The pre-season rankings for the Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA) have been released. The WCWA is the national organization which governs women’s college freestyle wrestling in the nation.

This year, the WCWA has changed its weight class structure. There are still 10 weight classes, but only one weight class, the 130-pound division, remains the same as last year.

Three returning WCWA national champions who received No. 1 rankings include Gabrielle Henry of the Univ. of the Cumberlands at 116 pounds, Kristie Davis of Oklahoma City at 143 pounds and Brittany Delgado of Oklahoma City at 191 pounds.

Two-time WCWA national champion Michaela Hutchison of Oklahoma City, who placed second last year, holds the No. 1 ranking at 123 pounds.

In addition to Hutchison, there are five other WCWA runners-up from last year who start the year as No. 1 ranked athletes: Daphne-Ann Hodgson of Simon Fraser at 101 pounds, Emily Martin of King College at 109 pounds, Cianah Hee of the Univ. of the Cumberlands at 130 pounds, Alli Ragan of King College at 136 pounds and Kendra Lewis of the Univ. of the Cumberlands at 155 pounds.

Ragan won a bronze medal at the 2011 Junior World Championships in Bucharest, Romania over the summer.

Click here for Oct. 1 WCWA individual rankings

Oklahoma City, which has won the last three WCWA national team titles, opens the season with a No. 1 team ranking. Simon Fraser, which was second in last year’s WCWA Nationals, comes in at No. 2. Rounding out the top five teams in the pre-season rankings are the Univ. of the Cumberlands at No. 3, King College at No. 4 and Lindenwood at No. 5.

Click here for Oct. 1 WCWA team rankings

Rankings are scheduled to be released on the 1st and 15th of each month through January. The 2012 WCWA National Championships will be held at King College on January 28, 2012.