Collegiate Duals reconfigure Top 25 as 2022 comes to a close

Manheim, Pennsylvania – Penn State and NC State remained undefeated and won their respective pools as nine of the nation’s Top 25 teams took part in the Journeymen Collegiate Duals in New Orleans on Monday and Tuesday. Penn State remained No. 1 in the most recent NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll released Thursday. The Nittany Lions close out 2022 with a 7-0 record, followed by second-ranked Iowa, which also closed out the dual portion of 2020 at 7-0.

The biggest upset to come out of the event from a team perspective was then-No. 22 Northern Iowa upending No. 3 Ohio State 19-13. Northern Iowa fell to NC State 27-12 later in the event, but the Panthers (2-1) jumped nine spots to No. 13 this week. Arizona State (2-0) moved up to third, while Iowa State (7-2) leaped to fourth despite its loss to top-ranked Penn State. Individually, the event saw a number of stellar matchups, including the growing log-jam of results at 197 pounds and NCAA champion Aaron Brooks of Penn State falling to Iowa State’s Marcus Coleman at 184 pounds.

Ohio State dropped four spots to No. 7. Appalachian State (3-1) entered the Top 25 for the first time this year, primarily due to its 19-13 upset win at then-No. 21 North Carolina over the weekend. The Tar Heels went 1-2 at the Collegiate Duals, falling to Penn State and No. 12 Cornell and fell out of the poll this week.

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
December 22, 2022

RankTeam (First)RecordPointsConf.Previous
1Penn State (13)(7-0)349Big Ten1
2Iowa (1)(7-0)336Big Ten2
3Arizona State(2-0)307Pac-124
4Iowa State(7-2)295Big 126
5Michigan(3-0)293Big Ten5
6NC State(8-0)289ACC7
7Ohio State(6-1)259Big Ten3
8Virginia Tech(3-1)244ACC8
9Minnesota(7-0)237Big Ten9
10Missouri(3-2)226Big 1210
11Wisconsin(6-1)218Big Ten11
12Cornell(2-2)197EIWA12
13Northern Iowa(2-1)179Big 1222
14Oklahoma State(4-1)175Big 1213
15Northwestern(1-0)146Big Ten14
16North Dakota State(4-2)132Big 1215
17Nebraska(2-2)113Big Ten16
18Rutgers(6-1)108Big Ten17
19South Dakota State(1-2)82Big 1218
20Lehigh(4-5)81EIWA19
21Pittsburgh(5-1)73ACC20
22Maryland(5-0)55Big Ten23
23Michigan State(6-0)45Big Ten24
24Appalachian State(3-1)36SoConNULL
25Cal Poly(3-3)18Pac-1225

Dropped Out: No. 21 North Carolina (2-5)

Others Receiving Votes: Indiana 12, Oklahoma 10, North Carolina 9, Stanford 7, Penn 6, Oregon State 5, West Virginia 5, Princeton 3.