COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Wrestling continues to garner preseason recognition, earning a No. 9 ranking in the first USA Today / NWCA Division I Coaches Poll, as announced Tuesday by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
Tuesday’s recognition marks the Tigers’ second consecutive preseason top-10 ranking by the NWCA, following their No. 6 ranking a season ago.
Mizzou is coming off one of its greatest seasons in program history, after posting a perfect 24-0 dual record and fourth place team finish at the 2015 NCAA Championships. The Tigers return three NCAA All-Americans from a season ago. Junior J’den Cox (197 pounds), redshirt sophomore Willie Miklus (184 pounds) and redshirt junior Lavion Mayes (141 pounds) all reached the podium in 2014 and are primed for another strong campaign in 2015.
Mizzou is one of four Mid-American Conference programs ranked in the first NWCA Coaches Poll. The Tigers are joined by No. 16 Old Dominion, No. 22 Ohio and No. 23 Northern Iowa.
The complete first edition of the USA Today / NWCA Division I Coaches Poll can be found below:
Rank – Team (First Place Votes) – Total Points – Conference
1 – Oklahoma State (10) – 294 – Big 12
2 – Penn State (1) – 284 – Big 10
3 – Michigan (1) – 269 – Big 10
4 – Iowa – 257 – Big 10
5 – Ohio State – 248 – Big 10
6 – Virginia Tech – 238 – ACC
7 – Lehigh – 235 – EIWA
8 – Cornell – 217 – EIWA
9 – MIZZOU – 206 – MAC
10 – Nebraska – 203 – Big 10
11 – Illinois – 165 – Big 10
12 – North Carolina State – 161 – ACC
13 – Iowa State – 160 – Big 12
14 – North Carolina – 147 – ACC
15 – Wisconsin – 123 – Big 10
16 – Old Dominion – 106 – MAC
17 – Minnesota – 71 – Big 10
18 – Rutgers – 58 – Big 10
19 – Oregon State – 57 – Pac-12
20 – Oklahoma – 48 – Big 12
21 – West Virginia – 45 – Big 12
22 – Ohio – 42 – MAC
23 – Northern Iowa – 39 – MAC
24 – Edinboro – 36 – EWL
25 – North Dakota State – 34 – Big 12
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