Grand View holds NAIA No. 1 team ranking for second straight time

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the second-straight week and sixth time in the last seven polls, Grand View (Iowa) holds the No. 1 position in the NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Top 20 Poll. The Vikings grabbed 162 team points in the second regular-season installment. In the 10 individual weight classes, nine wrestlers held their top ranking. Southern Oregon's Prescott Gardner, who defeated No. 2 Angel Garcia of Menlo (Calif.), 6-2, on Nov. 27, is the lone newcomer at 133 pounds. 

Since reclaiming the No. 1 ranking two weeks ago, Grand View downed Northwestern (Iowa), 36-9, in its first dual of the season on Nov. 30 and claimed top prize at the Simpson Invitational in Indianola, Iowa on Dec. 1. The Vikings claimed team title with 223.5 points - 65 more than second place and defending NCAA Division III national champion Wartburg (Iowa) - including individual crowns by Isaiah Tatum at 149 pounds, Chad Lowman at 157 pounds, Jimmie Schuessler at 165 pounds, Thomas Moman at 174 pounds and Eric Thompson at heavyweight. 

Resting with 112 points, Southern Oregon sticks at the No. 2 spot thanks to 10 listed wrestlers, including four top-ranked individuals in 125-pounder Mitchell Lofstedt, Gardner, Jimmy Eggemeyer at 149 pounds and 174-pounder Brock Gutches. Great Falls (Mont.) bumps up three spots to third with 100.5 points, while No. 4 Montana State-Northern and No. 5 Campbellsville (Ky.) round out the top five with 79.5 and 78 points, respectively. 

Morningside's (Iowa) top-ranked 184-pounder Brian Block is the only No. 1 ranked individual to come from a team outside the top five. The Mustangs are currently sixth in the poll with 71 points. 

No newcomers joined the Top 25 this week. 

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the Qualifying Groups. 

Rank/Prvs./School/Total Team Points
1 1 Grand View (Iowa)162
2 2 Southern Oregon 112
3 6 Great Falls (Mont.)100.5
4 7 Montana State-Northern 79.5
5 4 Campbellsville (Ky.) 78
6 6 Morningside (Iowa) 71
7 4 Missouri Valley 62.5
8 9 Dickinson State (N.D.) 60.5
9 10 Baker (Kan.) 53
10 10 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 50

Top-Ranked Individuals
125 – Mitchell Lofstedt, Southern Oregon
133 – Prescott Gardner, Southern Oregon
141 – Myles Mazurkiewicz, Great Falls (Mont.)
149 – Jimmy Eggemeyer, Southern Oregon
157 – Chad Lowman, Grand View (Iowa)
165 – Ethan Hinebauch, Montana State-Northern
174 – Brock Gutches, Southern Oregon
184 – Brian Block, Morningside (Iowa)
197 – Derek Nightser, Grand View (Iowa)
HWT – Eric Thompson, Grand View (Iowa)

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