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SMSU's Tyler Johnson No. 7 in Nation

January 21, 2008

Southwest Minnesota State wrestler Tyler Johnson (Harrisburg, S.D.) is ranked No. 7 at 184 pounds in the latest NCAA Division II national wrestling rankings released Wednesday, Jan. 21, by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association.

The spot is a jump up as the senior was ranked No. 8 in the first NWCA Poll released Dec. 2.  He fell out of the top eight in the Jan. 6 poll.

Johnson, the lone Mustang wrestler to crack the national rankings, has compiled a record of 15-6 this season, wrestling 16 matches at 184 pounds and five matches at 197 pounds.  The senior was crowned co-champion at the Augsburg Open, took sixth at the Bison Open and was a third-place finisher at 197 pounds at the Captain Dan Open.

Johnson was also named NSIC wrestler of the week on Oct. 25.

SMSU (2-2, 1-1 NSIC) hosts Concordia of Moorhead Thursday in a non-conference dual at 7 p.m.

Rank  School (State) Points  Last Ranking
1. Nebraska-Omaha  160  1st
2. Newberry (S.C.) 151  2nd
3. Minnesota State-Mankato  145  4th
4. Nebraska-Kearney 136  3rd
5. Central Oklahoma 128  5th
6. Western State (Colo.) 113  7th
7. Adams State (Colo.) 112  6th
8. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 103  11th
9. Upper Iowa  101  8th
10. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 89  9th
11. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 71  12th
12. Wisconsin-Parkside 69  10th
13. Chadron State (Neb.) 47  14th
14. Augustana (S.D.) 45  18th
15. Findlay (Ohio)  40  13th
16. Shippensburg (Pa.) 39  NR
17. Ashland (Ohio)  30  15th
T18. Central Missouri 19  17th
T18. Kutztown (Pa.) 19 19  NR
T20. San Francisco State (Calif.) 17  20th
T20. West Liberty State (W. Va.) 17  16th

Others receiving votes:  Fort Hays State (Kan.), Gannon (Pa.), Minnesota State-Moorhead.

NCAA Division II Individual Rankings

125 Pounds
1. Curtis Schurkamp, San Francisco State
2. Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.)
3. Matt Oliver, Newberry (S.C.)
4. Tim Elliott, Central Oklahoma
5. Devlon Webb, Chadron State (Neb.)
6. Cody Zimmerman, Wisconsin-Parkside
7. Chris Neidermeier, Belmont-Abbey (N.C.)
8. Eddie Lopez, Western State (Colo.)
133 Pounds
1. Joe Kemmerer, Kutztown (Pa.)
2. Cody Garcia, Nebraska-Omaha
3. Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
4. Marques Bravo, Western State (Colo.)
5. Trevor Franklin, Upper Iowa
6. Grant Baker, Central Missouri
7. Michael Baxter, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
8. Josh Williams, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
141 Pounds
1. Raymond Dunning, Adams State (Colo.)
2. James Annon, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
3. Colby Robinson, Central Oklahoma
4. Mario Morgan, Nebraska-Omaha
5. John Putnam, Minnesota State-Mankato
6. Matt Irwin, Indianapolis (Ind.)
7. A.J. Milanak, Gannon (Pa.)
8. Jimmy Savala, Chadron State (Neb.)
149 Pounds
1. Craig Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside
2. Tommy Abbott, Minnesota State-Mankato
3. Ryan Etherton, Nebraska-Kearney
4. Esai Dominguez, Nebraska-Omaha
5. Latra Collick, Newberry (S.C.)
6. Luke Elmore, Central Oklahoma
7. Joey Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.)
8. Nick DiCarlo, Anderson (S.C.)
157 Pounds
1. Todd Meneely, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Noomis Jones, Adams State (Colo.)
3. Chase Walker, Mesa State (Colo.)
4. Danny Grater, Fort Hay State (Kan.)
5. Mitch Smith, West Liberty State (W.Va.)
6. Sean Byrnes, Newberry (S.C.)
7. Travis Eggers, Upper Iowa
8. John Sundgren, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
165 Pounds
1. Aaron Denson, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Josh Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
3. Mikey Morgan, Central Oklahoma
4. Kyle Keane, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
5. Tyler Tubbs, Minnesota State-Moorhead
6. Taylor May, Nebraska-Kearney
7. Corey VanGroll, Wisconsin-Parkside
8. Tad Merritt, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
174 Pounds
1. Ross Taplin, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Marty Usman, Nebraska-Kearney
3. Jesse Feinsod, New Mexico Highlands
4. Brett Hunter, Chadron State (Neb.)
5. Tommy McCarty, Central Oklahoma
6. Larry Wilbanks, Western State (Colo.)
7. Justin Ferguson, Ashland (Ohio)
8. Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa
184 Pounds
1. Austin Boehm, Nebraska-Omaha
2. Charlie Pipher, Western State (Colo.)
3. Brad Padgett, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
4. Hiram Smith, Findlay (Ohio)
5. Lucas Haag, Wisconsin-Parkside
6. Kyle Sand, Adams State (Colo.)
7. Tyler Johnson, Southwest Minnesota
8. Paul Sutton, Nebraska-Kearney
197 Pounds
1. Josh Majerus, Chadron State (Neb.)
2. Donavan McMahill, Western State (Colo.)
3. Keeno Griffin, Newberry (S.C.)
4. Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha
5. Josh Ohl, Ashland (Ohio)
6. Ty Copsey, Augustana (S.D.)
7. Malcolm Briggs, Wisconsin-Parkside
8. Matt Farrell, Nebraska-Kearney
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. Cody Beck, Central Missouri
6. Travis Clark, Findlay (Ohio)
7. Trey Moss, Limestone (S.C.)
8. Frank McGrath, Gannon (Pa.)