Fort Hays State wrestling enters the 2011-12 season ranked No. 16 in NCAA Division II wrestling, according to the preseason poll released by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association today. Mitchell Means ranks No. 2 in the individual rankings for the 149-pound class.
Last year’s runner-up St. Cloud State, coming off their best-ever finish, was voted first in the poll, followed by Newberry and Upper Iowa in second and third, respectively. Nebraska-Kearney and Grand Canyon rounded out the top five.
FHSU, which finished last season ranked 22, earned 44 points in the poll, behind No. 15 Maryville, which is led by former Nebraska-Omaha head coach Mike Denney in the programs’ first season. The Tigers rank ahead of Limestone, North Carolina-Pembroke, San Francisco State and Shippensburg.
Mitchell Means, an All-American a season ago, ranked second in the 149-pound individual rankings. Nate Herda of Augustana ranks ahead of Means, while Tommy Abbott of Minnesota State, Josh Hensley of Adams Stateand Ethan Swope of Gannon rank third, fourth and fifth, respectively in the 149-pound class.
The Black and Gold Scrimmage is Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. with the regular season starting at the Central Missouri Open on Nov. 13 in Warrenburg, Mo.
Rank School (State) Points Last Year’s Finish
1. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 153 2nd
2. Newberry (S.C.) 150 6th
3. Upper Iowa 144 4th
4. Nebraska-Kearney 132 8th
5. Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 130 7th
6. Augustana (S.D.) 124 3rd
7. Central Oklahoma 107 13th
8. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 94 T-10th
9. Wisconsin-Parkside 90 9th
10. Ashland (Ohio) 74 20th
11. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 70 25th
12. Minnesota State 69 T-10th
13. Adams State (Colo.) 63 21st
14. Findlay (Ohio) 53 14th
15. Maryville (Mo.) 47 NR
16. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 44 T-22nd
17. Limestone (S.C.) 31 27th
18. North Carolina-Pembroke 28 T-17th
19. San Francisco State (Calif.) 23 T-17th
20. Shippensburg (Pa.) 15 T-22nd
Others receiving votes: Central Missouri, Colorado School of Mines, East Stroudsburg (Pa.), Gannon (Pa.), King (Tenn.), Kutztown (Pa.), Mary (N.D.), Northern State (S.D.), Western State (Colo.).
149 Pounds
1. Nate Herda, Augustana (S.D.)
2. Mitchell Means, Fort Hays State (Kan.)
3. Tommy Abbott, Minnesota State
4. Josh Hensley, Adams State (Colo.)
5. Ethan Swope, Gannon (Pa.)
6. Deral Brown, Newberry (S.C.)
7. Nathan Link, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.)
8. Ryan Maus, Truman State (Mo.)
– FHSU Sports Information –