2001-02 College News - NWCA Division II Rankings

NWCA Division II Rankings

10/30/01

EDMOND, Okla. -- North Dakota State is the pre-season choice to win its third straight national wrestling championship in 2001-02 according to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association Top 20 poll.

The pre-season poll was determined using returning points from last year's national tournament.

The Bison of veteran head coach Bucky Maughn, who have captured three of the past four Division II national titles, return 65 points from last year's team that trimmed South Dakota State 98-91.5 for the championship. Leading NDSU are two returning individual champions -- 174-pounder Todd Fuller and heavyweight Nick Severson, who are both No. 1 in the individual pre-season rankings.

SDSU is second in the pre-season poll with 58 returning points and have three individuals ranked second at their respective weights in 157 Aaron Veskrna, 165 Tyler Bryant and heavyweight Jon Madsen.

Central Oklahoma is third in the pre-season poll, with Nebraska-Omaha fourth and Ashland (Ohio) fifth. Rounding out the top 10 is Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Augustana (S.D.), Western State (Colo.) and three teams tied for ninth -- Adams State (Colo.), Central Missouri State and Minnesota State-Mankato.

The NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches1 Association Pre-season Top 20 poll with returning national tournament points and last year's national finish:

Rank

School (State)

Points

Last Year's Finish

1.

North Dakota State

65

1st

2.

South Dakota State

58

2nd

3.

Central Oklahoma

56 3/4

T3rd

4.

Nebraska-Omaha

50

T3rd

5.

Ashland (Ohio)

47

9th

6.

Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)

46

10th

7.

Augustana (S.D.)

35 1/2

13th

8.

Western State (Colo.)

32 1/2

11th

9.

Adams State (Colo.)

23

15th

9.

Central Missouri State

23

11th

9.

Minnesota State-Mankato

23

6th

12.

West Liberty State (W. Va.)

17 1/2

8th

13.

Northern Colorado

14

17th

14.

Southwest State (Minn.)

13 1/2

T21st

15.

San Francisco State (Calif.)

13 1/4

T21st

16.

Nebraska-Kearney

13

23rd

17.

Carson-Newman (Tenn.)

12 1/2

16th

18.

St. Cloud State (Minn.)

8

14th

19.

Chadron State (Neb.)

6

25th

19.

Wisconsin-Parkside

6

28th

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
125 Pounds
1. Adam Mars, Adams State (Colo.)
2. Mark Dodgen, Central Oklahoma
3. Brandon Newill, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
4. Lester Berrios, Minnesota State-Mankato
5. Victor Juarez, Wisconsin-Parkside
6. Matt Strawser, North Dakota State
7. Brian Burzynski, Kutztown (Pa.)
8. Anthony Guillen, Western State (Colo.)

133 Pounds
1. Cole Province, Central Oklahoma
2. Jacob Ramos, Augustana (S.D.)
3. Lucas Christianson, North Dakota State
4. Chris Peretti, Ashland (Ohio)
5. Kohlby O1Donnell, Kutztown (Pa.)
6. Ben Sprunger, Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
7. Adam Kramer, Minnesota State-Mankato
8. Luke Shaw, Central Missouri State

141 Pounds
1. Jay Yates, Indianapolis (Ind.)
2. Zac Stratton, Western State (Colo.)
3. Chris Shears, Ashland (Ohio)
4. Hannon Hisek, Minnesota State-Mankato
5. Roderick Ratcliff, Nebraska-Omaha
6. Rob English, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
7. Jake Thielbar, North Dakota State
8. Nate Peterson, Colorado School of Mines

149 Pounds
1. Joe Lloyd, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
2. Jared Cooley, Southwest State (Minn.)
3. Jason Dye, Chadron State (Neb.)
4. Brandon Pfizenmaier, Nebraska-Kearney
5. Ryan Wirtzberger, Ashland (Ohio)
6. Michael Barreras, Central Oklahoma
7. Wes Reynolds, Central Missouri State
8. Steve Kosloski, Minnesota State-Mankato

157 Pounds
1. Shad Benton, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
2. Aaron Veskrna, South Dakota State
3. Travis Keppenhafer, Adams State (Colo.)
4. Matt Neumueller, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
5. Ryan Hunter, Central Missouri State
6. Ryan Mizushima, Western State (Colo.)
7. Thad Pike, North Dakota State
8. Ryan Dickson, Findlay (Ohio)

165 Pounds
1. Dave Vondy, Western State (Colo.)
2. Tyler Bryant, South Dakota State
3. Tony Morgan, Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
4. Grady Wolf, North Dakota State
5. Matt LaMotte, West Liberty State (W. Va.)
6. Todd Kirkpatrick, Augustana (S.D.)
7. Joe Callahan, Chadron State (Neb.)
8. Riley Ross, Nebraska-Kearney

174 Pounds
1. Todd Fuller, North Dakota State
2. Drew Bouwman, Southwest State (Minn.)
3. Jason Warthan, Indianapolis (Ind.)
4. James Tietema, Findlay (Ohio)
5. Chris Schlaegel, Ashland (Ohio)
6. Joel Schrimpf, Minnesota State-Mankato
7. Corey Kinnan, Chadron State (Neb.)
8. Frank Kuchera, Nebraska-Kearney

184 Pounds
1. John Rolling, Central Missouri State
2. Mauricio Wright, San Francisco State (Calif.)
3. Zach Stalder, Nebraska-Omaha
4. Tyler Jones, South Dakota State
5. Andy Sistek, Nebraska-Kearney
6. Matt Tyrrell, Findlay (Ohio)
7. Ryan Courtney, West Liberty State (W. Va.)
8. Chris Canale, Ashland (Ohio)

197 Pounds
1. Chad Wallace, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Muhammed Lawal, Central Oklahoma
3. Todd Paszek, South Dakota State
4. Brian Kraemer, North Dakota State
5. Luke Goral, Wisconsin-Parkside
6. Clell Cox, Ashland (Ohio)
7. Howard Bell, Pittsburgh-Johnston (Pa.)
8. Tom Clemen, Northern Colorado

Heavyweight
1. Nick Severson, North Dakota State
2. Jon Madsen, South Dakota State
3. James Garvey, Augustana (S.D.)
4. Willie McCowan, Central Missouri State
5. Josh Hendricks, Ashland (Ohio)
6. Jason McMillian, Northern Colorado
7. Dustin Darveaux, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
8. Cody Beguin, Chadron State (Neb.)

Rank	School (State)	Points	Last Year's Finish
1.	North Dakota State	65	1st
2.	South Dakota State	58	2nd
3.	Central Oklahoma	56 3/4	T3rd
4.	Nebraska-Omaha	50	T3rd
5.	Ashland (Ohio)	47	9th
6.	Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)	46	10th
7.	Augustana (S.D.)	35 1/2	13th
8.	Western State (Colo.)	32 1/2	11th
9.	Adams State (Colo.)	23	15th
9.	Central Missouri State	23	11th
9.	Minnesota State-Mankato	23	6th
12.	West Liberty State (W. Va.)	17 1/2	8th
13.	Northern Colorado	14	17th
14.	Southwest State (Minn.)	13 1/2	T21st
15.	San Francisco State (Calif.)	13 1/4	T21st
16.	Nebraska-Kearney	13	23rd
17.	Carson-Newman (Tenn.)	12 1/2	16th
18.	St. Cloud State (Minn.)	8	14th
19.	Chadron State (Neb.)	6	25th
19.	Wisconsin-Parkside	6	28th