Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Updated NCAA Coaches’ Rankings, RPI Announced
February 14, 2019 03:55 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The second NCAA Division I Wrestling Coaches' Panel Rankings and the first edition of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) were released on Thursday.
Redshirt senior Christian Monserrat (149), junior Brandon Ngati (HWT), redshirt sophomore Matthew Schmitt (133), sophomore Nick Kiussis (165) and redshirt freshman Noah Adams (197) of the West Virginia University wrestling team appear in the top 33 of both lists.
Wrestlers must have 17 matches against Division I opponents to be eligible for the RPI rankings. Forfeits do not count towards that total.
Monserrat appears at No. 17 in the RPI and is ranked 18th overall in the coaches' panel rankings at 149 pounds. He boasts a team-leading 19-5 mark on the year, pacing the Mountaineers with 51 match points and 35 takedowns. The Methuen, Massachusetts, native has wins over four previous NCAA qualifiers this season, including a 3-1 win over No. 4 Justin Oliver of NC State on Jan. 13. Monserrat is currently on a four-match win streak and is looking to qualify for his first-ever NCAA Tournament in his final season as a Mountaineer.
Ngati comes in at No. 29 in the RPI and is ranked at No. 30 in the heavyweight division of the coaches' panel rankings, moving up two spots from his previous rank of No. 32 in the rankings released on Jan. 25. The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native returned to the starting lineup in mid-December and has claimed 10 victories on the year, more than doubling his win total from last season.
Schmitt sits at No. 15 in the coaches' panel rankings and is ranked at No. 16 in the RPI at 133 pounds. The Platte City, Missouri, native has totaled 13 wins on the year, most notably defeating No. 19 Cam Sykora of North Dakota State on Dec. 30. Schmitt has won two of his last three duals and looks to qualify for his second consecutive NCAA Championships this season.
Kiussis appears at No. 20 in the RPI and is ranked 22nd overall in the coaches' panel rankings at 165 pounds. The Brunswick, Ohio, native ranks second on the team with 18 wins, topping three opponents ranked inside Intermat's Top 20 Poll this season. Kiussis earned his first victory over a ranked opponent on Dec. 29, defeating No. 18 Cam Coy of Virginia in a 9-2 decision at the South Beach Duals.
Adams comes in at No. 14 in the RPI and is ranked at No. 24 in the coaches' panel rankings at 197 pounds, moving up eight spots from his previous rank of No. 32. The Coal City, West Virginia, native has 13 wins on the year, including four victories by major decision and two by fall. Most recently, Adams dropped a hard-fought, 8-7 decision to No. 4 Rocco Caywood of Army on Feb. 1. Despite the loss, Adams has topped a pair of opponents ranked inside various wrestling publications this season.
Looking ahead, the regular season will come to a close on Sunday, Feb. 24, in Brookings, South Dakota, where West Virginia and South Dakota State square off in a 7 p.m. ET match. The Jackrabbits, who finished 12th at the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, holds a 3-0 lead in the all-time series.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Redshirt senior Christian Monserrat (149), junior Brandon Ngati (HWT), redshirt sophomore Matthew Schmitt (133), sophomore Nick Kiussis (165) and redshirt freshman Noah Adams (197) of the West Virginia University wrestling team appear in the top 33 of both lists.
Wrestlers must have 17 matches against Division I opponents to be eligible for the RPI rankings. Forfeits do not count towards that total.
Monserrat appears at No. 17 in the RPI and is ranked 18th overall in the coaches' panel rankings at 149 pounds. He boasts a team-leading 19-5 mark on the year, pacing the Mountaineers with 51 match points and 35 takedowns. The Methuen, Massachusetts, native has wins over four previous NCAA qualifiers this season, including a 3-1 win over No. 4 Justin Oliver of NC State on Jan. 13. Monserrat is currently on a four-match win streak and is looking to qualify for his first-ever NCAA Tournament in his final season as a Mountaineer.
Ngati comes in at No. 29 in the RPI and is ranked at No. 30 in the heavyweight division of the coaches' panel rankings, moving up two spots from his previous rank of No. 32 in the rankings released on Jan. 25. The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native returned to the starting lineup in mid-December and has claimed 10 victories on the year, more than doubling his win total from last season.
Schmitt sits at No. 15 in the coaches' panel rankings and is ranked at No. 16 in the RPI at 133 pounds. The Platte City, Missouri, native has totaled 13 wins on the year, most notably defeating No. 19 Cam Sykora of North Dakota State on Dec. 30. Schmitt has won two of his last three duals and looks to qualify for his second consecutive NCAA Championships this season.
Kiussis appears at No. 20 in the RPI and is ranked 22nd overall in the coaches' panel rankings at 165 pounds. The Brunswick, Ohio, native ranks second on the team with 18 wins, topping three opponents ranked inside Intermat's Top 20 Poll this season. Kiussis earned his first victory over a ranked opponent on Dec. 29, defeating No. 18 Cam Coy of Virginia in a 9-2 decision at the South Beach Duals.
Adams comes in at No. 14 in the RPI and is ranked at No. 24 in the coaches' panel rankings at 197 pounds, moving up eight spots from his previous rank of No. 32. The Coal City, West Virginia, native has 13 wins on the year, including four victories by major decision and two by fall. Most recently, Adams dropped a hard-fought, 8-7 decision to No. 4 Rocco Caywood of Army on Feb. 1. Despite the loss, Adams has topped a pair of opponents ranked inside various wrestling publications this season.
Looking ahead, the regular season will come to a close on Sunday, Feb. 24, in Brookings, South Dakota, where West Virginia and South Dakota State square off in a 7 p.m. ET match. The Jackrabbits, who finished 12th at the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, holds a 3-0 lead in the all-time series.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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