Editor’s note: The Centre Daily Times will publish weekly updates based on NWCA coaches team and InterMat individual rankings to give readers a glimpse into how Penn State wrestling fits into the bigger picture.
Penn State won its tenth national championship in school history during the 2021-22 season. Individuals won five championships.
With four of the team’s individual champions returning and a number of highly-touted recruits set to step up, the Nittany Lions were ranked No. 1 in the first National Wrestling Coaches Association’s coaches poll of the season on Wednesday.
There are nine other Big Ten teams in the top-25. Iowa is ranked No. 2, Ohio State is at No. 4, Michigan is No. 5, Minnesota sits at No. 12, Wisconsin is at No. 13, Northwestern is the No. 15 squad, Nebraska is No. 17 and Rutgers is the final Big Ten team at No. 21.
National champions Roman Bravo-Young (133), Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (184) and Max Dean (197) are all set to return. Returning starters Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Alex Facundo (165) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) will also be back on the mat.
The Nittany Lions are set to take on Lock Haven on Friday in a dual meet at 7 p.m.
NWCA DIVISION I COACHES POLL
(Nov. 9, 2022)
|
Rank |
Team (First) |
Record |
Points |
Conf. |
Previous |
|
1 |
Penn State (12) |
(0-0) |
348 |
Big Ten |
1 |
|
2 |
Iowa (2) |
(0-0) |
337 |
Big Ten |
2 |
|
3 |
Missouri |
(1-0) |
310 |
Big 12 |
4 |
|
4 |
Ohio State |
(0-0) |
290 |
Big Ten |
6 |
|
5 |
Michigan |
(0-0) |
289 |
Big Ten |
5 |
|
6 |
Arizona State |
(0-0) |
285 |
Pac-12 |
3 |
|
7 |
Cornell |
(0-0) |
266 |
EIWA |
7 |
|
8 |
NC State |
(1-0) |
247 |
ACC |
9 |
|
9 |
Iowa State |
(3-0) |
236 |
Big 12 |
14 |
|
10 |
Virginia Tech |
(0-0) |
222 |
ACC |
11 |
|
11 |
Oklahoma State |
(0-0) |
221 |
Big 12 |
10 |
|
12 |
Minnesota |
(0-0) |
186 |
Big Ten |
13 |
|
13 |
Wisconsin |
(2-1) |
171 |
Big Ten |
12 |
|
14 |
Lehigh |
(2-0) |
151 |
EIWA |
17 |
|
15 |
Northwestern |
(0-0) |
149 |
Big Ten |
15 |
|
16 |
North Carolina |
(0-0) |
118 |
ACC |
16 |
|
17 |
Nebraska |
(0-1) |
117 |
Big Ten |
8 |
|
18 |
Pittsburgh |
(0-0) |
98 |
ACC |
18 |
|
19 |
North Dakota State |
(1-0) |
96 |
Big 12 |
NR |
|
20 |
Penn |
(0-0) |
78 |
EIWA |
21 |
|
21 |
Rutgers |
(0-0) |
77 |
Big Ten |
22 |
|
22 |
Northern Iowa |
(0-0) |
63 |
Big 12 |
20 |
|
23 |
Princeton |
(0-0) |
49 |
EIWA |
23 |
|
24 |
Oregon State |
(0-1) |
44 |
Pac-12 |
19 |
|
25 |
Cal Poly |
(1-0) |
23 |
Pac-12 |
24 |
Others receiving votes: South Dakota State 16, Purdue 15, Stanford 14, West Virginia 7, Appalachian State 6, Central Michigan 5, Wyoming 5, Campbell 4, Michigan State 4, Illinois 3.
Dropped out: No. 25 South Dakota State (0-0).