(Nsuwolves.com) The National Wrestling Coaches Association released the 2026-27 preseason individual and team rankings for NCAA Division II today. Northern State University came in at No. 21 overall, earning 22 team points, with three individually ranked competitors.
Returning national qualifiers for the Wolves Sloan Johannsen and Griffin Lundeen sit sixth and fourth at 125 and 157 pounds, while Ryan Hirschkorn comes in at 15th in the 197 pound listing.
Johannsen went 29-8 last season and advanced to the NCAA Championships, winning the Super Region V Tournament. Lundeen posted a 16-10 record in 2025-26 and advanced to the NCAA Championships following a third place finish at the Super Region V Tournament. Hirschkorn went 22-10 a season ago, capping off the year with a fifth place finish at the Super Region V Tournament.
The Wolves will kick-off the season on November 1 at the Jimmie Open in Jamestown. In addition, NSU is hosting an open scrimmage this evening, October 22 beginning at 7 p.m. in Wachs Arena. The next edition of this poll will be released Nov. 19.
NWCA TOP-25 TEAM RANKINGS
| RK. | INSTITUTION | TOTAL PTS. | IND. RANKED | 2026 NCAA FINISH |
| 1 | Glenville State | 70.0 | 9 | 7 |
| 2 | Nebraska-Kearney | 61.5 6 | 1 | |
| 3 | UW-Parkside | 58.0 | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | UMary | 57.5 | 4 | 8 |
| 5 | Gannon | 54.0 | 5 | 9 |
| 6 | Minnesota State | 53.0 | 3 | 18 |
| 7 | Tiffin | 46.5 | 4 | 16 |
| 8 | McKendree | 43.0 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Grand Valley State | 41.0 | 5 | 12 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | 39.0 | 6 | 24 |
| 11 | Central Missouri | 37.0 | 4 | 17 |
| 12 | Ashland | 34.0 | 6 | T29 |
| T13 | Belmont Abbey | 30.0 | 3 | T29 |
| T13 | West Liberty | 30.0 | 3 | 11 |
| 15 | Pitt-Johnstown | 29.0 | 3 | 13 |
| 16 | Augustana | 28.5 | 5 | 19 |
| 17 | UNC-Pembroke | 28.5 | 5 | T21 |
| 18 | St. Cloud State | 27.0 | 5 | 6 |
| 19 | Central Oklahoma | 26.5 | 4 | 4 |
| 20 | Adams State | 24.5 | 3 | 10 |
| 21 | Northern State | 22.0 | 3 | T26 |
| 22 | Lander | 21.0 | 5 | 5 |
| 23 | Findlay | 20.5 | 5 | DNP |
| 24 | Millersville | 16.5 | 4 | T39 |
| T25 | Quincy | 16.0 | 1 | 34 |
| T25 | San Francisco State | 16.0 | 1 | 25 |
Receiving Votes: Western Colorado-15.5; Upper Iowa-14.5; Colorado mMsa-14.0; Kutztown-14.0; New Mexico Highlands-10.0; Ouachita Baptist-9.5; Montevallo-8.0; Drury-8.0; Wheeling-7.5; Lake Erie-7.0; East Stroudsburg-6.0; Newberry-5.5; Shorter-5.0; Vanguard-5.0; Colorado Pueblo-4.5; Mount Olive-3.0; Chadron State-2.0; Northeastern State-2.0; Thomas More-1.5; Fairmont State-0.5; Frostburg State-0.5; Seton Hill-0.5; Shippensburg 0-5
