Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney wrestling team is ranked 20th in the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association preseason poll.

This poll is a tournament power index (TPI) ranking as teams receive points for individuals ranked. UNK has three wrestlers ranked among the 10 weight classes, good for 21 points and the No. 20 team ranking. The next poll will come out on Wednesday, November 22nd.

Several returning Loper starters, including defending 149 pound national champion Keith Surber (O'Fallon, Ill.), cannot be ranked this semester. They'll appear in the rankings come January 2018.

McKendree University (Ill.), who placed fifth at the 2017 NCAA's, is preseason number one as they have seven individuals ranked (85 points). Rounding out the top five are St. Cloud State (68), California Baptist and Notre Dame College (both 63) and Gannon University, Pa. (50).

Colorado junior Zach Stodden (5th/174 lbs.), Maryland senior Kevin Barrett (6th/285 lbs.) and Iowa redshirt freshman Matt Malcom (11th/157 lbs.) are the Lopers to be individually ranked. Barrett is a two-time national qualifier and a 2012 All-American, Stodden has started the past two years and was a 2017 All-American at 184 pounds with Malcom spending last season at the University of Iowa.
 
UNK has finished in the top four at the NCAA Championships each of the past six seasons and hasn't finished lower than eighth since 2001.

The Lopers have their annual Blue/Gold Scrimmage next Friday (Oct. 27th) in the Health & Sports Center with the regular season beginning a week later at the University of Wyoming.