KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five-time defending MIAA wrestling champion Central Oklahoma has been tabbed for a second-place finish in 2025-26, according to the preseason poll released Thursday by the league office.
Nebraska Kearney is the favorite after receiving five first-place votes and finishing with 25 points in voting of the conference's six head coaches. The Bronchos earned the other first-place vote and had 21 points.
Central Missouri came in third with 17 points, while Fort Hays State, Newman and Ouachita Baptist all tied for fourth with nine points.
Three league teams were ranked in the preseason NCAA Division II poll that came out last week, with the Lopers coming in at No. 1 while UCO was 11th and OBU 25th.
UCO enters the season with a 26-match MIAA winning streak that dates back to Feb. 3, 2019.
The Bronchos open the 2025-26 campaign this weekend with two different events. A large contingent of back-ups will compete at the Falcon Open in Wichita, Kan. Saturday while UCO's starters take on Ouachita Baptist and Division I Little Rock in back-to-back duals Sunday afternoon in Little Rock, Ark.
