MAC ALLOCATED 25 QUALIFIERS FOR 2018 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS;
NCAA DIVISION I WRESTLING QUALIFIER ALLOCATIONS, FINAL COACHES' PANEL RANKINGS AND FINAL RPI ANNOUNCED FOR 2018 CHAMPIONSHIPS
MAC Awarded 25 allocations to the NCAA Wrestling Championships March 15-17 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland
INDIANAPOLIS--- The NCAA has announced the qualifier allocations for the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships and the Mid-American Conference has received 25 allocations, the fifth highest of any Division I Wrestling Conference. The eight MAC wrestling programs will compete in the MAC Wrestling Championships March 3-4 in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., on the campus of Central Michigan University to determine which wrestlers will qualify for the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships hosted by the MAC at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on March 15-17.
NCAA Division I Wrestling Qualifier Allocation
Earlier this week, the MAC had two programs ranked in the top 20 in the USA Today/NWCA Coaches Rankings as Missouri ranked No. 3 in the nation, after posting a 19-0 record and winning the MAC regular season title with a 7-0 mark, while Central Michigan is ranked No. 20 in the country with an 8-6 overall record, 5-2 within the MAC. The MAC's 25 allocations were fifth most of any conference in Division I Wrestling.
2017-18 USA Today/NWCA Coaches National Poll (Feb. 22)
No. 3 Missouri
No. 20 Central Michigan
To determine the qualifier allocations, each qualifying tournament was awarded spots per weight class based on current year data. Each wrestler was measured on the following: Division I winning percentage at the weight class; ratings percentage index (RPI); and coaches’ ranking. For each wrestler that reached the threshold in at least two of the three categories, his qualifying tournament was awarded a qualifying spot in that weight class. Each qualifying tournament, with automatic qualifying status, was awarded a minimum of one wrestler per weight class, which will go to the tournament champion, even if they did not have any wrestlers reach at least two of the three thresholds. NCAA tournament spots for each qualifying event will be awarded at the tournament based solely on place-finish.
After all of the qualifying events have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet in-person to select the remaining 47 at-large qualifiers, which will be announced on March 6. All weight classes will consist of 33 wrestlers. The at-large selections will be made based on the following criteria: head-to-head competition; quality wins; coaches’ ranking; results against common opponents; RPI; qualifying event placement; and winning percentage.
In addition, the individual wrestler rankings for the top 33 wrestlers in each weight class were released by the final coaches' panel rankings as well as by RPI. The NCAA released the third of four coaches’ panel rankings for the 2017-18 wrestling season and the second release of the RPI.
The MAC had 29 MAC wrestlers earned spots in the coaches rankings, including one second-place listing, five within the top five of the weight classes and eight total ranked in the top ten, in addition 33 wrestlers in the RPI rankings, including one first-place listings, three within the top five of the weight classes and six total ranked in the top ten. The final rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine the qualifiers for the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. This year’s event is March 15-17 hosted by the MAC at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
In the Coaches Rankings, Missouri’s Jaydin Eierman (141) was ranked No. 2 in his weight class, while Missouri's Grant Leeth (149) and Daniel Lewis (174) were both ranked No. 3 in their respective weight classes. Central Michigan’s Justin Oliver (149) and Missouri’s Joey Lavallee (157) were both ranked No. 4 in their respective weight classes. Missouri’s Willie Miklus (197) was ranked No. 6, while teammate John Erneste (133) was ranked No. 7 and Central Michigan’s Mason Smith (141) was ranked No. 10.
In the RPI rankings, which requires a minimum of 17 Division I matches to be eligible for a ranking, Missouri's Jaydin Eierman (141) was ranked No. 1, while Missouri's Grant Leeth (149) was ranked No. 2 in his weight class. Central Michigan's Mason Smith (141) was ranked No. 5, while Missouri's Daniel Lewis (174) was ranked No. 6 and Central Michigan's Justin Oliver (149) was ranked No. 7 in their respective weight classes. Missouri's Willie Miklus (197) was ranked No. 9 in his weight class.
Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches’ rankings to earn spots in their qualifying tournaments for the 2018 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. 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.
NCAA Division I Wrestling - Coaches Rankings (through Feb. 18)
125:
22. Michael McGee, Old Dominion
28. Kyle Akins, Buffalo
32. Brock Hudkins, Northern Illinois
33. Barlow McGhee, Missouri
133:
7. John Erneste, Missouri
13. Cameron Kelly, Ohio
18. Bryan Lantry, Buffalo
29. Anthony Tutolo, Kent State
141:
2. Jaydin Eierman, Missouri
10. Mason Smith, Central Michigan
21. Alex Madrigal, Old Dominion
149:
3. Grant Leeth, Missouri
4. Justin Oliver, Central Michigan
29. Kyle Springer, Eastern Michigan
157:
4. Joey Lavallee, Missouri
22. Colin Heffernan, Central Michigan
27. Larry Early, Old Dominion
165:
23. Connor Flynn, Missouri
174:
3. Daniel Lewis, Missouri
14. Christian Brucki, Central Michigan
29. Seldon Wright, Old Dominion
184:
15. Canten Marriott, Missouri
16. Jordan Ellingwood, Central Michigan
197:
6. Willie Miklus, Missouri
26. Jordan Atienza, Central Michigan
28. Kyle Conel, Kent State
285:
18. Matt Stencel, Central Michigan
22. Gage Hutchison, Eastern Michigan
24. Jake Gunning, Buffalo
The RPI rankings require a minimum of 17 matches against other Division I competition to earn a ranking. The RPI factors winning percentage, opponent winning percentage and opponents’ opponent winning percentage.
NCAA Division I Wrestling Ratings RPI -- 17 match minimum vs. Division I opponents
125:
19. Michael McGee, Old Dominion
20. Kyle Akins, Buffalo
26. Brock Hudkins, Northern Illinois
33. Drew Hildebrandt, Central Michigan
133:
11. Bryan Lantry, Buffalo
15. Cameron Kelly, Ohio
20. Anthony Tutolo, Kent State
141:
1. Jaydin Eierman, Missouri
5. Mason Smith, Central Michigan
15. Alex Madrigal, Old Dominion
32. Tim Rooney, Kent State
33. Sa’Derian Perry, Eastern Michigan
149:
2. Grant Leeth, Missouri
7. Justin Oliver, Central Michigan
31. Kenan Carter, Old Dominion
157:
13. Joey Lavallee, Missouri
16. Larry Early, Old Dominion
27. Colin Heffernan, Central Michigan
165:
20. Connor Flynn, Missouri
31. Zach Carson, Eastern Michigan
33. Logan Parks, Central Michigan
174:
6. Daniel Lewis, Missouri
21. Christian Brucki, Central Michigan
26. Seldon Wright, Old Dominion
184:
11. Jordan Ellingwood, Central Michigan
13. Canten Marriott, Missouri
197:
9. Willie Miklus, Missouri
26. Jordan Atienza, Central Michigan
29. Kyle Conel, Kent State
285:
16. Jake Gunning, Buffalo
21. Gage Hutchison, Eastern Michigan
23. Matt Stencel, Central Michigan
28. Zack Parker, Ohio
