Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Updated NCAA Coaches’ Panel Rankings and RPI Released
March 14, 2019 12:17 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The fourth and final NCAA Division I Wrestling Coaches' Panel Rankings and the third edition of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) were released by the NCAA on Thursday.
Five Mountaineers rank in the top 33 of their respective weights in the most recent NCAA coaches' panel rankings. The rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches representing each conference. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. To be eligible for the rankings, wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents in the weight class and have wrestled within the last 30 days.
Redshirt sophomore Matthew Schmitt, who is coming off his second consecutive fourth-place finish at the 2019 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, moves up one spot to No. 15 in the final NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings. The 133-pound grappler is tied for first on the team with six major decisions, as well as four technical fall victories on the year. He also ranks fourth on the team with 17 wins, topping a pair of opponents ranked inside various wrestling publications this season.
Redshirt senior Christian Monserrat checks in at No. 18 in his weight class of 149 pounds. Monserrat, who earned a podium finish at this year's conference championship for the first time in his career, leads the team with 23 wins on the year. He also has wins over five NCAA qualifiers this season, including a 3-1 win over then-No. 4 Justin Oliver of NC State on Jan. 13.
Redshirt freshman Noah Adams moves up five spots to No. 21. The 197-pound grappler registered a top-five finish at his first-ever conference tournament, defeating NCAA qualifier Tanner Orndorff of Utah Valley in the fifth-place match. Adams is tied for third on the team with 18 wins, claiming six major decisions and two wins by fall on the year.
Sophomore Nick Kiussis and junior Brandon Ngati round out the Mountaineers in the coaches' panel, coming in at No. 31 in the 165 and 285-pound division, respectively. Kiussis has claimed 18 wins on the year, while Ngati more than doubled his win total from last season with 14. Ngati finished sixth at this year's conference championship to lock up an automatic bid to nationals for the first time in his career, while Kiussis received an at-large selection on Tuesday.
Additionally, Schmitt, Monserrat, Kiussis and Adams each appear in the RPI rankings. Adams is the highest-ranked Mountaineer at No. 17 at 197 pounds, while Schmitt appears at No. 18 in his respective weight class of 133 pounds. Monserrat sits at No. 20 in the 149-pound division, and Kiussis comes in at No. 30 at 165 pounds. To be eligible for an RPI ranking, a wrestler must have 17 matches against Division I opponents. Forfeits do not count towards that total.
The Mountaineer quintet will compete at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Monserrat, Ngati, Schmitt and Adams each earned automatic bids based on their performances at the 2019 Big 12 Wrestling Championship last weekend, while Kiussis received an at-large selection on Tuesday to punch his ticket.
The NCAA Championships will be held March 21-23, at PPG Paints Arena, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first round starts at noon ET on Thursday, March 21.
The brackets and seeding for the three-day tournament were announced by the NCAA on Wednesday. For more information on the Mountaineers' seedings, CLICK HERE.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Five Mountaineers rank in the top 33 of their respective weights in the most recent NCAA coaches' panel rankings. The rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches representing each conference. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. To be eligible for the rankings, wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents in the weight class and have wrestled within the last 30 days.
Redshirt sophomore Matthew Schmitt, who is coming off his second consecutive fourth-place finish at the 2019 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, moves up one spot to No. 15 in the final NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings. The 133-pound grappler is tied for first on the team with six major decisions, as well as four technical fall victories on the year. He also ranks fourth on the team with 17 wins, topping a pair of opponents ranked inside various wrestling publications this season.
Redshirt senior Christian Monserrat checks in at No. 18 in his weight class of 149 pounds. Monserrat, who earned a podium finish at this year's conference championship for the first time in his career, leads the team with 23 wins on the year. He also has wins over five NCAA qualifiers this season, including a 3-1 win over then-No. 4 Justin Oliver of NC State on Jan. 13.
Redshirt freshman Noah Adams moves up five spots to No. 21. The 197-pound grappler registered a top-five finish at his first-ever conference tournament, defeating NCAA qualifier Tanner Orndorff of Utah Valley in the fifth-place match. Adams is tied for third on the team with 18 wins, claiming six major decisions and two wins by fall on the year.
Sophomore Nick Kiussis and junior Brandon Ngati round out the Mountaineers in the coaches' panel, coming in at No. 31 in the 165 and 285-pound division, respectively. Kiussis has claimed 18 wins on the year, while Ngati more than doubled his win total from last season with 14. Ngati finished sixth at this year's conference championship to lock up an automatic bid to nationals for the first time in his career, while Kiussis received an at-large selection on Tuesday.
Additionally, Schmitt, Monserrat, Kiussis and Adams each appear in the RPI rankings. Adams is the highest-ranked Mountaineer at No. 17 at 197 pounds, while Schmitt appears at No. 18 in his respective weight class of 133 pounds. Monserrat sits at No. 20 in the 149-pound division, and Kiussis comes in at No. 30 at 165 pounds. To be eligible for an RPI ranking, a wrestler must have 17 matches against Division I opponents. Forfeits do not count towards that total.
The Mountaineer quintet will compete at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Monserrat, Ngati, Schmitt and Adams each earned automatic bids based on their performances at the 2019 Big 12 Wrestling Championship last weekend, while Kiussis received an at-large selection on Tuesday to punch his ticket.
The NCAA Championships will be held March 21-23, at PPG Paints Arena, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first round starts at noon ET on Thursday, March 21.
The brackets and seeding for the three-day tournament were announced by the NCAA on Wednesday. For more information on the Mountaineers' seedings, CLICK HERE.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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