Wrestlers Earn Top Pre-Season Rankings

Sept. 9, 2008

IOWA CITY, IA — The defending Big Ten and NCAA champion University of Iowa wrestling team has secured W.I.N. magazines top pre-season national ranking. The Hawkeyes were ranked first in W.I.N.’s pre-season dual rankings, as well as in the magazine’s pre-season tournament power index. The second ranking is based on how a school’s individual ranked wrestlers would finish at the NCAA Championships and the point total listed is what those competitors would accumulate at the national meet.

The rankings, which were released Tuesday, also list six Hawkeyes in the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Hawkeye juniors Joe Slaton (133) and Brent Metcalf (141) are both earned a number one ranking. Iowa senior Charlie Falck (125) and junior Jay Borschel (174) are each ranked second, while junior Phillip Keddy (184) is ranked fifth and senior Alex Tsirtsis is ranked eighth (141).

The Hawkeyes are scheduled to open the 2008-09 season Nov. 21 when they host the Iowa City duals.

W.I.N. Division I Top 20 Pre-Season Dual Rankings
Rank School
1. Iowa
2. Ohio State
3. Iowa State
4. Cornell
5. Missouri
6. Oklahoma State
7. Illinois
8. Nebraska
9. Penn State
10. Michigan
11. Minnesota
12. Northwestern
13. Boise State
14. Central Michigan
15. Wisconsin
16. Indiana
17. Maryland
18. Edinboro
19. West Virginia
20. Oklahoma

Top 20 Pre-Season Tournament Power Index
Rank School – Points
1. Iowa – 91
2. Iowa State – 90
3. Cornell – 77
4. Missouri – 61
5. Ohio State – 54
6. Nebraska – 53
7. Illinois – 50
8. Michigan – 44
9. Penn State – 35
10. Boise State – 34.5
11. Oklahoma State – 34
12. Wisconsin – 32
13. Northwestern – 31.5
14. Indiana – 28
15. Minnesota – 24.5
16. Edinboro – 23
17. Maryland – 22.5
18. Central Michigan – 19
Northern Iowa – 19
20. Hofstra – 17.5