UNO remains No. 1 in poll

Central Oklahoma Athletics

EDMOND, Okla. — Nebraska-Omaha stayed No. 1 in the NCAA Division II wrestling rankings and will take the favorite’s role into this weekend’s NWCA Division II National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, according to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll that was released Tuesday.

The two-time defending national champion Mavericks received seven of eight first-place votes in balloting of coaches from around the country to finish with 159 points. UNO has been No. 1 in every poll the past two-plus seasons.

St. Cloud State (Minn.) collected the other first-place vote and stayed second with 153 points. Augustana (S.D.) remained third with 140 points, followed by Western State (Colo.) and Newberry (S.C.).

Rounding out the top 10 is Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Minnesota State, Nebraska-Kearney, Central Oklahoma and Grand Canyon (Ariz.).

Sixteen teams will compete in the NWCA Division II National Duals, which open Saturday morning and run through Sunday afternoon at the UNI Dome on the Northern Iowa campus. Joining Nebraska-Omaha in the field will be No. 2 St. Cloud, No. 3 Augustana, No. 4 Western State, No. 5 Newberry, No. 7 Minnesota State, No. 9 Central Oklahoma, No. 10 Grand Canyon, No. 11 Upper Iowa, No. 12 Wisconsin-Parkside, No. 13 North Carolina-Pembroke, No. 14 Findlay and No. 20 San Francisco State along with Central Missouri, Limestone (S.C.) and Minnesota State-Moorhead.

The top 20 poll, with points and the teams’ last ranking.