INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – North Dakota State sophomore Steven Monk is ranked No. 10 at 157 pounds and junior Trent Sprenkle is No. 20 at 125 pounds in the first edition of the NCAA Division I Coaches’ Panel Rankings released today by the NCAA.
Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches’ rankings to earn spots for the 2012 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The coaches’ rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches across the nation. The final rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine the qualifiers for the 2012 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Overall, 18 wrestlers from the Western Wrestling Conference were ranked in the first edition, including Wyoming’s Joe LeBlanc, who is ranked first at 184 pounds.
Monk comes into the weekend with an overall record of 24-6 and a 7-1 mark in duals. He is ranked No. 11 by InterMat, No. 9 by WIN Magazine, No. 10 by WrestlingReport.com and No. 10 by D1CollegeWrestling.net.
Sprenkle is 21-9 this season with a 5-3 record in dual meets. He is ranked No. 16 by WIN Magazine, No. 18 by D1CollegeWrestling.net and No. 20 by WrestlingReport.com.
The Bison wrestle at Boise State tonight at 8 p.m. Central.