Contact:  Mike Kirk                         Office Phone:  (405) 974-2142                         E-mail:  mkirk@uco.edu

Wednesday, Dec. 16 (For Immediate Release)

EDMOND, Okla. -- Defending national champion Nebraska-Omaha is once again the unanimous No. 1 pick in the NCAA Division II wrestling rankings, it was announced Wednesday by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association.

The Mavericks received all eight first-place votes in balloting of coaches from around the country to finish with 160 points in the second regular-season poll after also topping the preseason rankings.  UNO was No. 1 in all seven polls last season en route to running away with their fifth Division II national title.

Newberry (S.C.) claimed all eight second-place votes and stayed No. 2 with 152 points, while Nebraska-Kearney jumped from eighth to third with 134 points.  Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) is just a point behind in fourth and seven-time Division II national champion Central Oklahoma is fifth with 121 points.

Rounding out the top 10 is Augustana (S.D.), Western State (Colo.), Wisconsin-Parkside, St. Cloud State (Minn.) and Adams State (Colo.).

The 2010 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships will be held March 12-13 in Omaha, Neb.

The top 20 poll, with points and the teams' last ranking following by the top-eight rankings at each weight:

Rank               School (State)                                           Points                      Last Ranking
1.                   Nebraska-Omaha                                        160                                1st
2.                   Newberry (S.C.)                                          152                                2nd
3.                   Nebraska-Kearney                                      134                                8th
4.                   Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)                         133                                5th
5.                   Central Oklahoma                                       121                                4th
6.                   Augustana (S.D.)                                        117                                7th
7.                   Western State (Colo.)                                  112                                6th
8.                   Wisconsin-Parkside                                    104                                11th
9.                   St. Cloud State (Minn.)                                 97                                10th
10.                  Adams State (Colo.)                                      89                                3rd
11.                  Minnesota State                                            79                                9th
12.                  Upper Iowa                                                   78                                12th
13.                  West Liberty (W.Va.)                                    68                                14th
14.                  Fort Hays State (Kan.)                                  46                                13th
15.                  Findlay (Ohio)                                              45                                19th
16.                  Gannon (Pa.)                                                40                                17th
17.                  San Francisco State (Calif.)                           37                                15th
18.                  Central Missouri                                           29                                16th
19.                  Mercyhurst (Pa.)                                           17                                18th
20.                  Grand Canyon (Ariz.)                                     8                                NR

Others receiving votes:  Chadron State (Neb.), Mesa State (Colo.), Minnesota State-Moorhead, North Carolina-Pembroke.

NCAA Division II
Individual Rankings

125 Pounds
1.         Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.)
2.         Tommy Edgmon, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
3.         Matt Oliver, Newberry (S.C.)
4.         Andy Forstner, Minnesota State
5.         Chris Sheetz, Kutztown (Pa.)
6.         Casy Rowell, Central Oklahoma
7.         Russell Weakley, North Carolina-Pembroke
8.         Cody Zimmerman, Wisconsin-Parkside 

133 Pounds
1.         Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
2.         Cody Garcia, Nebraska-Omaha
3.         Naveed Bagheri, San Francisco State (Calif.)
4.         Joey Morrison, Nebraska-Kearney
5.         Trison Graham, Central Oklahoma
6.         Kyle Pedretti, Upper Iowa
7.         Nick Wykoff, West Liberty (W.Va.)
8.         Evan Forde, Minnesota State-Moorhead

141 Pounds
1.         Ben Lockett, San Francisco State (Calif.)
2.         Jay Sherer, Augustana (S.D.)
3.         Jeremy Parker, Limestone (S.C.)
4.         Jimmy Savala, Chadron State (Neb.)
5.         Nate Nauroth, Shippensburg (Pa.)
6.         Adam Whetsone, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
7.         Gabe Suarez, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
8.         Andre Harrison, Fort Hays State (Kan.)

149 Pounds
1.         Craig Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside
2.         Mitch Smith, West Liberty (W.Va.)
3.         Colby Robinson, Central Oklahoma
4.         Esai Dominguez, Nebraska-Omaha
5.         Joey Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.)
6.         T. J. Hepburn, Nebraska-Kearney
7.         Jesse Snider, Colorado School of Mines
8.         Kevin McElhaney, Gannon (Pa.)

157 Pounds
1.         Andy Lamancusa, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
2.         Chase Walker, Mesa State (Colo.)
3.         Danny Grater, Fort Hay State (Kan.)
4.         Noomis Jones, Adams State (Colo.)
5.         John Sundgren, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
6.         Michael Lybarger, Findlay (Ohio)
7.         Marcus Edgington, Augustana (S.D.)
8.         Zack McKendree, Gannon (Pa.)

165 Pounds
1.         Josh Shields, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
2.         Travis Eggers, Upper Iowa
3.         Tad Merritt, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
4.         Kyle Keane, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
5.         Ryan Pankoke, Nebraska-Omaha
6.         Taylor May, Nebraska-Kearney
7.         Blake Malloy, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
8.         Skye Wells, Western State (Colo.) 

174 Pounds
1.         Marty Usman, Nebraska-Kearney
2.         Aaron Denson, Nebraska-Omaha
3.         Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa
4.         J.J. Davis, North Carolina-Pembroke
5.         Chris Barrick, Shippensburg (Pa.)
6.         Justin Shannon, Findlay (Ohio)
7.         Luke Rynish, Wisconsin-Parkside
8.         Ben Becker, Minnesota State

184 Pounds
1.         Kyle Sand, Adams State (Colo.)
2.         Bryant Blanton, Newberry (S.C.)
3.         Charlie Pipher, Western State (Colo.)
4.         Austin Boehm, Nebraska-Omaha
5.         Lucas Haag, Wisconsin-Parkside
6.         Nick Henning, Augustana (S.D.)
7.         Patrick Walsh, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
8.         Derek Ross, Nebraska-Kearney 

197 Pounds
1.         Keeno Griffin, Newberry (S.C.)
2.         Ty Copsey, Augustana (S.D.)
3.         Donavan McMahill, Western State (Colo.)
4.         Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha
5.         Pat Mahan, Minnesota State
6.         Lucas Munkelwitz, St. Cloud State (Minn.)
7.         Scott Snyder, Kutztown (Pa.)
8.         Tony Chavarria, Colorado State-Pueblo 

285 Pounds
1.         Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato
2.         Charlie Alexander, Western State (Colo.)
3.         Elijah Madison, Nebraska-Omaha
4.         Dustin Finn, Central Oklahoma
5.         Frank McGrath, Gannon (Pa.)
6.         Steve Franklin, San Francisco State (Calif.)
7.         Nathan Sharp, Mercyhurst (Pa.)
8.         Jeff Schossow, Adams State (Colo.)