Minnesota, Penn State share top spot in Div. I college mat rankings for Feb. 20

The team that won the 2012 National Duals championships (University of Minnesota) and the team that didn't participate (Penn State) share No. 1 honors in the NCAA Division I wrestling team rankings released Tuesday.

TheOpenMat.com (TOM) and the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll have named the Golden Gophers the new No. 1 in team rankings for the week of Feb. 20... while D1CollegeWrestling.net (D1CW) and InterMatWrestle.com continue to put Penn State on top.

Last week, TOM and the NWCA had Oklahoma State on top. However, after losing to Minnesota 18-13 in the Mat Mayhem finals Sunday in their home gym, the Cowboys dropped to No. 3 in three rankings, and No. 4 in a fourth.

By beating the previously unbeaten Oklahoma State squad, Minnesota climbed from No. 3 or 4 last week (depending on the ranking).

The Iowa Hawkeyes, who lost to the Gophers in the semifinals at the National Duals championships Sunday, dropped one spot to No. 4 in three of the rankings (but remained steady in the InterMat listing).

According to InterMat, its rankings are based on NCAA tournament strength, not dual-meet performance.

The NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll is an actual survey of college wrestling coaches, based on dual-meet performance; the other three rankings are determined by the staffs of their respective websites.

Top ten team rankings for week of Feb 20:

1. Penn State (D1CW, InterMat), Minnesota (TOM, NWCA)
2. Minnesota (D1CW, InterMat); Penn State (TOM, NWCA)
3. Oklahoma State (D1CW, TOM, NWCA); Iowa (InterMat)
4. Iowa (D1CW, TOM, NWCA); Oklahoma State (InterMat)
5. Ohio State (D1CW); Cornell (InterMat); Illinois (TOM, NWCA)
6. Illinois (D1CW); Michigan (InterMat); Cornell (TOM, NWCA)
7. Cornell (D1CW); Wyoming (InterMat); Nebraska (TOM); Ohio State (NWCA)
8. Nebraska (D1CW, NWCA); Lehigh/Ohio State tied for eighth (InterMat); Ohio State (TOM)
9. Missouri (D1CW); Wyoming (TOM); Pitt (NWCA)
10. Michigan (D1CW); Iowa State (InterMat); Missouri (TOM, NWCA)