EDMOND, Okla. — St. Cloud State will head into regional tournament action as the unanimous No. 1 team in NCAA Division II wrestling, according to the top-20 poll released Wednesday by the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association.
The Huskies received all eight first-place votes in balloting of coaches from around the country to finish with 160 points. SCSU, which finished a school-record 20-0 in duals, has been No. 1 in five of the six polls this season.
Newberry remained No. 2 with 145 points, edging out Nebraska-Kearney by one point as the Lopers moved up one spot in the poll. Upper Iowa is fourth with 140 points and Augustana (S.D.) fifth with 122.
Making up the second half of the top 10 is Central Oklahoma, Grand Canyon (Ariz.), Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Adams State (Colo.) and Ashland (Ohio).
SCSU’s Tad Merritt (165) and Jake Kahnke (285) are both ranked #1 in the nation at their respective weight brackets for the Huskies. In addition, SCSU senior Derek Skala moves up to the number one spot in the country at 184-pounds in this week’s poll.
SCSU’s Shamus O’Grady (174), Lucas Munkelwitz (197) and Andy Pokorny (133) are all ranked #3 in the nation this week, while SCSU’s Jacob D. Horn is ranked #4 in the nation at 149 this week.
Teams start post-season action this weekend, with North Carolina-Pembroke, Central Oklahoma, St. Cloud State and Fort Hays State all hosting super regional tournaments. The tournament at SCSU’s Halenbeck Hall is set for Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the gate.
The top-four placers at all 10 weights from each of the four super regional tournaments advance to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, set for March 9-10 in Pueblo, Colo.
The top 20 poll, with points and each team’s ranking in the last poll following by the individual rankings at each weight:
February 22, 2012
Rank School (State) Points Last Ranking
1. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 160 1st
2. Newberry (S.C.) 145 2nd
3. Nebraska-Kearney 144 4th
4. Upper Iowa 140 3rd
5. Augustana (S.D.) 122 5th
6. Central Oklahoma 121 6th
7. Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 109 7th
8. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 108 8th
9. Adams State (Colo.) 94 9th
10. Ashland (Ohio) 80 10th
11. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 75 11th
12. Wisconsin-Parkside 74 12th
13. Findlay (Ohio) 70 14th
14. West Liberty (W.Va.) 50 T16th
15. Limestone (S.C.) 40 13th
16. Colorado Mesa 26 20th
17. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 25 15th
18. King (Tenn.) 19 T16th
19. Indianapolis (Ind.) 18 NR
20. Western State (Colo.) 15 T18th
Others receiving votes: Colorado State-Pueblo, Kutztown (Pa.), Maryville
(Mo.), Minnesota State, Minnesota State-Moorhead, North Carolina-Pembroke, Northern State (S.D.), Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), Shippensburg (Pa.).
DIVISION II INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
125 Pounds
1. Corey Ulmer, Minnesota State-Moorhead
2. Kyle Pedretti, Upper Iowa
3. Jerry Huff, Adams State (Colo.)
4. Kenny Trumbetta, Seton Hill (Pa.)
5. Kyle McCrite, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
6. Garrett Evans, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
7. Ben Sergent, Findlay (Ohio)
8. Brandon Davis, Ashland (Ohio)
133 Pounds
1. Trevor Franklin, Upper Iowa
2. Jesse Hillhouse, Colorado State-Pueblo
3. Andy Pokorny, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
4. Jason Jeremiason, Augustana (S.D.)
5. Ryan Link, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
6. Mike Magaha, Limestone (S.C.)
7. Chad Lousberg, Colorado School of Mines
8. Ryan Fillingame, Adams State (Colo.)
141 Pounds
1. Dalton Jensen, Nebraska-Kearney
2. Trevor Johnson, Mary (N.D.)
3. Chism Fink, Augustana (S.D.)
4. B.J. Young, Newberry (S.C.)
5. Jack Bachman, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
6. Tywan Claxton, King (Tenn.)
7. James Martinez, Colorado Mesa
8. C.J. Napier, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
149 Pounds
1. Nate Herda, Augustana (S.D.)
2. Raufeon Stotts, Nebraska-Kearney
3. Ryan Maus, Truman State (Mo.)
4. Jacob D. Horn, St. Cloud State
5. Keenan Hagerty, Maryville (Mo.)
6. Deral Brown, Newberry (S.C.)
7. Bobby Ward, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
8. Zak Vargo, Lake Erie (Ohio)
157 Pounds
1. Dillon Bera, Wisconsin-Parkside
2. T.J. Hepburn, Nebraska-Kearney
3. Marcus Edgington, Augustana (S.D.)
4. Cory Dauphin, Central Oklahoma
5. Jordan Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
6. Bobby Williams, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
7. Taylor Knapp, Newberry (S.C.)
8. Jeremy Bommarito, Limestone (S.C.)
165 Pounds
1. Tad Merritt, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
2. Joey Wilson, Nebraska-Kearney
3. Josh Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
4. Mike Williams, North Carolina-Pembroke
5. Sean Byrnes, Newberry (S.C.)
6. Matt Vandermeer, Lake Erie (Ohio)
7. Jake Begin, Southwest State (Minn.)
8. Brett Rosedale, Maryville (Mo.)
174 Pounds
1. Luke Rynish, Wisconsin-Parkside
2. Michael Lybarger, Findlay (Ohio)
3. Shamus O’Grady, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
4. Carl Serck, Augustana (S.D.)
5. Victor Carazo, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
6. Wade Gobin, Upper Iowa
7. Travis Sheehy, Newberry (S.C.)
8. Kelly Henderson, Central Oklahoma
184 Pounds
1. Derek Skala, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
2. Dallas Smith, Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
3. Walker Clarke, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
4. Tanner Keck, Central Oklahoma
5. Brett Sanchez, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
6. Adam Walters, Findlay (Ohio)
7. Gary Lantz, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
8. Aaron Stevenson, Indianapolis (Ind.)
197 Pounds
1. Dan Scanlan, Limestone (S.C.)
2. Luke McPeek, Adams State (Colo.)
3. Lucas Munkelwitz, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
4. Carl Broghammer, Upper Iowa
5. Frank Morgan, King (Tenn.)
6. Matt Baker, Maryville (Mo.)
7. Eddie Ebewo, East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
8. Shane Nolan, North Carolina-Pembroke
285 Pounds
1. Jake Kahnke, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
2. Matt Meuleners, Northern State (S.D.)
3. Jake Elkins, Newberry (S.C.)
4. Jacob Southwick, Ashland (Ohio)
5. Zach Rosol, Upper Iowa
6. J.D. Ramsey, West Liberty (W. Va.)
7. Justin Glenn, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
8. Fred Hale, Mercyhurst (Pa.)