Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Nine Mountaineers Earn Spots in Second NCAA Coaches’ Ranking/First Ratings Percentage Index (RPI)
February 15, 2024 01:44 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nine members of the West Virginia University wrestling team rank among the top 33 of their respective weight classes in the second coaches ranking and/or RPI heading into this year's postseason tournament.
The coaches' rankings are determined by a vote of 14 coaches in each weight class with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler designated as a starter at a respective weight class. Wrestlers must have eight Division I matches in the weight class to be considered with at least one within the last 30 days.
Wrestlers' RPI consists of three factors: winning percentage, opponent winning percentage (strength of schedule) and opponent's opponent winning percentage (opponent's strength of schedule). Only matches against Division I opponents at the designated weight class count towards the RPI and a wrestler needs to have wrestled 15 matches to be ranked.
Continuing to lead the way for the Mountaineers in the top 10 of their respective weight classes are freshman Ty Watters (No. 6 – 19 RPI) at 149 pounds and 2022 All-American Peyton Hall (No. 8 – 22 RPI) at 165 pounds, as both moved up a spot from the first poll. Watters remains in the top two out of the Big 12 Conference in the division behind Casey Swiderski of Iowa State, while Hall stays fourth in the conference behind No.1 Keegan O`Toole (Missouri), No. 2 David Carr (Iowa State) and No. 4 Izzak Olejnik (Oklahoma State), whom the Chester, West Virginia, native defeated 5-1 in dual action earlier this season.
Redshirt sophomore Jordan Titus (20-2) returns to the rankings at No. 11 and sits at No. 15 in the latest RPI at 141 pounds. The 2023 NCAA qualifier joins Watters (20-4) and Hall (23-5) as WVU grapplers with 20 or more wins during the regular season.
Joining the trio in the rankings are junior Jett Strickenberger (No. 31 – 14 RPI) at 125 pounds, redshirt freshman Brody Conley (No. 25 – 20 RPI) at 174 pounds and redshirt junior Dennis Robin (No. 30 – 22 RPI) at 184 pounds. Senior Caleb Dowling (26 RPI) at 157 pounds, redshirt junior Austin Cooley (31 RPI) at 197 pounds and redshirt senior Michael Wolfgram (19 RPI) at heavyweight round out the group in contention by earning spots in the RPI.
The 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will feature 330 wrestlers across 10 weight classes clashing for a spot on the podium from March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City plays host to the event for the first time since 2003 and second time in history, marking the 11th time the postseason tournament has been held in Missouri.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The coaches' rankings are determined by a vote of 14 coaches in each weight class with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler designated as a starter at a respective weight class. Wrestlers must have eight Division I matches in the weight class to be considered with at least one within the last 30 days.
Wrestlers' RPI consists of three factors: winning percentage, opponent winning percentage (strength of schedule) and opponent's opponent winning percentage (opponent's strength of schedule). Only matches against Division I opponents at the designated weight class count towards the RPI and a wrestler needs to have wrestled 15 matches to be ranked.
Continuing to lead the way for the Mountaineers in the top 10 of their respective weight classes are freshman Ty Watters (No. 6 – 19 RPI) at 149 pounds and 2022 All-American Peyton Hall (No. 8 – 22 RPI) at 165 pounds, as both moved up a spot from the first poll. Watters remains in the top two out of the Big 12 Conference in the division behind Casey Swiderski of Iowa State, while Hall stays fourth in the conference behind No.1 Keegan O`Toole (Missouri), No. 2 David Carr (Iowa State) and No. 4 Izzak Olejnik (Oklahoma State), whom the Chester, West Virginia, native defeated 5-1 in dual action earlier this season.
Redshirt sophomore Jordan Titus (20-2) returns to the rankings at No. 11 and sits at No. 15 in the latest RPI at 141 pounds. The 2023 NCAA qualifier joins Watters (20-4) and Hall (23-5) as WVU grapplers with 20 or more wins during the regular season.
Joining the trio in the rankings are junior Jett Strickenberger (No. 31 – 14 RPI) at 125 pounds, redshirt freshman Brody Conley (No. 25 – 20 RPI) at 174 pounds and redshirt junior Dennis Robin (No. 30 – 22 RPI) at 184 pounds. Senior Caleb Dowling (26 RPI) at 157 pounds, redshirt junior Austin Cooley (31 RPI) at 197 pounds and redshirt senior Michael Wolfgram (19 RPI) at heavyweight round out the group in contention by earning spots in the RPI.
The 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will feature 330 wrestlers across 10 weight classes clashing for a spot on the podium from March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City plays host to the event for the first time since 2003 and second time in history, marking the 11th time the postseason tournament has been held in Missouri.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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