Monk Leads Five Bison in First Edition of NCAA Coaches’ Panel Rankings

INDIANAPOLIS – Five North Dakota State University wrestlers appear in the first coaches’ panel rankings released by the NCAA on Thursday for the 2013-14 wrestling season. The final rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine the qualifiers for the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

NDSU senior Steven Monk is the top-ranked wrestler from the Western Wrestling Conference, coming in at No. 3 at 165 pounds. Joining Monk in the rankings are Hayden Zillmer (9th at 174 pounds), Kurtis Julson (27th at 184 pounds), Evan Knutson (28th at 285 pounds) and Tyler Lehmann (30th at 197 pounds).

Monk is 20-1 this season and is a two-time NCAA Championships qualifier, coming up one win shy of All-America honors in each of the last two years. Knutson (11-7) is the other returning NCAA qualifier on the Bison roster, while Zillmer (18-4) and Lehmann (7-2) are in search of their first berths at the NCAA Championships.

Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches’ rankings to earn spots for the 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The coaches’ rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches representing each qualifying tournament. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. In order to be eligible for the rankings, wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents and have wrestled within the last 30 days.

The 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will take place Mar. 20-22 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla.

NCAA Division I Coaches Panel Rankings – January 23, 2014

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