KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The third NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll was released Friday by the national office. The Cascade Collegiate Conference saw nine teams represented with five ranked and four received votes.
Menlo College maintained its No. 3 ranking to lead the Cascade Conference. University of Providence dropped two positions to land at No. 8 while Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University followed right behind, moving up three spots to No. 9. Southern Oregon University advanced to No. 18 while Eastern Oregon University found itself on the poll again, rounding out the ranked CCC teams at No. 19.
Montana State University-Northern, Corban University, Vanguard University, and Simpson University all received votes.
Hunter Sparks (125lbs) of Eastern Oregon, Evan Potter (141lbs) of Southern Oregon, and Keller Rock (165lbs) of Embry-Riddle all claimed the Top-Ranked Individual spots in their respective weight classes.
2023-24 NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll – No. 3
| Rank |
Last Time |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
1 |
Grand View (Iowa) |
278 |
| 2 |
2 |
Life (Ga.) |
252 |
| 3 |
3 |
Menlo (Calif.) |
174 |
| 4 |
4 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
165 |
| 5 |
5 |
Doane (Neb.) |
162 |
| 6 |
8 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
160 |
| 7 |
9 |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
132 |
| 8 |
6 |
Providence (Mont.) |
125 |
| 9 |
12 |
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) |
119 |
| 10 |
10 |
Ottawa (Kan.) |
118 |
| 11 |
12 |
Indiana Tech |
115 |
| 12 |
15 |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
113 |
| 13 |
15 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
104 |
| 14 |
11 |
Missouri Valley |
101 |
| 14 |
7 |
Reinhardt (Ga.) |
101 |
| 16 |
14 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
96 |
| 17 |
19 |
Saint Mary (Kan.) |
90 |
| 18 |
20 |
Southern Oregon |
80 |
| 19 |
RV |
Eastern Oregon |
77 |
| 20 |
20 |
Oklahoma City |
73 |
Dropped From Top 20: Baker (Kan.), Marian (Ind.)
Receiving Votes: Montana State-Northern 68, Baker (Kan.) 65, Lourdes (Ohio) 61, Central Methodist (Mo.) 55, Marian (Ind.) 54, Briar Cliff (Iowa) 49,
Corban (Ore.) 49, Keiser (Fla.) 37, Cornerstone (Mich.) 35, St. Thomas (Fla.) 35, Texas Wesleyan 34, Rochester (Mich.) 30, Graceland (Iowa) 28, Rio Grande (Ohio) 25, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 24, Wayland Baptist (Texas) 24, Concordia (Neb.) 22,
Vanguard (Calif.) 22, Avila (Mo.) 21, Dickinson State (N.D.) 20, Midway (Ky.) 20, Northwestern (Iowa) 20, Missouri Baptist 15, St. Ambrose (Iowa) 13, Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 12, William Penn (Iowa) 10, Friends (Kan.) 8,
Simpson (Calif.) 7, Jamestown (N.D.) 5, Siena Heights (Mich.) 5, Central Baptist (Ark.) 3, Waldorf (Iowa) 3
Top-Ranked Individuals | Individual Rankings
125 – Hunter Sparks, Eastern Oregon
133 – Carson Taylor, Grand View (Iowa)
141 – Evan Potter, Southern Oregon
149 – Blake Gonzalez, Grand View (Iowa)
157 – Brevin Balmeceda, Life (Ga.)
165 – Keller Rock, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
174 – Riley Smucker, Life (Ga.)
184 – Isaiah Luellen Grand View (Iowa)
197 – Owen Braungardt, Grand View (Iowa)
285 – Greg Hagan, Grand View (Iowa)
Rating Methodology:
- The rating was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the eight conferences/groups.
- Two days prior to the national rating, each qualifying group rater submits the top 10 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 25 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 25 points for each first place vote, 24 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
- For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.