KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the first poll of 2020 season, wrestling powerhouse Grand View University (Iowa) claimed the No. 1 spot to begin the season in first poll released Friday by the NAIA office. Life (Ga.), Reinhardt (Ga.), Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Southeastern (Fla.) rounded out the top-five.
Six Cascade Collegiate Conference teams debut in the rankings, with Montana State-Northern leading the charge at No. 12. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is right behind the Lights at No. 13. Eastern Oregon University sits in the No. 17 spot, while Vanguard University, Southern Oregon University and Arizona Christian University are all receiving votes.
Two CCC wrestlers are set to begin the season ranked in the No. 1 spots of their individual weight classes, both from MSUN. Nick Kuntz won the 125-pound NAIA Championship last year and starts the year in the top spot, while Isaac Bartel – who took second at the NAIA Championship – picked up the No. 1 ranking in the 197-pound weight class.
2020-21 NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Preseason Top 20 Poll (November 13, 2020)
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Grand View (Iowa) |
200 |
| 2 |
Life University (Ga.) |
153 |
| 3 |
Reinhardt University (Ga.) |
149 |
| 4 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
145 |
| 5 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
89 |
| 6 |
Oklahoma City |
88 |
| 7 |
Indiana Tech |
86 |
| 8 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
80 |
| 9 |
Marian University (Ind.) |
71 |
| 10 |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
68 |
| 11 |
Missouri Valley |
66 |
| 12 |
Montana State-Northern |
66 |
| 13 |
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) |
58 |
| 14 |
Lourdes (Ohio) |
51 |
| 15 |
Graceland (Iowa) |
50 |
| 16 |
University of Saint Mary (Kan.) |
49 |
| 17 |
Eastern Oregon University |
47 |
| 18 |
Doane (Neb.) |
46 |
| 19 |
York (Neb.) |
45 |
| 20 |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
42 |
| |
|
|
Recieving Votes: Ottawa (Kan.) 40,
Vangaurd (Calif.) 36, Baker (Kan.) 31, Williams Baptist 29, Bluefield 28, Texas Wesleyan 27, Concordia (Neb.) 25,
Southern Oregon 22, Dickinson State (N.D.) 20, William Penn (Iowa) 19, Midway (Ky.) 17, Thomas More 17, Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 16, Briar Cliff (Iowa) 16, Hastings (Neb.) 14, Rochester 12, Simpson (Calif.) 12, Missouri Baptist 11, Northwestern (Iowa) 11,
Arizona Christian 10, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 10, Bethany (Kan.) 8, Lincoln (Ill.) 8, Morningside (Iowa) 8, Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) 4, Truett-McConnell (Ga.) 3, WVU Tech (W.Va.) 3, Wayland Baptist (Texas) 2
Top-Ranked Individuals | Individual Rankings
125 – Nick Kunz, Montana State-Northern
133 – Matt Gimson, Indiana Tech
141 – Baterdene Boldmaa, Doane (Neb.)
149 – Denver Stonecheck, Life (Ga.)
157 – Nolan Saxton, Reinhardt (Ga.)
165 – Kyle Caldwell, Grand View (Iowa)
174 – Brennan Swafford, Graceland (Iowa)
184 – Riley Jaramillo, Saint Mary (Kan.)
197 – Issac Bartel, Montana State-Northern
285 – Brandon Reed, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Poll Methodology
- The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the eight conferences.
- Two days prior to the national poll, each qualifying group rater submits the top six individuals from each weight class in his conference into the system. Only wrestlers listed on a conference ballot are considered for the national ballot.
- The top 20 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 20 points for each first-place vote, 19 for second place and so on through the list. This same point system is used to determine the team ranking.
- The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team's ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot
- The postseason poll is determined using the individual and team results from the national championship
- For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.