Iowa State, Iowa ranked in the top 5 of latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division I rankings

The state is well-represented among the top college wrestling teams again.

All three NCAA Division I programs are top-15 teams, according to the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association rankings released Tuesday.

Iowa State’s victory over University of Iowa propelled the Cyclones to third in the poll, one spot ahead of the Hawkeyes for the second straight week. University of Northern Iowa is 15th. Defending NCAA champion Penn State is first with National Duals Invitational champion Ohio State at No. 2.

Iowa State (2-0) topped Iowa, 20-14, on Nov. 30. The Cyclones also have a win over NCAA Division II power University of Nebraska-Kearney. UNI is 2-2 overall, beating No. 17 Cornell and North Dakota State and losing to No. 9 North Carolina State and No. 11 Minnesota.

The Hawkeyes are 5-2 overall, shutting out Bellarmine and Pitt this season. Iowa was also runner-up at the NDI, beating No. 5 Oklahoma State, No. 10 Illinois and No. 14 Missouri, which wrestles at UNI on Sunday.

Iowa Coach Tom Brands was asked about how the Hawkeyes have responded from the Cy-Hawk Series loss – the program’s first loss in the rivalry since 2004 and first to Iowa State Coach Kevin Dresser.

“We have great guys on this team,” Brands said. “They do get back to work the right way. They go about things the right way. First of all, they’ve been doing this a long time, so they know one event doesn’t define them. Secondly, what are you after? The mission is still there; We left work undone and got our nose bloodied a little bit and we’ve got guys that will fight coming back. That’s what I’m most excited about.”

The Hawkeyes return to action Friday, facing University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and Utah Valley at Journeyman Wrestling’s Uncivil War in Hannibal, Mo. It will be Iowa’s last competition until the Soldier Salute on Jan. 3-4 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

“It’s important,” Brands said about Friday’s duals. “It’s next. We have some things that are solidifying themselves. We also have some questions we want to answer and that’s what we’ll use the weekend for.”

Iowa State is coming off a tournament title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The Cyclones are idle until Dec. 21, wrestling No. 2 Ohio State and No. 19 Lehigh at the Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn.

Doug Schwab’s Panthers host the Tigers and also welcomes University of North Carolina on Dec. 21.

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