Penn State wrestlers, team keep spots in latest rankings after dominant win over Michigan State
Blowouts were the name of the game for the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s top three teams last week.
Penn State remained No. 1 after dismantling Michigan State, 55-0. The Nittany Lions didn’t give up a takedown in the dual.
No. 2 Iowa opened up its Big Ten action by shutting out Wisconsin, 45-0, in Madison. No. 3 Oklahoma State throttled then-No. 5 North Carolina State, 34-3.
Ohio State stayed put at No. 4, but nearly fell down the polls. The Buckeyes topped Illinois, 24-9, but nearly dropped a dual to Rutgers. Ohio State got a win from heavyweight Nick Feldman to seal the dual at the end, 17-15.
Northern Iowa climbed into the top five this week after going 4-0 in the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals. The Panthers vaulted up the polls last week after topping Nebraska, 24-9.
The Big Ten has three other schools in the top 10 with the Cornhuskers (No. 7), Minnesota (No. 8) and the Fighting Illini (No. 9). Add in Rutgers (No. 14), Michigan (No. 15) and Indiana (No. 25), the conference has nine ranked teams in the top 25.
Individual rankings see no change
Another week has come and gone, and Penn State’s 10 starting wrestlers remained ranked in the top 33 of their weight classes.
However, none of them climbed the ranks and none fell down the polls.
Mitchell Mesenbrink (165 pounds) and Carter Starocci (184) are the lone No. 1 wrestlers in the country for the Nittany Lions. Shayne Van Ness (149), Levi Haines (174) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) are No. 2.
Beau Bartlett (141) and Tyler Kasak (159) are the only other wrestlers ranking the top three of their weight at No. 3.
Braeden Davis (133, No. 5) and Josh Barr (197, No. 4) are in the top five of their weights. Luke Lilledahl (125) remains just out the top 10 at No. 12.
NWCA Top 25 Poll
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Previous rank |
| 1 | Penn State | (7-0) | 400 | 1 |
| 2 | Iowa | (7-0) | 379 | 2 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State | (8-0) | 373 | 3 |
| 4 | Ohio State | (10-0) | 345 | 4 |
| 5 | Northern Iowa | (8-0) | 330 | 7 |
| 6 | NC State | (7-1) | 323 | 5 |
| 7 | Nebraska | (6-1) | 306 | 9 |
| 8 | Minnesota | (4-1) | 291 | 6 |
| 9 | Illinois | (7-1) | 254 | 11 |
| 10 | Cornell | (3-1) | 246 | 12 |
| 11 | Virginia Tech | (3-2) | 225 | 8 |
| 12 | South Dakota State | (8-3) | 218 | 14 |
| 13 | Iowa State | (7-3) | 211 | 13 |
| 14 | Rutgers | (9-3) | 182 | 16 |
| 15 | Michigan | (3-1) | 170 | 10 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh | (7-2) | 161 | 18 |
| 17 | Stanford | (5-2) | 160 | 15 |
| 18 | Little Rock | (10-2) | 145 | 17 |
| 19 | North Carolina | (5-4) | 101 | 25 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | (6-1) | 87 | 20 |
| 21 | Lehigh | (2-3) | 86 | 19 |
| T22 | Army West Point | (5-1) | 57 | 23 |
| T22 | West Virginia | (7-3) | 57 | 22 |
| 24 | Missouri | (2-7) | 37 | 21 |
| 25 | Indiana | (4-2) | 21 | 24 |
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Colorado 17, Arizona State 5, Maryland 5, Penn 3, Utah Valley 2, California Baptist 1, Purdue 1, Virginia 1
Dropped Out: None
