MANHEIM, Pa. — The South Dakota State wrestling team is ranked third in the inaugural Division I Mid-Major Top 20 poll conducted by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
Formulated in 2017, the Mid-Major Top 20 is based on dual meet results and is voted on by coaches representing teams from non-Power Five conferences.
Members of the EIWA and Big 12 Conference dominated the upper half of the poll, with a combined seven teams in the top 10. Lehigh ranked first, with five first-place votes, followed by fellow EIWA program Cornell right behind the Mountain Hawks in the second position.
South Dakota State, which improved to 7-1 in duals after wins over Chattanooga and Maryland last weekend at the Virginia Duals, earned the third spot. Big 12 rival North Dakota State is in fourth, followed by league members Wyoming (sixth) and Northern Iowa (eighth) in the top 10. Southern Conference member Campbell rounded out the top five in the fifth spot.
SDSU also is one of five mid-major teams to be ranked in the NWCA Coaches Poll, with four other programs currently receiving votes.
The Jackrabbits face a busy weekend as they are scheduled to wrestle Saturday at Missouri, followed by duals Sunday versus SIU-Edwardsville and Central Michigan in Edwardsville, Illinois.
NWCA DIVISION I MID-MAJOR TOP 20
| Rank | Name | Points | Wrestling Conference | All-Sports Conference |
| 1 | Lehigh | 100 (5) | EIWA | Patriot League |
| 2 | Cornell | 95 | EIWA | Ivy League |
| 3 | South Dakota State | 76 | Big 12 | Summit |
| 4 | North Dakota State | 73 | Big 12 | Summit |
| 5 | Campbell | 65 | SoCon | Big South |
| 6 | Wyoming | 60 | Big 12 | Mountain West |
| 7 | Princeton | 58 | EIWA | Ivy League |
| 8 | Northern Iowa | 53 | Big 12 | Missouri Valley |
| 9 | Buffalo | 46 | MAC | MAC |
| 10 | Central Michigan | 45 | MAC | MAC |
| 11 | Clarion | 42 | MAC | PSAC |
| 11 | Ohio | 42 | MAC | MAC |
| 13 | Penn | 36 | EIWA | Ivy League |
| 14 | Utah Valley | 35 | Big 12 | WAC |
| 15 | Northern Colorado | 34 | Big 12 | Big Sky |
| 16 | Appalachian State | 32 | SoCon | Sun Belt |
| 17 | Northern Illinois | 31 | MAC | MAC |
| 18 | Cal Poly | 29 | PAC 12 | Big West |
| 19 | Bucknell | 21 | EIWA | Patriot League |
| 20 | Lock Haven | 16 | MAC | PSAC |
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