Ten Oklahoma State wrestlers made the first NCAA Division I coaches’ panel rankings Thursday.
OSU redshirt senior heavyweight Derek White led the way at No. 2. His lone loss this season is to top-ranked Minnesota freshman Gable Stevenson.
White was one of five Cowboy wrestlers in the top five of their respective weight class. Redshirt junior Nick Piccininni is ranked No. 4 at 125 pounds, redshirt freshman Daton Fix is No. 3 at 133, redshirt freshman Kaden Gfeller is tied for No. 4 at 149 and redshirt junior Joe Smith is No. 5 at 174.
Redshirt senior Chandler Rogers, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, and redshirt sophomore Dakota Geer are ranked No. 10 at 165 and 197, respectively. Geer is filling in for the injured Preston Weigel, who is a three-time NCAA qualifier and 2017 All-American.
The next coaches’ panel rankings will be released Feb. 14 and include the ratings percentage index (RPI). The final rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine qualifiers and seeding for the NCAA Wrestling Championship. This year’s national tournament is March 21-23 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
The Cowboys return to Gallagher-Iba Arena at 2 p.m. Sunday when they host Iowa State in a Big 12 conference dual.
OSU in NCAA Coaches’ Panel Rankings
125: No. 4 Nick Piccininni
133: No. 3 Daton Fix
141: No. 12 Kaid Brock
149: No. 4 Kaden Gfeller (tied with North Carolina’s Austin O’Connor)
157: No. 23 Andrew Shomers
165: No. 10 Chandler Rogers
174: No. 5 Joe Smith
184: No. 11 Jacobe Smith
197: No. 10 Dakota Geer
HWT: No. 2 Derek White