Nebraska-Kearney grabs No. 1 spot in new Division II rankings

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Mike Kirk (University of Central Oklahoma)
01/24/2007


EDMOND, Okla. - Nebraska-Kearney took over the top spot in the NCAA Division II wrestling rankings Wednesday on the strength of its championship showing at the NWCA Division II National Duals, according to the poll released by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association.

The Antelopes, who edged Nebraska-Omaha 20-19 in the finals of that 16-team dual tournament on Jan. 14 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, received six of the eight first-place votes cast in finishing with 157 points to take the No. 1 ranking from Central Oklahoma.

UNO, which defeated UCO 20-16 in the semifinals of the NWCA Division II National Duals, was second with 151 points and the Bronchos had the other two first-place votes to come in third with 148 points. 

Rounding out the top 10 was Minnesota State-Mankato, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Adams State, Upper Iowa, West Liberty State (W.Va.) and Fort Hays State (Kan.), with WLSU moving from 15th to eighth in making the biggest jump in the poll.

UNK, which will host the 2007 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships on March 9-10, is led by top-ranked individuals Brett Allgood (133 pounds) and Tervel Dlagnev (285). The three-time defending national champion Mavericks have four No. 1 wrestlers in 125 Cody Garcia, 149 Todd Meneely, 165 Ross Taplin and 174 J.D. Naig, while UCO is paced by No. 1s Kyle Evans (141) and Jason Leavitt (157).

The other two top-ranked individuals are 184 Mike Corcetti of UPJ and 197 Casey Woodall of ASC.

The NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association Top 20 poll, with points and last ranking:

Rank        School (State)    Points        Last Ranking
1.    Nebraska-Kearney    157    2nd
2.    Nebraska-Omaha        151    4th
3.    Central Oklahoma    148    1st
4.    Minnesota State-Mankato    135    3rd
5.    Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)    129    5th
6.    Adams State (Colo.)    120    6th
7.    Upper Iowa        100    8th
8.    West Liberty State (W.Va.)    97    15th
9.    Western State (Colo.)    86    9th
10.    Fort Hays State (Kan.)    81    7th
11.    Wisconsin-Parkside    76    18th
12.    Ashland (Ohio)        75    10th
13.    Mercyhurst (Pa.)        63    17th
14.    Augustana (S.D.)        54    11th
15.    Indianapolis (Ind.)    45    13th
16.    Newberry (S.C.)        43    12th
17.    Chadron State (Neb.)    26    20th
18.    Carson-Newman (Tenn.)    23    14th
19.    Findlay (Ohio)        22    16th
T20.    Minnesota State-Moorhead    20    19th
T20.    Kutztown (Pa.)        20    20th

Others receiving votes:  Central Missouri, Shippensburg (Pa.).

NCAA Division II
Individual Rankings
125 Pounds
1.    Cody Garcia, Nebraska-Omaha
2.    Nick Smith, Minnesota State-Mankato
3.    Trevor Charboneau, Nebraska-Kearney
4.    Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.)
5.    Kody Pierson, Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
6.    Tyler Mumbulo, Upper Iowa
7.    Chas Welch, Northern State (S.D.)
8.    Chris Trampe, Augustana (S.D.)

133 Pounds
1.    Brett Allgood, Nebraska-Kearney
2.    Andy Uhl, Findlay (Ohio)
3.    Jeff Pfaffinger, Minnesota State-Mankato
4.    Jake Brumbelow, Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
5.    Shane Perkey, Indianapolis (Ind.)
6.    Joe Kemmerer, Kutztown (Pa.)
7.    Brandon Reasy, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
8.    Reimark Neidermaier, Belmont Abbey (N.C.)

141 Pounds
1.    Kyle Evans, Central Oklahoma
2.    Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
3.    Travis Elg, Minnesota State-Mankato
4.    Tony Washington, Newberry (S.C.)
5.    Jeff Rutledge, Nebraska-Kearney
6.    Doug Sura, West Liberty State (W.Va.)
7.    Tony Iovine, Ashland (Ohio)
8.    Yasiim Bribieseca, Nebraska-Omaha

149 Pounds
1.    Todd Meneely, Nebraska-Omaha
2.    Jason Rhoten, Minnesota State-Mankato
3.    Mikel Delk, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
4.    Shea Timothy, Central Oklahoma
5.    Don Cummings, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
6.    Marcus Gordon, Ashland (Ohio)
7.    Charlie Pingleton, Indianapolis (Ind.)
8.    Matt True, Nebraska-Kearney

157 Pounds
1.    Jason Leavitt, Central Oklahoma
2.    Brad Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside
3.    Tony Guerra, Findlay (Ohio)
4.    Austin Scarset, Augustana (S.D.)
5.    Mike Gallegos, Adams State (Colo.)
6.    Brandon Girtz, Minnesota State-Mankato
7.    Joe Ellenberger, Nebraska-Kearney
8.    Danny Grater, Fort Hays State (Kan.)

165 Pounds
1.    Ross Taplin, Nebraska-Omaha
2.    Andy Pickar, Minnesota State-Mankato
3.    Nate Baker, Minnesota State-Moorhead
4.    Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa
5.    Eric Lakia, Ashland (Ohio)
6.    Brett Hunter, Chadron State (Neb.)
7.    Kevin Kalbach, Kutztown (Pa.)
8.    Justin Wood, Central Oklahoma

174 Pounds
1.    J.D. Naig, Nebraska-Omaha
2.    Zach Shafer, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
3.    Tom Clark, West Liberty State (W.Va.)
4.    Michael Jackson, Indianapolis (Ind.)
5.    Cody Henriksen, Augustana (S.D.)
6.    Quinn Tolbert, Newberry (S.C.)
7.    Eli Garshnick, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
8.    Brady Hakeman, Upper Iowa

184 Pounds
1.    Mike Corcetti, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
2.    Nate Jones, Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
3.    Matt Farrell, Nebraska-Kearney
4.    Jared Hess, Central Oklahoma
5.    Jared Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.)
6.    Travis Krinke, Minnesota State-Mankato
7.    Dan Scanlan, Limestone (S.C.)
8.    Mark Murphy, Shippensburg (Pa.)

197 Pounds
1.    Casey Woodall, Adams State (Colo.)
2.    Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha
3.    Nate Buys, Augustana (S.D.)
4.    Derek Brunson, North Carolina-Pembroke
5.    Ryan Phillips, Upper Iowa
6.    Mike Fowler, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
7.    Chris Taylor, West Liberty (W.Va.)
8.    Kelsey Empting, Nebraska-Kearney

285 Pounds
1.    Tervel Dlagnev, Nebraska-Kearney
2.    Josh LeadingFox, Central Oklahoma
3.    Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato
4.    Andrew Ubben, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
5.    Josh Ohl, Ashland (Ohio)
6.    Jose Navarro, Indianapolis (Ind.)
7.    Tony Lewis, Nebraska-Omaha
8.    Dan Goodson, Upper Iowa