NCAA Releases Pre-Allocation Spots, Six Mountaineers Appear in Final Wrestling Coaches’ Ranking
February 26, 2026 10:22 AM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Six student-athletes from the West Virginia University wrestling program appear in the final coaches' rankings, and nine appear in the RPI for the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
The rankings are determined by a vote of three coaches for each weight class. A wrestler who is designated as a starter in a respective weight class is considered, and that wrestler must have at least eight Division I matches in that class.
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The following are the Mountaineers who earned a ranking in the coaches' rankings:
The RPI consists of three factors: winning percentage, opponent winning percentage (strength of schedule) and opponent's opponent winning percentage (opponent's strength of schedule).
A wrestler must have wrestled 15 matches to be ranked and matches against Division I opponents in the designated weight class only count.
The following are the Mountaineers who earned a ranking in the RPI:
The NCAA also announced the pre-allocation spots for the wrestling championships.
The Mountaineers compete at the Big 12 Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from March 6-7.
The NCAA Championships are slated for March 19-21, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
The rankings are determined by a vote of three coaches for each weight class. A wrestler who is designated as a starter in a respective weight class is considered, and that wrestler must have at least eight Division I matches in that class.
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The following are the Mountaineers who earned a ranking in the coaches' rankings:
- 125: No. 16 Jett Strickenberger
- 133: No. 19 Gunner Andrick
- 157: No. 7 Ty Watters
- 174: No. 18 Brody Conley
- 184: No. 17 Ian Bush
- 197: No. 14 Rune Lawrence
A wrestler must have wrestled 15 matches to be ranked and matches against Division I opponents in the designated weight class only count.
The following are the Mountaineers who earned a ranking in the RPI:
- 125: No. 16 Jett Strickenberger
- 133: No. 5 Gunner Andrick
- 141: No. 37 Jordan Titus
- 157: No. 6 Ty Watters
- 165: No. 38 Shawn Taylor
- 174: No. 15 Brody Conley
- 184: No. 19 Ian Bush
- 197: No. 23 Rune Lawrence
- HWT: No. 43 Brock Kehler
The NCAA also announced the pre-allocation spots for the wrestling championships.
| Conference | 125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174 | 184 | 197 | HWT | Total |
| Big 12 Conference | 5 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 63 |
| Pre-Allocations | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 288 |
| At-Large | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 42 |
The Mountaineers compete at the Big 12 Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from March 6-7.
The NCAA Championships are slated for March 19-21, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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