2019-20 NCAA DIII Rankings

165 Ryan Epps - Augsburg University

Similar to last season, Epps will start the year ranked number one at 165. The two-time defending champ at 157 will begin his season up at 165 and potentially drop down to 157 to start the second semester. Epps first competition at 157 was the National Duals so be prepared for him to be at 165 all first semester. Epps went 40-3 last season with 14 of those wins coming at 165. 

2019 NCAA Runner-up Dempsey King had an incredible run in Roanoke out of the number seven seed position. King will look to try and finish the job this season after coming up just short in the finals. Four other returning All Americans are back as well that will be in contention for the 165 title this year. Kyle Hatch lost a wild semi-final match to Epp’s teammates, Lucas Jeske, in sudden victory after jumping out to an early lead over the eventual champ. Hatch beat Eddie Smith head to head in the quarterfinals at NCAAs which gave him the nod over Smith to start the year even though Smith out placed him. Austin Whitney and Taylor Shay round out the 2019 All Americans at 165, both will look to climb the podium during their senior campaigns. Bradan Birt secured his first All American finish at 157 in 2019 and will look to have the same success at 165 this year. Thomas Poklikuha missed all of last season after suffering a knee injury in the NCAA quarterfinals back in 2018. Poklikuha and Jared Walker could potentially meet at the Washington and Jefferson Invitational on November 9th, a battle of some of the top competitors at 165 in the Southeast Regional and country.

Questions or comments about the rankings? Get in touch with the ranker Anthony Bonaventura (Twitter: @coachabon; email: abonaven@stevens.edu)