Manheim, Pennsylvania – South Dakota State will start 2026 atop the first NWCA Division I Men's Wrestling Mid-Major Coaches Poll, released Wednesday, as the coach Damion Hahn's squad was the top choice among voters following the opening two months of dual competition.
The Jackrabbits (4-0) received all six first-place votes and enters the poll with a 4-0 record. Northern Iowa followed at No. 2, with Cornell, Lehigh and Penn rounding out the top five. Wyoming, Drexel and Little Rock sit just outside the top five, while Lock Haven and Utah Valley complete the top 10.
No. 1 South Dakota State, No. 2 Northern Iowa, No. 7 Drexel, and No. 15 Central Michigan will all be in action this weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa at the NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships. Presented by A Better Way Athletics, Capitol Construction, and Defense Soap.
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 7, 2026
| Rank |
Team (First) |
Record |
Points |
Conference |
All-Sports |
| 1 |
South Dakota State (6) |
(4-0) |
120 |
Big 12 |
Summit |
| 2 |
Northern Iowa |
(3-4) |
114 |
Big 12 |
Missouri Valley |
| 3 |
Cornell |
(1-3) |
108 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
| 4 |
Lehigh |
(3-6) |
100 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
| 5 |
Penn |
(3-0) |
88 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
| 6 |
Wyoming |
(2-3) |
83 |
Big 12 |
Mountain West |
| 7 |
Drexel |
(5-2) |
76 |
EIWA |
CAA |
| 8 |
Little Rock |
(2-6) |
69 |
Pac-12 |
Ohio Valley |
| 9 |
Lock Haven |
(4-3) |
58 |
MAC |
PSAC (Division II) |
| 10 |
Utah Valley |
(3-3) |
56 |
Big 12 |
WAC |
| 11 (tie) |
Army West Point |
(0-3) |
52 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
| 11 (tie) |
Navy |
(2-3) |
52 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
| 13 |
Princeton |
(2-4) |
40 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
| 14 |
Cal Poly |
(2-2) |
37 |
Pac-12 |
Big West |
| 15 |
Central Michigan |
(3-1) |
36 |
MAC |
MAC |
| 16 |
Columbia |
(4-3) |
29 |
Ivy League |
Ivy League |
| 17 |
Rider |
(3-4) |
27 |
MAC |
MAAC |
| 18 |
Bucknell |
(3-5) |
24 |
EIWA |
Patriot |
| 19 |
SIU Edwardsville |
(4-1) |
15 |
MAC |
Ohio Valley |
| 20 |
North Dakota State |
(1-5) |
14 |
Big 12 |
Summit |
Others Receiving Votes: American 13, Appalachian State 13, Ohio 13, George Mason 8, Northern Illinois 5, The Citadel 4, Kent State 3, Chattanooga 2, Edinboro 1.
Questions related to historical polls can be sent to Jason Bryant at jason@bryantwrestling.com
