Nebraska-Kearney stays atop Division II poll

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Mike Kirk (University of Central Oklahoma)
01/09/2008


EDMOND, Okla. -- Nebraska-Kearney maintained its position atop the NCAA Division II wrestling rankings and will be favored to defend its title at the NWCA Division II National Duals this weekend, according to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association poll that was released Wednesday.

UNK, last year's national tournament runner-up, earned six of the eight first-place votes cast in balloting of coaches from around the country and finished with 158 points.  Nebraska-Omaha picked up the other two first-place votes and jumped from seventh to second in the poll with 150 points.  Defending national champion Central Oklahoma was third with 141 points, followed by Minnesota State-Mankato (139) and Adams State (128).

Rounding out the top 10 was Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Upper Iowa, Ashland (Ohio), Western State (Colo.) and Newberry (S.C.).  The NWCA Division II National Duals will be held Saturday and Sunday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, with 13 top-20 teams -- including eight in the top-10 -- competing in that 16-team event.  UNK is the No. 1 seed, with UNO second, UCO third and MSU-Mankato fourth.

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

Rank		School (State)	Points		Last Ranking
1.	Nebraska-Kearney	158		1st
2.	Nebraska-Omaha	150		7th
3.	Central Oklahoma	141		3rd
4.	Minnesota State-Mankato	139		2nd
5.	Adams State (Colo.)	128		4th
6.	Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)	124		5th
7.	Upper Iowa		111		6th
8.	Ashland (Ohio)	96		10th
9.	Western State (Colo.)	95		8th
10.	Newberry (S.C.)	94		9th
11.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	67		12th
12.	Chadron State (Neb.)	59		11th
13.	Gannon (Pa.)		58		T20th
14.	Findlay (Ohio)		53		16th
15.	Wisconsin-Parkside	48		19th
16.	Mercyhurst (Pa.)	46		13th
17.	Minnesota State-Moorhead	32		14th
18.	St. Cloud State (Minn.)	24		T20th
19.	Limestone (S.C.)	22		15th
20.	Fort Hays State (Kan.)	18		17th 	

Others receiving votes:  Anderson (S.C.), Augustana (S.D.), Central Missouri, Northern State (S.D.), San Francisco State. 

NCAA Division II Individual Rankings
125 Pounds
1.	Tyler Zukerman, Central Oklahoma
2.	Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.)
3.	Derrek Bosso, Pittburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
4.	Cody Garcia, Nebraska-Omaha
5.	Tyler Mumbulo, Upper Iowa
6.	Nick Smith, Minnesota State-Mankato
7.	Joe Mavins, North Carolina-Pembroke
8.	Chris Neidermeier, Belmont-Abbey (N.C.)

133 Pounds
1.	Shane Perkey, Indianapolis (Ind.)
2.	Brandon Reasy, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
3.	Craig DeGreef, Wisconsin-Parkside
4.	Jacob Pederson, Upper Iowa
5.	Kelly Janke, Minnesota State-Moorhed
6.	Mike Nash, North Carolina-Pembroke
7.	Matt Mossor, West Liberty State (W. Va.)
8.	Raymond Dunning, Adams State (Colo.)

141 Pounds
1.	Kyle Evans, Central Oklahoma
2.	Steven Fittery, Shippensburg (Pa.)
3.	Doug Surra, West Liberty State (W. Va.)
4.	Jeff Rutledge, Nebraska-Kearney
5.	Yasiim Bribieseca, Nebraska-Omaha
6.	Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
7.	Travis Elg, Minnesota State-Mankato
8.	Matt Irwin, Indianapolis (Ind.)

149 Pounds
1.	Todd Meneely, Nebraska-Omaha
2.	Mike Rogers, Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
3.	Camille DuPont, Western State (Colo.)
4.	Tee Adams, Upper Iowa
5.	Brian Pogel, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
6.	Shane Walton, Minnesota State-Moorhead
7.	Colby Robinson, Central Oklahoma
8.	Ryan Etherton, Nebraska-Kearney

157 Pounds
1.	Jason Rhoten, Minnesota State-Mankato
2.	Joe Ellenberger, Nebraska-Kearney
3.	Antonio Guerra, Findlay (Ohio)
4.	Muhammad Abdur-Rahman, Ashland (Ohio)
5.	Jason Leavitt, Central Oklahoma
6.	Eric Pretto, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
7.	Michael Horton, Indianapolis (Ind.)
8.	Travis Eggers, Upper Iowa 

165 Pounds
1.	Brett Hunter, Chadron State (Neb.)
2.	Andy Pickar, Minnesota State-Mankato
3.	Zach Lee, Western State (Colo.)
4.	Taylor May, Nebraska-Kearney
5.	Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa
6.	Kyle Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside
7.	Aaron Denson, Nebraska-Omaha
8.	Alonzo Azumendi, Newberry (S.C.)

174 Pounds
1.	Larry Wilbanks, Western State (Colo.)
2.	Tyler Tubbs, Minnesota State-Moorhead
3.	Tim Matheson, Minnesota State-Mankato
4.	Albert Miles, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
5.	Brady Hakeman, Upper Iowa
6.	Marty Usman, Nebraska-Kearney
7.	Evan Copeland, Adams State (Colo.)
8.	Justin Ferguson, Ashland (Ohio) 

184 Pounds
1.	Jared Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.)
2.	Austin Boehm, Nebraska-Omaha
3.	Mike Corcetti, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
4.	Heath Jolley, Central Oklahoma
5.	Dan Scanlan, Limestone (S.C.)
6.	Brad Padgett, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
7.	Luke Haag, Wisconsin-Parkside
8.	Hiram Smith, Findlay (Ohio)

197 Pounds
1.	Josh Majerus, Chadron State (Neb.)
2.	Kelsey Empting, Nebraska-Kearney
3.	Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha
4.	Josh Ohl, Ashland (Ohio)
5.	Ty Copsey, Augustana (S.D.)
6.	Kelly Anundson, Newberry (S.C)
7.	Dan Stevenson, Findlay (Ohio)
8.	Matt Nelson, Minnesota State-Moorhead

285 Pounds
1.	Tervel Dlagnev, Nebraska-Kearney
2.	Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato
3.	Dan Goodson, Upper Iowa
4.	Cy Wainwright, Newberry (S.C.)
5.	Travis Clark, Findlay (Ohio)
6.	Trey Moss, Limestone (S.C.)
7.	Tony Lewis, Nebraska-Omaha
8.	Lynn Panko, Indianapolis (Ind.)