Buckeyes’ win over Sun Devils mixes up Top 10 in first poll of 2020
Manheim, Pennsylvania – Ohio State’s 17-16 triumph over then-No. 4 Arizona State in a rare Monday night dual in Columbus kicked off the new year with a flurry as the first NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll of 2020 was released on Tuesday. Iowa remained a unanimous No. 1 and was idle in dual meet competition over the break, but the Hawkeyes set a tournament record for points in winning the title at the 57th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships to close out 2019.
There were over 30 duals involving ranked teams since the final poll of 2019, but in large, the rankings didn’t see anything major. Up top, Nebraska (5-0) remained second, followed by Penn State (3-1). With Arizona State’s loss, Virginia Tech (5-0) moved up a spot to No. 4. The Hokies picked up a pair of wins over the break, beating Chattanooga at home and then-No. 24 Central Michigan on the road. Ohio State (3-1) leap-frogged Arizona State and NC State to land at No. 5. NC State (7-0) stayed at No. 6, while ASU slid three spots to No. 7. Wisconsin, (7-1), Oklahoma State (4-1) and Pittsburgh (5-1) remained 8-9-10 to close out the Top 10.
Minnesota, Cornell and North Carolina all picked up four wins over the break, although Cornell and Minnesota also lost duals along the way. Lehigh (4-3) swept the South Beach Duals, going 3-0 with wins over Minnesota, Missouri, and Duke. Minnesota (5-3) beat Cornell, Duke and Old Dominion at the South Beach Duals and also topped South Dakota State before Christmas. North Carolina spoiled the Division I home debut of Little Rock and then swept the West Point Duals, beating Wyoming, American and host Army West Point in a quad that featured four head coaches who wrestled at Oklahoma State.
Cornell beat Missouri, Michigan State, South Dakota State, and Wyoming at the South Beach Duals. Other duals of note saw Princeton top Rider, Oregon State beat Michigan and Northern Illinois beat Central Michigan.
Rutgers (6-0) moved into the Top 25 for the first time this season.
Methodology: The NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll is voted on by two coaches from each Division I wrestling conference. Each first-place vote is worth 25 points, 24 points for a second-place vote, 23 for a third-place vote and so on through to one point for a 25th-place vote. The poll is based on dual meet results.
NWCA Division I Coaches Poll
January 7, 2020
Others Receiving Votes: Central Michigan 12, Illinois 11, Campbell 8, Rider 8, Oregon State 5, Lock Haven 4, Northern Illinois 4, Wyoming 4
Dropped Out: No. 24 Central Michigan, No. 25 (tie) Rider
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