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North Dakota State tabbed preseason favorite for NCAA Division II title

October 22, 2003

EDMOND, OK - North Dakota State University is the preseason favorite to win the NCAA wrestling championship according to the preseason poll issued Wednesday by the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association. Rankings are based on returning team points from last year's national tournament.

The Bison will be pursuing NDSU's fifth ever national wrestling title, and it will be the last such chance for the Herd. North Dakota State is reclassifying to Division I and will depart Division II and the North Central Conference after this year.

North Dakota State was fourth in Division II last year after qualifying seven wrestlers from the North Central Conference tournament. Four placed in the top eight for All-American honors.

The Bison are two points better than defending NCAA champion Central Oklahoma in the preseason poll. Fellow NCC power Nebraska-Omaha is fourth in the poll, while conference foe St. Cloud State is sixth.

Six North Dakota State wrestlers are in the individual rankings, which list the top eight returners in each of the 10 weight classes.

Four seniors highlight that Bison group. Defending NCAA champion Paul Carlson is rated first at 157 pounds and NCAA runner-up Brian Kraemer is first at 197. Mike Fiedler is second at 165 pounds and Thad Pike is second at 174.

North Dakota State is about two weeks away from its first tournament. NDSU hosts the Bison Open on Saturday, Nov. 8.

NWCA Division II Preseason Poll

1. North Dakota State 38 4th

2. Central Oklahoma 36 1st

3. Findlay (OH) 32 5th

4. Nebraska-Omaha 28 3rd

5. Adams State (CO) 26 6th

6. St. Cloud State 24 9th

7. Western State (CO) 22 13th

8. Pittsburgh-Johnstown 20 11th

9. North Carolina-Pembroke 19 T15th

10. Nebraska-Kearney 18 2nd

T11. Ashland (OH) 15 18th

T11. Mercyhurst (PA) 15 20th

13. Central Missouri State 13 19th

T14. Indianapolis 12 22nd

T14. Wisconsin-Parkside 12 12th

T14. Truman State (MO) 12 21st

T17. South Dakota State 11 10th

T17. San Francisco State 11 8th

T19. Central Washington 10 17th

T19. Chadron State (NE) 10 23rd

 

125 Pounds

1. Jared Haberman, Western State (CO)

2. Chris Saferite, Central Oklahoma

3. Bryce Abbey, Nebraska-Kearney

4. Aaron Mann, Central Washington

5. Aaron Graumann, Augustana

6. Drew Passley, Central Missouri State

7. Will Craft, Indianapolis

8. Joey Bareng, San Francisco State

 

133 Pounds

1. Cole Province, Central Oklahoma

2. Mitch Waite, Nebraska-Omaha

3. Joey Simcoe, Findlay (OH)

4. Thad Benton, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

5. Adam Mars, Adams State (CO)

6. Adam Keiswetter, Nebraska-Kearney

7. Curry Pickard, North Carolina-Pembroke

8. Donald Lockett, San Francisco State

 

141 Pounds

1. Shane Barnes, Adams State (CO)

2. Merrick Meyer, Truman State (MO)

3. Brad Russell, Wisconsin-Parkside

4. Ronald Paterniti, Gannon (PA)

5. Pacifico Garcia, San Francisco State

6. Jason Nestor, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

7. Lucas Christianson, North Dakota State

8. R.C. LaHaye, Western State (CO)

 

149 Pounds

1. Waylon Lowe, Findlay (OH)

2. Adrian Jiron, Western State (CO)

3. Mitch Napier, Indianapolis

4. Luke Santos, San Francisco State

5. Jerod Goodwin, Central Oklahoma

6. Brad Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside

7. Ryan Wirtzberger, Ashland (OH)

8. Eric Pizzi, Central Missouri State

 

157 Pounds

1. Paul Carlson, North Dakota State

2. Jack Quintana, Western State (CO)

3. Adam Morris, Findlay (OH)

4. Travis Koppenhafer, Adams State (CO)

5. Dugan Bentley, Ashland (OH)

6. Aaron Dalton, Nebraska-Kearney

7. Travis Peak, Chadron State (NE)

8. Daniel Dutch, St. Cloud State

 

165 Pounds

1. Shawn Silvis, Central Oklahoma

2. Mike Fiedler, North Dakota State

3. Dwayne Coward, North Carolina-Pembroke

4. Jordan Johnson, Chadron State (NE)

5. Matt Neely, Ashland (OH)

6. Derek Donelson, Indianapolis

7. Anthony Corpora, Kutztown (PA)

8. Fred Joseph, Wisconsin-Parkside

 

174 Pounds

1. Bob Edmonds, Nebraska-Omaha

2. Thad Pike, North Dakota State

3. Tom Bauer, Ashland (OH)

4. Bryan Cowdin, South Dakota State

5. John Burda, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

6. Jason Tapia, Central Oklahoma

7. Careef Robertson, Anderson (SC)

8. Cameron Bretz, Western State (CO)

 

184 Pounds

1. Tom Meester, Augustana

2. Derek Brunson, North Carolina-Pembroke

3. Ben McAvinew, Mercyhurst (PA)

4. Randy Pyle, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

5. Jordan Nichols, Fort Hays State (KS)

6. Kris Klepacz, Findlay (OH)

7. Ben Holscher, Chadron State (NE)

8. Tim Johns, SW Minnesota State

 

197 Pounds

1. Brian Kraemer, North Dakota State

2. Jeff Rusher, Chadron State (NE)

3. Justin Mautz, Mercyhurst (PA)

4. Kevin Lochner, Central Oklahoma

5. Tim Boldt, South Dakota State

6. Jeff Sylvester, Nebraska-Kearney

7. D.C. Hazen, Central Washington

8. Howard Bell, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

 

Heavyweight

1. Les Sigman, Nebraska-Omaha

2. Dustin Darveaux, St. Cloud State

3. Andrew Ubben, Fort Hays State (KS)

4. Willie McCowan, Central Missouri State

5. Baron Blanchard, Northern State (SD)

6. Aldo Campea, Ashland (OH)

7. Joe Bryce, North Dakota State

8. Luke Roberts, Central Washington