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    Notre Dame closes out regular season on top in NAIA

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Notre Dame (Ohio) closes out on top in the final edition of the NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Top 20 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The defending national champions have been ranked No. 1 the entire season and have occupied the top spot since Nov. 24, 2009. The Falcons racked up 142 points with 11 ranked wrestlers. Grand View (Iowa) remains locked in at No. 2 with 113 points with 11 listed grapplers. Rounding out the top-five teams is No. 3 McKendree (Ill.) with 90 points, No. 4 Lindenwood (Mo.) with 81 points and No. 5 Missouri Valley with 74 points. All three each boast eight ranked individuals.

    Qualifiers for the 2011 NAIA Wrestling National Championships will be announced Wednesday by 5 p.m. CST. The 54th annual event will take place March 3 – 5 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Following the completion of the NAIA Qualifying Group Tournaments on Feb. 19, five weight classes have a new No. 1 grappler. Missouri Valley's Paulie Hansen (27-9) moves to No. 1 after capturing the 125-pound East Group title. The junior, who won all four of his bouts via decision, is the third individual to own the No. 1-ranking at 125 pounds this season.

    At 149 pounds, Anthony Weerheim of Montana State-Northern became the new No. 1 after winning the West Group title. Weerheim is 28-2 in his junior campaign. Notre Dame’s Kevin Hardy moves to the top at 165 pounds for the first time this season. The junior improved to 30-10 with a 14-1 major decision to win the title in the East Group. The second top-ranked grappler from Montana State-Northern is 184-pounder Evan Hinebauch (24-7). The junior upset previously top-ranked Michael French of Great Falls (Mont.) with a 2-1 decision on Feb. 19.

    In a battle of sophomore heavyweights, a last-second takedown by Lindenwood’s Steven Butler secured a 3-2 decision over previously top-ranked Orlando Scales of Notre Dame for the top finish in the East Group. Butler pushed his record to 21-13 and knocked Scales from his seven-straight poll hold on the No. 1 spot.

    Tyler Chang of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) is the only ranked wrestler that still owns a spotless record. The three-time All-American is 36-0 and is No. 1 at 165 pounds. Chang has pinned 17 opponents, scored 10 major decisions and registered four technical falls. His 36 wins are tied with Lindenwood’s top-ranked 174 pounder Chris Chionuma (36-2) for the most among all ranked grapplers. Chionuma, a two-time All-American, has 10 major decisions, eight pins and four technical falls in his junior campaign.

    There are 16 ranked individuals that have won 30-or more matches this season.

    The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the groupings.
    Rank School Name Total Team Points
    1 Notre Dame (Ohio) 142
    2 Grand View (Iowa) 113
    3 McKendree (Ill.) 90
    4 Lindenwood (Mo.) 81
    5 Missouri Valley 74
    6 Campbellsville (Ky.) 69.5
    7 Morningside (Iowa) 47
    8 Montana State-Northern 45.5
    8 Southern Oregon 45.5
    10 Great Falls (Mont.) 43.5
    11 Midland (Neb.) 33.5
    12 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 27.5
    13 Oklahoma City 22.5
    14 Hastings (Neb.) 18
    15 Simon Fraser (B.C.) 17
    16 Cumberland (Tenn.) 16
    16 Minot State (N.D.) 16
    18 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 15
    19 Northwestern (Iowa) 13
    20 Dickinson State (N.D.) 12.5
    20 Menlo (Calif.) 12.5

    Others receiving points: Jamestown (N.D.) 11; Waldorf (Iowa) 10; William Penn (Iowa) 10; York (Neb.) 5.5; Baker (Kan.) 5; Cumberlands (Ky.) 2.5;Shorter (Ga.) 2.5; Concordia (Neb.) 1.5; Missouri Baptist 1.

    Top-Ranked Individuals
    125 – Paul Hansen, Missouri Valley
    133 – Tim Thurston, Campbellsville (Ky.)
    141 – Brett Freeman, Notre Dame (Ohio)
    149 – Anthony Weerheim, Montana State-Northern
    157 – Tyler Chang, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
    165 – Kevin Hardy, Notre Dame (Ohio)
    174 – Chris Chionuma, Lindenwood (Mo.)
    184 – Evan Hinebauch, Montana State-Northern
    197 – Andrew Sanchez, McKendree (Ill.)
    HWT – Steven Butler, Lindenwood (Mo.)

    Please click here to view the entire individual rankings.

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