NAIA Release  |  Individual Rankings

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- For a 13th straight set of rankings, the Notre Dame Wresting Falcons have earned the No. 1 spot in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, the NAIA announced on Tuesday.

The Falcons, who have occupied the top spot on the poll since Nov. 24, 2009, racked up 133.5 points in the poll. Grand View (Iowa) held on to its No. 2 ranking for the third-straight poll with 101.5 points. Lindenwood (Mo.) climbed to third with 81 points and is followed by No. 4 McKendree (Ill.) (79 points) and No. 5 Campbellsville (Ky.) (73.5 points).

Notre Dame garnered its slew of points courtesy a trio of top-ranked wrestlers and seven others scattered throughout the ranks. NDC's No. 1-ranked athletes include #Brett Freeman# who took over at 141 pounds after topping the previous No. 1, Tommy Pretty of Campbellsville, 6-5, on Jan. 29. The senior from Burton, Ohio, is 22-3 on the season and hasn't dropped a bout since Dec. 11.

Freeman was joined by #Jeffrey Pelton# (149 pounds)and #Orlando Scales# (Hwt.) in the trio of NDC No. 1's. Pelton is 21-3 this season; Scales is 24-1. Previously unbeaten #Derek Foore# ceded the top spot at 197 to Andrew Sanchez (McKendree) who took him down, 6-1, in the title bout at last week's (Feb. 6) Greyhound Open. Foore, 22-1, is now ranked No. 2.

The final poll of the 2010–11 season will be released on Feb. 22, followed by the announcement of qualifiers for the 2011 NAIA Wrestling National Championships. The defending-champion Falcons have already qualified 13 grapplers into the 54th annual NAIA title event, which will take place March 3–5 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

NAIA Release  |  Individual Rankings