MANHEIM, Pa. – Perennial power Central Oklahoma came in at No. 19 in the NCAA Division II preseason poll released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association Thursday afternoon.
The Bronchos of 11th-year head coach Todd Steidley earned 26.5 points in the poll that awards points to the top 15 at each of the 10 weights and have four ranked individuals. It marks UCO's lowest-ever preseason ranking since joining Division II in 1990.
Glenville State has nine ranked individuals and finished with 70 points to earn the top spot, while two-time defending national champion Nebraka-Kearney came in second with 61.5 points Wisconsin-Parkside (58), Mary (57.5) and Gannon (54) rounded out the top five.
Central has finished in the top six in the last six national tournaments, winning back-to-back titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Bronchos came in fourth last year.
"It's a preseason poll and it really doesn't mean much," Steidley said. "We have a young team and there's going to be a lot of new guys in the lineup, but I'm confident we will be in the thick of things by the end of the season. Our guys are working hard and we're excited about the season."
Junior Eli Kirk leads UCO's ranked individuals, coming in third at 125 pounds. The junior from Guthrie earned All-America honors for the first time last year with a fourth-place finish after going 16-3 with 12 bonus-point wins.
Bam West came in sixth at 149 pounds, with Garrett Wells ranked ninth at 197 and Easton Taylor 15th at 133.
West was a national qualifier last year, while Wells is a two-time All-American who just missed making the national tournament last year and has 75 career wins to his credit. Taylor, a two-time junior college All-American, went 14-1 with 10 bonus wins in a back-up role last year.
The Bronchos went 16-1 last season, winning the NWCA Division II National Duals title with a finals victory over UNK. UCO captured its straight Super Regional IV title before coming in fourth at the national tournament.
Central will face three preseason top 25 teams in duals during the regular season, taking on No. 2 UNK (Feb. 12), No. Central Missouri (Feb. 7) and No. 16 Augustana (Nov. 15).
