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NCAA Division II Wrestling Rankings

January 6, 2009

EDMOND, Okla. -- Nebraska-Omaha maintained the No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Division II wrestling poll that was announced Tuesday by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association and will take the favorite’s role into this weekend’s NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals.

The Mavericks received seven of the eight first-place votes cast in finishing with 159 points to keep its spot atop the poll. UNO won three straight Division II national titles from 2004-06 and was third last year.

Newberry (S.C.) received the other first-place vote in balloting of coaches from around the country and jumped from fifth to second with 143 points, edging out defending national champion Nebraska-Kearney (142) and Minnesota State-Mankato (141) for the No. 2 spot.

Seven-time Division II champion Central Oklahoma is fifth, with Adams State (Colo.), Western State (Colo.), Upper Iowa, Mercyhurst (Pa.) and Wisconsin-Parkside rounding out the top 10.

Fourteen of the top 20 teams will be in the 16-team National Duals this weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa -- UNO, Newberry, UNK, MSU-Mankato, UCO, Western State, UIU, Mercyhurst, UWP, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), St. Cloud State (Minn.), Findlay (Ohio), Chadron State (Neb.) and Minnesota State-Moorhead.

The top 20 poll, with points and the teams’ last ranking:
Rank School (State) Points Last Ranking
1. Nebraska-Omaha 159 1st
2. Newberry (S.C.) 143 5th
3. Nebraska-Kearney 142 3rd
4. Minnesota State-Mankato 141 2nd
5. Central Oklahoma 127 6th
T6. Adams State (Colo.) 106 4th
T6. Western State (Colo.) 106 7th
8. Upper Iowa 95 8th
9. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 94 10th
10. Wisconsin-Parkside 92 17th
11. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 91 9th
12. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 69 12th
13. Findlay (Ohio) 64 13th
14. Chadron State (Neb.) 52 11th
15. Ashland (Ohio) 48 19th
16. West Liberty State (W. Va.) 38 14th
17. Central Missouri 32 20th
18. Augustana (S.D.) 30 18th
19. Minnesota State-Moorhead 18 15th
20. San Francisco State (Calif.) 9 NR

Others receiving votes: Fort Hays State (Kan.), Gannon (Pa.), Limestone (S.C.), Shippensburg (Pa.).

NCAA Division II
Individual Rankings
125 Pounds
1. Curtis Schurkamp, San Francisco State
2. Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.)
3. Devlon Webb, Chadron State (Neb.)
4. Tyler Mumbalo, Upper Iowa
5. Eddie Lopez, Western State (Colo.)
6. Matt Oliver, Newberry (S.C.)
7. Cody Zimmerman, Wisconsin-Parkside
8. Joe Werner, Minnesota State-Moorhead
133 Pounds
1. Joe Kemmerer, Kutztown (Pa.)
2. Cody Garcia, Nebraska-Omaha
3. John Putnam, Minnesota State-Mankato
4. Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
5. Michael Baxter, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
6. Marques Bravo, Western State (Colo.)
7. Grant Baker, Central Missouri
8. Tim Elliott, Central Oklahoma
141 Pounds
1. Raymond Dunning, Adams State (Colo.)
2. James Annon, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
3. Colby Robinson, Central Oklahoma
4. Travis Elg, Minnesota State-Mankato
5. Doug Surra, West Liberty State (W. Va.)
6. Mario Morgan, Nebraska-Omaha
7. Matt Irwin, Indianapolis (Ind.)
8. Tony Washington, Newberry (S.C.)
149 Pounds
1. Ryan Etherton, Nebraska-Kearney
2. Craig Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside
3. Tommy Abbott, Minnesota State-Mankato
4. Joey Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.)
5. Mike Long, Augustana (S.D.)
6. Esai Dominguez, Nebraska-Omaha
7. Latra Collick, Newberry (S.C.)
8. Kayne Melko, West Liberty State (W.Va.)
157 Pounds
1. Todd Meneely, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Travis Eggers, Upper Iowa
3. Noomis Jones, Adams State (Colo.)
4. Chase Walker, Mesa State (Colo.)
5. John Sundgren, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
6. Danny Grater, Fort Hay State (Kan.)
7. Keenan McCurdy, Nebraska-Kearney
8. Mitch Smith, West Liberty State (W.Va.)
165 Pounds
1. Kyle Keane, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
2. Josh Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
3. Aaron Denson, Nebraska-Omaha
4. Tyler Tubbs, Minnesota State-Moorhead
5. Taylor May, Nebraska-Kearney
6. Corey VanGroll, Wisconsin-Parkside
7. Justin Shannon, Findlay (Ohio)
8. Tad Merritt, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
174 Pounds
1. Ross Taplin, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Marty Usman, Nebraska-Kearney
3. Justin Ferguson, Ashland (Ohio)
4. Jesse Feinsod, New Mexico Highlands
5. Brett Hunter, Chadron State (Neb.)
6. Larry Wilbanks, Western State (Colo.)
7. Tim Matheson, Minnesota State-Mankato
8. Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa
184 Pounds
1. Dan Scanlan, Limestone (S.C.)
2. Austin Boehm, Nebraska-Omaha
3. Brad Padgett, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
4. Hiram Smith, Findlay (Ohio)
5. Lucas Haag, Wisconsin-Parkside
6. Kyle Sand, Adams State (Colo.)
7. Charlie Pipher, Western State (Colo.)
8. Paul Sutton, Nebraska-Kearney
197 Pounds
1. Josh Majerus, Chadron State (Neb.)
2. Donavan McMahill, Western State (Colo.)
3. Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha
4. Josh Ohl, Ashland (Ohio)
5. Ty Copsey, Augustana (S.D.)
6. Keeno Griffin, Newberry (S.C.)
7. Derek Ross, Nebraska-Kearney
8. Malcolm Briggs, Wisconsin-Parkside
285 Pounds
1. Dustin Finn, Central Oklahoma
2. Cy Wainwright, Newberry (S.C.)
3. Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato
4. Tony Lewis, Nebraska-Omaha
5. Lynn Panko, Indianapolis (Ind.)
6. Cody Beck, Central Missouri
7. Travis Clark, Findlay (Ohio)
8. Trey Moss, Limestone (S.C.)