank School (State), Points, Last Year’s Finish
1. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 153, 2nd
2. Newberry (S.C.), 150, 6th
3. Upper Iowa, 144, 4th
4. Nebraska-Kearney 132, 8th
5. Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 130, 7th
6. Augustana (S.D.) 124, 3rd
7. Central Oklahoma 107, 13th
8. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 94, T-10th
9. Wisconsin-Parkside 90, 9th
10. Ashland (Ohio), 74, 20th
11. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 70, 25th
12. Minnesota State 69, T-10th
13. Adams State (Colo.) 63, 21st
14. Findlay (Ohio) 53, 14th
15. Maryville (Mo.), 47, NR
16. Fort Hays State (Kan.), 44, T-22nd
17. Limestone (S.C.), 31, 27th
18. North Carolina-Pembroke, 28, T-17th
19. San Francisco State (Calif.) 23, T-17th
20. Shippensburg (Pa.), 15, T-22nd
Others receiving votes: Central Missouri, Colorado School of Mines, East Stroudsburg (Pa.), Gannon (Pa.), King (Tenn.), Kutztown (Pa.), Mary (N.D.), Northern State (S.D.), Western State (Colo.).
Individuals
125 Pounds
1. Connor McDonald, Newberry (S.C.)
2. Kyle Pedretti, Upper Iowa
3. Corey Ulmer, Minnesota State-Moorhead
4. Terrell McKinney, Maryville (Mo.)
5. Ben Sergent, Findlay (Ohio)
6. Jerry Huff, Adams State (Colo.)
7. Brandon Davis, Ashland (Ohio)
8. Shane Summerlin, Belmont Abbey (N.C.)
133 Pounds
1. Trevor Franklin, Upper Iowa
2. Jason Jeremiason, Augustana (S.D.)
3. Ryan Link, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
4. Trison Graham, Central Oklahoma
5. Matt Oliver, Newberry (S.C.)
6. Michael Magaha, Limestone (S.C.)
7. Dan Mandara, Ashland (Ohio)
8. Tyler Nelson, Colorado Mesa
141 Pounds
1. Dalton Jensen, Nebraska-Kearney
2. B.J. Young, Newberry (S.C.)
3. Jack Bachman, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
4. Dan Genetin, Ashland (Ohio)
5. Simon Rice, Shippensburg (Pa.)
6. Adam Hluschak, East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
7. Madison Gambrell, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
8. Nick Wykoff, West Liberty (W. Va.)
149 Pounds
1. Nate Herda, Augustana (S.D.)
2. Mitchell Means, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
3. Tommy Abbott, Minnesota State
4. Josh Hensley, Adams State (Colo.)
5. Ethan Swope, Gannon (Pa.)
6. Deral Brown, Newberry (S.C.)
7. Nathan Link, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
8. Ryan Maus, Truman State (Mo.)
157 Pounds
1. Dillon Bera, Wisconsin-Parkside
2. T.J. Hepburn, Nebraska-Kearney
3. Jordan Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
4. Teddy Bristol, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
5. Cory Dauphin, Central Oklahoma
6. Marcus Edgington, Augustana (S.D.)
7. J.D. Horn, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
8. Winston Robbins, Upper Iowa
165 Pounds
1. Tad Merritt, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
2. Joey Wilson, Nebraska-Kearney
3. Mike Williams, North Carolina-Pembroke
4. Dylan Granard, Colorado Mesa
5. Sean Brynes, Newberry (S.C.)
6. Isaiah Jimenez, San Francisco State (Colo.)
7. Jordan Larsen, Colorado School of Mines
8. Ronald Tetreault, American International (Mass.)
174 Pounds
1. Michael Lybarger, Findlay (Ohio)
2. Luke Rynish, Wisconsin-Parkside
3. Victor Carazo, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
4. Shamus O’Grady, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
5. Kelly Henderson, Central Oklahoma
6. Bryce Sopko, Limestone (S.C.)
7. Carl Serck, Augustana (S.D.)
8. Brendan Eichman, Minnesota State
184 Pounds
1. Ross Brunkhardt, Nebraska-Kearney
2. Mitch Schultz, Upper Iowa
3. Matt Gille, Wisconsin-Parkside
4. Derek Skala, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
5. Tanner Keck, Central Oklahoma
6. Brady Anderson, Mary (N.D.)
7. Brandon Tressler, King (Tenn.)
8. Londele Cox, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
197 Pounds
1. Carl Broghammer, Upper Iowa
2. Dan Scanlan, Limestone (S.C.
3. Luke McPeek, Adams State (Colo.)
4. Matt Baker, Maryville (Mo.)
5. Pat Mahan, Minnesota State
6. Frank Morgan, King (Tenn.)
7. Eddie Ebewo, East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
8. Karl Reed, Newberry (S.C.)
285 Pounds
1. Matt Meuleners, Northern State (S.D.)
2. Jacob Kahnke, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
3. Jacob Southwick, Ashland (Ohio)
4. Jake Elkins, Newberry (S.C.)
5. Zach Rosol, Upper Iowa
6. Fred Hale, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
7. J.D. Ramsey, West Liberty (W. Va.)
8. Cody Beck, Central Missouri