MANHEIM, Pa.- A first-time #1, the Lander Bearcats, will open the 2023-24 season atop the preseason edition of the NWCA Division II Coaches Poll, released Oct. 30 by the Association.

The Bearcats, who finished runner-up at the 2023 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, top the poll with 82 total points and a poll-high eight ranked wrestlers. West Liberty sits at #2 in the preseason poll, with 69 points behind five ranked wrestlers. Defending National Champion Central Oklahoma is in the three-spot with 63 points, with St. Cloud State (56 points) in fourth with its six ranked wrestlers and McKendree and Upper Iowa tied for the five-spot with 48 points each.
 

Six of the preseason top-ranked individuals are returning National Champions from a season ago, highlighted by two-time National Champion Dalton Abney of Central Oklahoma at 197. At 133, Gavin Quiocho of Glenville State is back after his title a season ago, as is Tiffin's Zack Donathan at 141. Nick Novak of St. Cloud State is back and sits at #1 at 157, Chase Luensman of Upper Iowa tops the ranking at 165 and West Liberty's Ty McGeary comes back to defend his title at 184. Another of the top-ranked wrestlers, Jaxson Rohman of Augustana, comes sits atop the 125 ranking after finishing as National Runner-up at the weight a season ago.
 

At 149, Wyatt Tunrquist of Northern State is a first-time #1, finishing third last season. Turnquist was ranked as high as seventh last year. James Penfold of Lake Erie tops the 174 ranking for the first time ever after taking fourth a season ago, while Indianapolis' Cale Gray is #1 at 285 for the first time in his career after taking fourth last season. Penfold topped out at #4 in the rankings a season ago, while Gray was as high as seventh in the rankings last season.

Two weight classes feature nine returning All-Americans among their ranked wrestlers, with 149 and 165 both having nine guys who have been on the podium. Both 141 and 197 feature eight returning All-Americans, while 133 and 184 have seven returning AAs in their top 12 ranked individuals.

Super Region 5 leads the way with 31 ranked wrestlers and seven teams ranked in the Top 25. Super Region 3 has the most #1s, with four among its 23 ranked wrestlers and five Top 25 teams. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) leads all conferences with 26 ranked wrestlers and six ranked teams.  

The season kicks off officially Wednesday, Nov. 1, with various teams around NCAA DII in action. Sixty-six teams will compete under the NCAA DII banner this season, including four programs taking the mat for the first time in Frostburg State, Grand Valley State, Montevallo, and Sioux Falls. The top three at each weight class from each of the six regions will descend upon Wichita, Kansas, for the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships March 15-16.