Manheim, Pennsylvania – Northern Iowa's victory two weeks ago at the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals buoyed the Panthers (8-4) to the top spot of the most recent NWCA Division I Men's Wrestling Mid-Major Poll released on Wednesday.
Northern Iowa was followed by Lehigh in second, while Cornell and South Dakota State followed, tied for third. Oregon State is fifth. The rest of the Top 10 features Penn, Wyoming, Drexel, Lock Haven and Navy.
Note: Oregon State was mistakenly left out of the previous poll ballot.
Methodology: The NWCA Division I Men's Wrestling Mid-Major Coaches Poll is voted on by one coach from Division I wrestling conferences with mid-major representation. Each first-place vote is worth 20 points, 19 points for a second-place vote, 18 for a third-place vote, and so on through to one point for a 20th-place vote. The poll is based on dual meet results and represents schools that are in not full members in all-sports conferences considered the "Power 4."
NWCA Division I Men's Wrestling Mid-Major Coaches Poll
JANUARY 21, 2026
| Rank |
Team (First) |
Record |
Points |
Conference |
All-Sports |
Previous |
| 1 |
Northern Iowa (5) |
(8-4) |
119 |
Big 12 |
Missouri Valley |
2 |
| 2 |
Lehigh (1) |
(7-6) |
112 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
4 |
| 3t |
Cornell |
(3-4) |
103 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
3 |
| 3t |
South Dakota State |
(9-2) |
103 |
Big 12 |
Summit |
1 |
| 5 |
Oregon State |
(4-1) |
88 |
Pac-12 |
Pac-12 |
NR |
| 6 |
Penn |
(4-0) |
85 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
5 |
| 7 |
Wyoming |
(4-3) |
83 |
Big 12 |
Mountain West |
6 |
| 8 |
Drexel |
(10-3) |
68 |
EIWA |
CAA |
7 |
| 9t |
Lock Haven |
(7-3) |
57 |
MAC |
PSAC (Division II) |
9 |
| 9t |
Navy |
(3-4) |
57 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
11 |
| 11 |
Utah Valley |
(3-6) |
53 |
Big 12 |
WAC |
10 |
| 12 |
SIU Edwardsville |
(7-1) |
40 |
MAC |
Ohio Valley |
19 |
| 13 |
Rider |
(6-4) |
38 |
MAC |
MAAC |
17 |
| 14 |
Cal Poly |
(3-3) |
32 |
Pac-12 |
Big West |
14 |
| 15 |
Army West Point |
(1-4) |
31 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
11 |
| 16 |
Columbia |
(5-3) |
26 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
16 |
| 17 |
Northern Illinois |
(5-5) |
24 |
MAC |
MAC |
NR |
| 18 |
Princeton |
(2-5) |
22 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
13 |
| 19t |
Bucknell |
(5-7) |
19 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
18 |
| 19t |
Central Michigan |
(6-4) |
19 |
MAC |
MAC |
15 |
Others Receiving Votes: Little Rock 17, Ohio 11, The Citadel 9, Appalachian State 7, North Dakota State 4, Binghamton 1.
