Nebraska-Omaha emerges as new No. 1 team in Division II

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Mike Kirk (University of Central Oklahoma)
02/20/2008


EDMOND, Okla. - Nebraska-Omaha took over the No. 1 ranking  in the final regular-season NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association rankings that were released Wednesday.

The Mavericks, who had a three-year string of national championships ended by Central Oklahoma last year, switched places with previous No. 1 Minnesota State-Mankato after a 32-7 dual win over MSU-Mankato on Feb. 8. 

UNO received seven of the eight first-place votes cast in balloting of coaches from around the country in finishing with 159 points, while MSU-Mankato was second with 152. 

Adams State (Colo.) stayed third with 145 points, Western State (Colo.) moved to fourth with 135 and Nebraska-Kearney dropped to fifth with 125.  Rounding out the top 10 was UCO, Newberry (S.C.), Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Ashland (Ohio) and St. Cloud State (Minn.). 

Regional qualifying tournaments will be held the weekend of March 1-2, with Pittsburgh-Johnstown hosting the East, MSU-Mankato the North, Indianapolis the Midwest and New Mexico Highlands the West. 

The top-four placers at each weight class from all four regionals advance to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, set for March 14-15 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with Upper Iowa as the host. 

The top 20 poll, with points and their last ranking: 

Rank                School (State)        Points                Last Ranking 
1.        Nebraska-Omaha        159                2nd 
2.        Minnesota State-Mankato        152                1st 
3.        Adams State (Colo.)        145                3rd 
4.        Western State (Colo.)        135                5th 
5.        Nebraska-Kearney        125                4th 
6.        Central Oklahoma        123                6th 
7.        Newberry (S.C.)        111                7th 
8.        Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)        105                8th 
9.        Ashland (Ohio)                84                10th 
10.        St. Cloud State (Minn.)        83                11th 
11.        Upper Iowa                76                9th 
12.        Gannon (Pa.)                75                12th 
13.        Findlay (Ohio)                64                16th 
14.        Mercyhurst (Pa.)        55                15th 
15.        Minnesota State-Moorhead        49                14th 
16.        Indianapolis (Ind.)        39                13th 
17.        Chadron State (Neb.)        34                17th 
18.        Wisconsin-Parkside        28                18th 
19.        Limestone (S.C.)        17                19th 
20.        Central Missouri        13                NR 
Others receiving votes:  Augustana (S.D.), Fort Hays State (Kan.), Northern State (S.D.) 

NCAA Division II 
Individual Rankings

125 Pounds 
1.        Cody Garcia, Nebraska-Omaha 
2.        Tyler Mumbulo, Upper Iowa 
3.        Nick Smith, Minnesota State-Mankato 
4.        Curtis Schurkamp, San Francisco State 
5.        Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.) 
6.        Joe Mavins, North Carolina-Pembroke 
7.        Lucas Huffman, West Liberty State (W.Va.) 
8.        Eddie Lopez, Western State (Colo.) 

133 Pounds 
1.        Brandon Reasy, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 
2.        Shane Perkey, Indianapolis (Ind.) 
3.        Jesse Cruz, Western State (Colo.) 
4.        Craig DeGreef, Wisconsin-Parkside 
5.        Raymond Dunning, Adams State (Colo.) 
6.        Tim Elliott, Central Oklahoma 
7.        Kelly Janke, Minnesota State-Moorhead 
8.        Mario Morgan, Nebraska-Omaha 

141 Pounds 
1.        Kyle Evans, Central Oklahoma 
2.        Steven Fittery, Shippensburg (Pa.) 
3.        Jeff Rutledge, Nebraska-Kearney 
4.        Travis Elg, Minnesota State-Mankato 
5.        Matt Irwin, Indianapolis (Ind.) 
6.        Tony Washington, Newberry (S.C.) 
7.        Doug Surra, West Liberty State (W. Va.) 
8.        Josh Hensley, Adams State (Colo.) 

149 Pounds 
1.        Todd Meneely, Nebraska-Omaha 
2.        Camille DuPont, Western State (Colo.) 
3.        Brian Pogel, Mercyhurst (Pa.) 
4.        Tommy Abbott, Minnesota State-Mankato 
5.        Tee Adams, Upper Iowa 
6.        Ryan Etherton, Nebraska-Kearney 
7.        Colby Robinson, Central Oklahoma 
8.        Joey Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.) 

157 Pounds 
1.        Jason Rhoten, Minnesota State-Mankato 
2.        Joe Ellenberger, Nebraska-Kearney 
3.        Noomis Jones, Adams State (Colo.) 
4.        Antonio Guerra, Findlay (Ohio) 
5.        Andy Lamancusa, Mercyhurst (Pa.) 
6.        Muhammad Abdur-Rahman, Ashland (Ohio) 
7.        John Sundgren, St. Cloud State (Minn.) 
8.        Travis Eggers, Upper Iowa 

165 Pounds 

1.        Zach Lee, Western State (Colo.) 
2.        Brett Hunter, Chadron State (Neb.) 
3.        Andy Pickar, Minnesota State-Mankato 
4.        Aaron Denson, Nebraska-Omaha 
5.        Kyle Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside 
6.        Hudson Harrison, Mercyhurst (Pa.) 
7.        Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa 
8.        Keenan McCurdy, Nebraska-Kearney 

174 Pounds 
1.        Larry Wilbanks, Western State (Colo.) 
2.        Evan Copeland, Adams State (Colo.) 
3.        Jesse Feinsod, New Mexico Highlands 
4.        Marty Usman, Nebraska-Kearney 
5.        Ross Taplin, Nebraska-Omaha 
6.        Cory VanGroll, Wisconsin-Parkside 
7.        Tim Matheson, Minnesota State-Mankato 
8.        Tyler Tubbs, Minnesota State-Moorhead 

184 Pounds 
1.        Jared Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.) 
2.        Brent Pankoke, Nebraska-Omaha 
3.        Dan Scanlan, Limestone (S.C.) 
4.        Keeno Griffin, Newberry (S.C.) 
5.        Mike Corcetti, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 
6.        Lars Lueders, Western State (Colo.) 
7.        Heath Jolley, Central Oklahoma 
8.        Beau Severtson, Augustana (S.D.) 

197 Pounds 
1.        Josh Majerus, Chadron State (Neb.) 
2.        Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha 
3.        Josh Ohl, Ashland (Ohio) 
4.        Ty Copsey, Augustana (S.D.) 
5.        Donavan McMahill, Western State (Colo.) 
6.        Pat Walsh, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 
7.        Jarrett Edison, Central Oklahoma 
8.        Nick Wilkes, St. Cloud State (Minn.) 

285 Pounds 
1.        Tervel Dlagnev, Nebraska-Kearney 
2.        Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato 
3.        Cy Wainwright, Newberry (S.C.) 
4.        Dustin Finn, Central Oklahoma 
5.        Dan Goodson, Upper Iowa 
6.        Tony Lewis, Nebraska-Omaha 
7.        Zach Majocha, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 
8.        Jesse Laber, Mary (N.D.)