Feb. 16, 2010

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Notre Dame College (Ohio) is No. 1 in the sixth and final NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Top 20 Poll, the NAIA announced Tuesday. The Falcons boast 11 ranked individuals in their respective weight classes, the most among all programs, to total 144.5 points. Great Falls' (Mont.) 10-ranked grapplers earned the Argos 92.5 points to hold steady at No. 2. With two top-ranked wrestlers and nine others listed, Missouri Valley is third with 89 points and nine individuals ranked. Lindenwood (Mo.) and McKendree (Ill.) are tied for fourth with seven ranked wrestlers and 84 points.

The road to Oklahoma City for the NAIA Wrestling National Championships begins on Saturday with four Qualifying Group Tournaments. William Penn (Iowa), Sioux Falls (S.D.), Cumberland (Tenn.) and Montana State-Northern will host the events. Wrestlers that qualify for the National Championships March 4-6 will be announced on Feb. 23. To get a recap of Saturday's action, click here.

Notre Dame ran its season record to 10-1 with another dominant performance at home, beating NCAA Division II No. 12 West Liberty (W.Va.) 33-8 to claim its ninth straight dual victory. The win also improved the Falcons' record against Division II foes to 3-0. The Falcons won eight of the 10 bouts against the Hilltoppers. The Wrestling Falcons haven't dropped a dual match since losing to Ohio State on Nov. 22. Since then, Notre Dame has gone 9-0, outscoring opponents, 301-42.

Derek Moore (197) is the only top-ranked Falcon, while five other grapplers, Tyler Savage (125), Adam Koballa (141), Jeffery Pelton (149), Thomas Straughn (157) and Orlando Scales (HWT), are ranked second at their respective weight. The only weight class in which Notre Dame does not have a ranked individual is 133 pounds.

Great Falls prevailed on the road in back-to-back duals, first shutting out Montana State-Northern 47-(-1) and notched a 19-12 win over Dickinson State (N.D.). The Argos' 47 points against Montana State-Northern was a season high for a single dual. The Lights were deducted one point for coach misconduct. Great Falls boasts 10 ranked grapplers, led by the No. 1 184-pounder Michael French. The Argos are only missing from one weight class at 141 pounds.

Missouri Valley is the only team to sport a pair of No. 1s in Colin Pierce and Joseph Cornejo, at 133 and 157 pounds, respectively.

All 10 of the previous poll's top wrestlers held on to their ranking: Mitchell Lofstedt of Southern Oregon (125), Michael Davis of Cumberland (Tenn.) (141), Lindenwood's Samuel Schmitz (149), Brad Lower of Grand View (Iowa) (165), California Baptist's Enock Francois (174) and Arjan Bhullar of Simon Fraser (B.C.) (HWT).

Others receiving points: Hastings College (Neb.) 10; Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 9; Menlo (Calif.) 7; Waldorf (Iowa) 5.5; William Penn (Iowa) 2.5; Bacone (Okla.) 1.5.