Who's #1: Coaches Say Not These Guys

Minnesota starts season No. 1 in USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll

The Minnesota Golden Gophers will open the 2012-13 season as the nation’s top-ranked team according to the USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll.

Coach J Robinson’s team garnered seven of a 10 possible first place votes to start the season No. 1. Last year, the Gophers finished second at the NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis. The Gophers are led by returning heavyweight champion Tony Nelson and returning runner-up Dylan Ness at 149 pounds.

The Gophers won the NWCA National Duals last season and finished with a 14-3 dual record. They closed the 2011-12 season as the top-ranked dual team in the country.

Two-time defending national champions Penn State starts the season ranked second in the country. Cael Sanderson’s squad returns national champions David Taylor (165) and Ed Ruth, who moves up to 184 pounds. Returning finalists Nico Megaludis (125) and Quentin Wright, who also moves up, this time to 197 pounds, bolster the Penn State lineup.

Wright won the NCAA championship at 184 pounds in 2011.

Oklahoma State comes in ranked third while a pair of Big Ten programs fill out the top five – Iowa at No. 4 and Ohio State at No. 5.

In all, six Big Ten teams populate the top 10, with Illinois ranked No. 6 and Nebraska ranked ninth.

Cornell from the EIWA comes in tied with the MAC’s newest member, Missouri, at No. 7. Oregon State from the Pac-12 rounds out the top 10.

The USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll is released on Tuesdays during the college wrestling season. Each conference has one voting representative in the poll. Points are calculated on a 40-39-38-3-2-1 descending value. First-place votes are listed in parenthesis.

Rank Team Points 11-12 Record

1 Minnesota (7) 397 14-3

2 Penn State (3) 392 13-1

3 Oklahoma State 372 17-2

4 Iowa 371 14-4

5 Ohio State 359 13-4

6 Illinois 352 16-4

7 (tie) Cornell 328 11-1

7 (tie) Missouri 328 13-4

9 Nebraska 321 15-4

10 Oregon State 290 10-3

11 Oklahoma 288 13-5

12 Virginia Tech 270 8-6

13 Michigan 269 6-6

14 Northwestern 260 11-4

15 Maryland 244 15-1

16 Virginia 237 11-1

17 Central Michigan 214 14-9

18 Pittsburgh 210 14-2

19 Wyoming 198 10-3

20 Edinboro 185 9-4

21 Lehigh 165 12-5

22 Kent State 162 14-5

23 Old Dominion 158 13-10

24 Boise State 116 4-9

25 Hofstra 108 12-3

Others receiving votes: Binghamton 107, Purdue 80, Rutgers 78, Iowa State 35, American 16, Northern Iowa 15, West Virginia 15.

19 comments

Donnie Hollingshead 7 months ago

well im not gonna get fired up about this ranking are never right but they are 2x defending champs but they should be ranked 1 they have at least earned that and now they are pissed of and there gonna take FIRST!!

seriously 7 months ago

To IMO: PSU is good but not that good-cant win National Duals when you don't show..just saying IMO.

Gary Buckley 7 months ago

Man!! All that poll did was piss the PSU wrestlers off and made for bulletin board material...like they need it. I guess that is why you wrestler the matches. Looking forward to the season and who is standing atop of the poduim at the end.

swishvt 7 months ago

Tough to beat Minnesota from 65 up? Taylor destroys Yohn, Brown beats Storley all day long, Ruth over Steinhouse not even close, 97 depends on which Q shows up, and I'll concede HWT.

Knights 7 months ago

Don't worry, The Gorilla Hulk will force Goodale out soon enough.

Matthew Russo 7 months ago

Normally I'm not a critic of other people's opinions.... but eddie... come on.... I'm a HUGE cornell fan, but penn state has two national champs and a national runner up/former champ in the weights including 165 and up... don't get me wrong- Minnesota is stacked as well, but at those weights i don't think it will be "tough" for penn state to come away with AT LEAST one win from 165 and up...

r_u_serious 7 months ago

The Rutgers comment is interesting. I feel he also has a limited view of the state of NJ. So many nooks and crannies of the state that I doubt ever get calls from Goodie-dale

IMO 7 months ago

Penn State takes the entire thing. National Duals and NCAAs. Also about the Binghampton topic, can't count that team out, Donnie Vinson (3rd in 2012) is back with a bunch of ranked teammates and majority of the talent. Got Ware on their team with Matt Dernlan (former A.D. and and Head Asst. at PSU) as the H.C.

7 for 10 7 months ago

Last year Minnesota won 7 out of 10 matches against Penn St. in the dual meet 2 days after getting beat by Cornell. This is a dual meet poll, so I think that's fair.

BTW, 2 years ago Penn State may have won the NCAA tournament, but they were 3rd place in the Big Ten dual meet season.

Keystone State 7 months ago

are these rankings based on dual team strength?

7 months ago

Minny may be better than PSU but it won't be hard for PSU to win a match above 165. Other than HWT, I'll take PSU in those.

eddie 7 months ago

I think Minnesota is the team to beat if their 125 situation works out. Their upper weights are so solid. It's going to be tough to win a match against Minnesota from 165 on up. It's going to be a great year of college wrestling.

Anonymous Coward 7 months ago

Binghampton coach left with the talent , and recruits to NC State no ?

Guess it'll all come down to Minnesota versus PSU. Cael's boys will surely bring the noise.

dragon flyer 7 months ago

so you're telling me that if Minnesota got 7 votes & Penn St got 3 votes....that only 10 coaches voted. ha what type of coaches votes is that?

Someone speak for New YAWK 7 months ago

Can anyone explain how Binghampton isn't in the top 25, 15-4, dual meet record, had a top 15 finish, a pair of AA's, and wins over Hofstra and ODU. That's getting the short end of the stick for ya.

AllPAseesIsGOLD 7 months ago

2011-2012* season

Okay, so let me get this straight. Penn State's Nittany Lions win two back to back NCAA titles with a very young team that holds two 2011 NCAA champions and two finalists and yet they still have to prove they're the best again and don't deserve a #1 ranking. Kinda hard to take in all at once.

High School Coach... 7 months ago

Fire Goodale @ Rutgers PLEASE !!!!

Jersey is a hot bed for wrestlling. Please get a REAL college coach.

Who's #1: Coaches Say Not These Guys

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