Manheim, Pennsylvania – Wins over Arizona State and Virginia Tech buoyed Cornell six spots as the Big Red were one of the nation’s biggest movers as the first NWCA Division I Coaches Poll of 2023 was released on Tuesday.
Cornell opened up the new year topping then-No. 3 Arizona State 19-12 in a neutral site dual in Austin, Texas. The Big Red followed by heading into the sold-out Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, Virginia, and picking off then-No. 8 Virginia Tech 22-12.
Unbeaten Penn State (8-0) and Iowa (9-0) remained atop of the poll for the eighth straight poll in the 2022-23 regular season. The Nittany Lions topped then-No. 11 Wisconsin in Madison, while Iowa got past pesky Illinois 25-19 at home before topping Purdue 37-6 on the road.
Iowa State (9-2) and Michigan both earned a pair of weekend wins and ended this week’s voting tied for third. NC State (9-0) moved into the top five for the first time this season. The Wolfpack beat Binghamton 36-3.
Iowa State handed Arizona State its second loss of the week with a gritty 19-15 win over the Sun Devils in Ames. Michigan (5-0) swept a pair of duals in California, first beating then-No. 24 Cal Poly 30-11 and then blanking CSU Bakersfield 36-0. Ohio State (7-1) topped Indiana and remained at No. 7, while Arizona State (2-2) dropped five spots to No. 8. Missouri (4-2) held firm at No. 10 after beating then No. 13 Northern Iowa 24-12.
Northwestern improved to 2-0 after an 18-11 win over then-No. 9 Minnesota. The Wildcats moved to No. 11, the program’s highest position in the poll since December 11, 2012, when Northwestern was ranked 10th.
Illinois and West Virginia entered the Top 25 after their weekend performances. After the loss to Iowa, Illinois earned an 18-17 win over then-No. 11 Wisconsin to move into the poll at No. 25, tied with Pittsburgh, which fell at home 24-11 to West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 6-1 and also beat Ohio 28-9 on Friday. West Virginia’s appearance in the Top 25 is the first for the program since January 12, 2016, and the first in the Tim Flynn era.
This Week: On Thursday, North Dakota State will be the only ranked team in action as they head west to face Stanford. On Friday, the 42nd annual Virginia Duals kicks off in Hampton, Virginia, highlighted by No. 19 South Dakota State and No. 23 Maryland. No. 3 Michigan is at No. 21 Michigan State, No. 9 Virginia Tech is at No. 22 Appalachian State, No. 24 West Virginia is at Chattanooga, No. 18 Rutgers is at Indiana, Army West Point is at No. 5 NC State, Buffalo is at No. 25 Pittsburgh, No. 15 Northern Iowa is at Utah Valley, No. 11 Northwestern is at No. 2 Iowa, No. 12 Minnesota is at No. 16 Nebraska, and No. 10 Missouri as at Air Force.
On Saturday, North Dakota State is at California Baptist, No. 6 Cornell hosts No. 20 Lehigh, No. 10 Missouri heads up I-25 to face Wyoming, No. 25 Illinois hosts Purdue, and No. 3 Iowa State will take its turn wrestling at Utah Valley.
Sunday’s action includes No. 20 Lehigh at Binghamton, No. 13 Oklahoma State at Columbia, No. 18 Rutgers at No. 7 Ohio State, No. 22 Appalachian State at The Citadel, No. 11 Northwestern at No. 16 Nebraska, Princeton at No. 8 Arizona State, No. 14 Wisconsin at No. 3 Michigan and No. 21 Michigan State at No. 12 Minnesota.
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
January 10, 2023
| Rank | Team (First) | Record | Points | Conf. | Previous |
| 1 | Penn State (13) | (8-0) | 349 | Big Ten | 1 |
| 2 | Iowa (1) | (9-0) | 335 | Big Ten | 2 |
| 3 (tie) | Iowa State | (9-2) | 309 | Big 12 | 4 |
| 3 (tie) | Michigan | (5-0) | 309 | Big Ten | 5 |
| 5 | NC State | (9-0) | 301 | ACC | 6 |
| 6 | Cornell | (4-2) | 262 | EIWA | 12 |
| 7 | Ohio State | (7-1) | 258 | Big Ten | 7 |
| 8 | Arizona State | (2-2) | 255 | Pac-12 | 3 |
| 9 | Virginia Tech | (5-2) | 237 | ACC | 8 |
| 10 | Missouri | (4-2) | 224 | Big 12 | 10 |
| 11 | Northwestern | (2-0) | 207 | Big Ten | 16 |
| 12 | Minnesota | (7-1) | 189 | Big Ten | 9 |
| 13 | Oklahoma State | (5-1) | 179 | Big 12 | 14 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | (6-3) | 171 | Big Ten | 11 |
| 15 | Northern Iowa | (3-2) | 168 | Big 12 | 13 |
| 16 | Nebraska | (4-2) | 140 | Big Ten | 15 |
| 17 | North Dakota State | (4-2) | 117 | Big 12 | 17 |
| 18 | Rutgers | (8-1) | 104 | Big Ten | 18 |
| 19 | South Dakota State | (3-2) | 87 | Big 12 | 19 |
| 20 | Lehigh | (4-5) | 73 | EIWA | 20 |
| 21 | Michigan State | (7-0) | 52 | Big Ten | 23 |
| 22 | Appalachian State | (4-1) | 43 | SoCon | 24 |
| 23 | Maryland | (5-1) | 41 | Big Ten | 22 |
| 24 | West Virginia | (6-1) | 40 | Big 12 | NR |
| 25 (tie) | Illinois | (3-3) | 21 | Big Ten | NR |
| 25 (tie) | Pittsburgh | (5-2) | 21 | ACC | 21 |
Dropped Out: No. 25 Cal Poly (3-4).
Others Receiving Votes: Cal Poly 17, Indiana 10, Penn 10, Stanford 8, North Carolina 6, Oregon State 6, Northern Colorado 1.