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NCAA Qualifier Allocations Announced
February 25, 2016 03:58 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The NCAA announced qualifier allocations for the 2016 Division I Wrestling Championships on Thursday. The most recent Coaches Panel Rankings and RPI rankings were announced as well.
The Big 12 Conference received the following allocations:
125 lbs. – six qualifiers
133 lbs. – four qualifiers
141 lbs. – three qualifiers
149 lbs. – three qualifiers
157 lbs. – three qualifiers
165 lbs. – three qualifiers
174 lbs. – four qualifiers
184 lbs. – three qualifiers
197 lbs. – four qualifiers
285 lbs. – three qualifiers
TOTAL – 36 qualifiers
Each Division I starter was evaluated for Division I wins at their respective weight class, RPI and coaches ranking. For each Big 12 wrestler that reached the threshold in two of three categories, the league was awarded a qualifying spot in that weight class. NCAA tournament spots will be awarded at the Big 12 Championship based on solely based on place-finish. Wrestlers who do not earn a bid at their qualifying tournament may still be eligible for one of 46 at-large bids to be announced March 9.
West Virginia has four wrestlers ranked in the top 33 of their respective weights in the Feb. 21 Coaches Rankings. Zeke Moisey is 14th at 125 pounds, as is Dylan Cottrell at 157. Bubba Scheffel ranks 31 at 184 pounds while Jacob A. Smith is 10th at 197.
Seven Mountaineer rank in the top 33 in the nation in RPI of their weight class. Moisey is again 14th at 125 while Tony DeAngelo is 33rd at 141 pounds. Cottrell is 16th at 157, with Ross Renzi ranking 30th at 174. Scheffel is 23rd at 184 pounds and fellow senior A.J. Vizcarrondo is 30th at heavyweight. At 197 pounds, Smith boasts the best RPI of any WVU wrestler, ranking fourth.
Scheffel will be looking to make his third NCAA tournament in the coming weeks. Vizcarrondo was an NCAA qualifier in 2014, as was Cottrell while competing at Appalachian State. Smith and Moisey qualified for the 2015 NCAA Championships, with Moisey earning All-America honors as the national runner-up.
West Virginia will travel to Kansas City next week for the 2016 Big 12 Wrestling Championship. The two-day, ten-team tournament will be held at the Sprint Center March 5-6.
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