First NWCA Div. I Top 25 of 2025 released, Ohio State up to No. 4, UNI to No. 7

Manheim, Pennsylvania – Northern Iowa jumped three spots to No. 7 after Sunday’s 24-9 win over then-No. 4 Nebraska in the most recent NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Coaches Poll released on Tuesday.

The Panthers (4-0) ranking is the highest the program has seen since it was ranked fifth to end the 2013-14 season. They’ll defend the ranking, and the No. 1 Mid-Major ranking this weekend inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls at the NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships presented by A Better Way Athletics, Capitol Construction, and Defense Soap.

The only other Top 10 team in action since before Christmas was fifth-ranked Ohio State, which rolled past Oregon State 40-3 in Columbus. The Buckeyes (5-0) moved up a spot to No. 4 this week. Nebraska slid five spots to No. 9 this week, allowing NC State (6-0) and Minnesota (4-0) to each slide up one spot.

In other ranked action, No. 12 Cornell (2-1) beat then-No. 19 Missouri 26-12, No. 18 Pittsburgh topped Division II Pitt-Johnstown 32-8 and No. 22 West Virginia beat Princeton 27-12.

The full conference schedule from the Big Ten and ACC kicks off this weekend, while 14 Division I teams will compete at the National Duals, which returns to the UNI-Dome with a focus on Mid-Major programs (non-Power 4 schools).

Methodology: The NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll is voted on by two coaches from each Division I wrestling conference. Each first-place vote is worth 25 points, 24 points for a second-place vote, 23 points for a third-place vote, and so on, through to one point for a 25th-place vote. The poll is based on dual meet results.

NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Coaches Poll

January 7, 2025

Rank/Team (First)/Record/Points/Conf./Previous

1 Penn State (16) (6-0) 400 Big Ten 1

2 Iowa (6-0) 382 Big Ten 2

3 Oklahoma State (7-0) 369 Big 12 3

4 Ohio State (8-0) 346 Big Ten 5

5 NC State (6-0) 332 ACC 6

6 Minnesota (4-0) 309 Big Ten 7

7 Northern Iowa (4-0) 303 Big 12 10

8 Virginia Tech (3-1) 284 ACC 8

9 Nebraska (5-1) 274 Big Ten 4

10 Michigan (3-0) 265 Big Ten 9

11 Illinois (6-0) 237 Big Ten 11

12 Cornell (2-1) 230 Ivy League 12

13 Iowa State (4-3) 200 Big 12 13

14 South Dakota State (5-2) 190 Big 12 14

15 Stanford (4-1) 176 ACC 15

16 Rutgers (8-2) 165 Big Ten 16

17 Little Rock (7-1) 146 Pac-12 17

18 Pittsburgh (5-2) 127 ACC 18

19 Lehigh (1-2) 96 EIWA 20

20 Oklahoma (6-1) 88 Big 12 21

21 Missouri (2-6) 80 Big 12 19

22 West Virginia (7-1) 67 Big 12 22

23 Army West Point (4-1) 48 EIWA 24

24 Indiana (4-1) 27 Big Ten 25

25 North Carolina (4-4) 26 ACC 23

Others Receiving Votes: Northern Colorado 18, Arizona State 7, Utah Valley 3, George Mason 2, Virginia 2, California Baptist 1.

Dropped Out: None