EDMOND, Okla. -- St. Cloud State (Minn.) enters the 2011-12 season as the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II wrestling, according to the preseason poll released by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association Wednesday.

The Huskies, coming off a best-ever runner-up finish in last year’s national tournament, received four of the eight first-place votes cast in balloting of coaches from around the country and finished with 153 points in earning the favorite’s tag.

Newberry (S.C.), which has won four straight Super Region I titles and was sixth nationally last season, earned three first-place votes and is second in the poll with 150 points.  Upper Iowa came in third with 144 points, Nebraska-Kearney had the other first-place vote in finishing fourth with 132 and Grand Canyon (Ariz.) is fifth with 130.

Rounding out the top 10 is Augustana (S.D.), Central Oklahoma, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Wisconsin-Parkside and Ashland (Ohio).

Twenty-nine teams received points in the wide-open voting, with first-year program Maryville (Mo.) coming in 15th with 47 points.  Nebraska-Omaha had its program disbanded last year after winning its third straight national championship and several members of that team, led by long-time head coach Mike Denney, went to Maryville.

For the rankings, click here