Penn State Wrestling Witnesses Major Upset as Team’s Powerhouses Snubbed in NCAA Coaches’ Top 10 Rankings

In the annals of collegiate wrestling, the Penn State Wrestling team has always been the apple of the spectator’s eye. Every time the team enters the battlefield, it ensures the opponent is not able to survive on the mat. The NWCA Coaches Poll states that Penn State Wrestling reigns supreme, securing the first rank. 

Recently, the NCAA Wrestling team released the first coaches’ rankings for the D1 Wrestling Championships 2024. Despite having top rank as per the NWCA Coaches pool, Nittany Lions failed to accomplish a spot at the initial rankings. Why are the top Nittany Lions left out of the initial ranks, and will that change the progress made by the team?

NCAA Wrestling Update: Coaches Rankings

Every year, the NCAA releases a Coaches Poll or rankings after receiving votes from 14 coaches in each weight class. At the beginning of the 2024 wrestling season, the NCAA released a list of top wrestlers. To share the ranks achieved by the wrestlers earlier this season, NCAA Wrestling took it to its official Twitter account and posted a list among the spectators. 

Despite being at the top in multiple rankings, only four contenders from Penn State made it to the rankings that, too, were not in the initial rankings. While Braeden Davis achieved the No. 11 in the 125 weight class, Aaron Nagao ranked second in 133 pounds. In addition, Beau Bartlett and Mitchell Mesenbrink accompanied their team, making No. 2 and No.7 on the list. However, the question that arises is: why are the top wrestlers from the team not ranked in the top 10?

Reason behind Nittany Lions missing from top 10

Every season, the NCAA releases the Coaching rankings, where coaches vote for the eligible wrestlers in the collegiate wrestling world. To be eligible for these rankings, wrestlers must be starters and have played at least eight D1 matches in their weight class. In addition to this, they are also required to perform on the mat once in the last 30 days before the rankings are released. 

Unfortunately, most of the Penn State Wrestling stars could not make it to the iteration of the 2024 coaches list due to these strict guidelines. But, it was not the only drawback Nittany Lions faced as the wrestlers were excluded from the rankings. Some of the top wrestlers played exceptional last week but as the names were released before these matches, these stars were not eligible for votes.

Read More: Penn State Freshman Stuns The Wrestling Team With Homecoming Triumph, Defeats Michigan All-American Opponent at 125 lbs

While many more Nittany Lions can still jump into the rankings, the same can be conveyed for the other teams jumping onto the ranks held by current Nittany Lions. However, it is quite essential to keep an eye on it as the Coaches Poll is among the eligibility criteria used to determine the seeds given at the NCAA tournament. 

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