Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Up to No. 17 in NWCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll
1/30/2018 5:22:00 PM | Wrestling
EVANSTON, Ill. — After pulling off its second upset of a ranked team in a span of three weeks, Northwestern (8-2, 3-2 Big Ten) has moved up to No. 17 in Tuesday's latest NWCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll.
It is Northwestern's highest team ranking since being named the 17th-best team in the nation in January 2015.
This rise in the polls comes just days after the Wildcats came up with a thrilling 20-18 road victory over No. 14 Minnesota this past Sunday. The win marked Northwestern's first win over the Golden Gophers since 1996 as well as NU's highest ranked victory since topping No. 14 Stanford on November 5, 2011.
No. 5 Ryan Deakin (149) notched a walk-off pin against Ben Brancale to secure the victory on Sunday, his team-high sixth win by fall of the season. The redshirt first-year improved to 24-3 on the year, including a perfect 10-0 in dual competition.
Redshirt first-year Sebastian Rivera (125) has also been a leader for Chicago's Big Ten Team during their impressive 2017-18 campaign. Rivera has been off to one of the best starts in NU history, improving his record to a remarkable 20-1 with a convincing 11-3 major decision against Minnesota. Rivera's efforts have earned him the No. 10 ranking in this week's InterMat poll for his weight class.
Redshirt junior Johnny Sebastian (174) is also ranked in this week's latest InterMat polls. Sebastian moved up one spot to No. 17 after registering his fifth straight victory on Sunday to remain undefeated in conference competition. With five matches remaining this season, Sebastian has already recorded a new career-high in wins, currently with 20.
The Wildcats have been highly-touted among the national polls, led by W.I.N. Magazine's TPI ranking, which puts Northwestern at 14th. TrackWrestling (18th), InterMat Tournament (25th), and InterMat Dual (17th) also rate the 'Cats among the best teams in the nation.
Northwestern returns home to host No. 19 Rutgers at historic Patten Gymnasium on Friday evening for a 7 p.m. tilt. A win against the Scarlet Knights would give the #B1GCats their third victory over a ranked opponent on the season for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Both Mitch Sliga (184) and Michael Sepke (165) will be honored in a pre-match Senior Day ceremony for their final home match in the Purple and White.
It is Northwestern's highest team ranking since being named the 17th-best team in the nation in January 2015.
This rise in the polls comes just days after the Wildcats came up with a thrilling 20-18 road victory over No. 14 Minnesota this past Sunday. The win marked Northwestern's first win over the Golden Gophers since 1996 as well as NU's highest ranked victory since topping No. 14 Stanford on November 5, 2011.
No. 5 Ryan Deakin (149) notched a walk-off pin against Ben Brancale to secure the victory on Sunday, his team-high sixth win by fall of the season. The redshirt first-year improved to 24-3 on the year, including a perfect 10-0 in dual competition.
Redshirt first-year Sebastian Rivera (125) has also been a leader for Chicago's Big Ten Team during their impressive 2017-18 campaign. Rivera has been off to one of the best starts in NU history, improving his record to a remarkable 20-1 with a convincing 11-3 major decision against Minnesota. Rivera's efforts have earned him the No. 10 ranking in this week's InterMat poll for his weight class.
Redshirt junior Johnny Sebastian (174) is also ranked in this week's latest InterMat polls. Sebastian moved up one spot to No. 17 after registering his fifth straight victory on Sunday to remain undefeated in conference competition. With five matches remaining this season, Sebastian has already recorded a new career-high in wins, currently with 20.
The Wildcats have been highly-touted among the national polls, led by W.I.N. Magazine's TPI ranking, which puts Northwestern at 14th. TrackWrestling (18th), InterMat Tournament (25th), and InterMat Dual (17th) also rate the 'Cats among the best teams in the nation.
Northwestern returns home to host No. 19 Rutgers at historic Patten Gymnasium on Friday evening for a 7 p.m. tilt. A win against the Scarlet Knights would give the #B1GCats their third victory over a ranked opponent on the season for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Both Mitch Sliga (184) and Michael Sepke (165) will be honored in a pre-match Senior Day ceremony for their final home match in the Purple and White.
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