Jan. 22, 1998

Spartan Wrestling Vaults to Eighth in Latest Polls

Morgan, McNamara earn top 12 individual rankings

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State wrestling team, on the strength of a fourth-place finish at last weekend's Cliff Keen/NWCA Wrestling Duals, is ranked eighth in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Team Rankings.

The Spartans (4-4 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) were unranked in the last top 25, and debut at No. 8 as the only new team in the poll this week. MSU was the only unseeded team to finish in the top five at last weekend's Cliff Keen/NWCA Wrestling Duals and upset three seeded teams along the way.

Individually, senior David Morgan retains his No. 1 national ranking at 118 pounds, where he has produced a record of 27-0, including a 5-0 mark last weekend.

Freshman Pat McNamara has also earned a top-12 ranking for MSU at 126 pounds. Unranked prior to last weekend's 5-0 performance, McNamara now occupies the No. 7 spot nationally.

NWCA TOP 25   (Jan. 22, 1998)                  
 Team                  Points   Last Week  Team                 Points   Last Week
 1. Oklahoma St. (9)   270      1          16. Pennsylvania     112      13t
 2. Minnesota (2)      267      2          17. Lock Haven       107      12
 3. Iowa               254      3          18. Oregon State      80      18
 4. Penn State         243      4          19. Pittsburgh        77      11
 5. Nebraska           214      9          20. Oregon            65      20t
 6. Arizona State      202      6          21. Cornell           60      15t
 7. Oklahoma           194      5          22. Lehigh            57      19
 8. Michigan State     174     NR          23. Clarion           43      20t
 9. Iowa State         170      7          24. Rider             42      24
10. Purdue             162     17          25. Northwestern      28      22
11. Illinois           161      8          Others: Bakersfield (24), Hofstra (15), Ohio State (11),
12. West Virginia      155     23          North Carolina (3), Northern Iowa (2)
13. Edinboro           132    13t
14. Central Michigan   129    15t
15. Michigan           122     10

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