Kansas Wrestling (all images via fhsuathletics.com)
MANHEIM, Pa. – Fort Hays State wrestlers A.J. Cooper and Mason Turner will begin the 2021-22 season ranked nationally at their respective weight classes. The NWCA released its Preseason Top 25 Poll and Individual Rankings on Friday (Oct. 15). Cooper is ranked seventh at 285 pounds, while Turner is 10th at 133 pounds.
Cooper finished the 2020-21 campaign with an overall record of 16-4 and was the only Tiger to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He went on to a fifth-place finish at nationals to earn All-America honors at 285 pounds. Defending national champion Kameron Teacher is back this season, but holds the No. 2 ranking to start the season. Andrew Dunn, 2019 national champion in the heavyweight class, holds the No. 1 ranking to start the season.
Turner put together a record of 14-3 last year and entered the Super Region Championship ranked No. 1 in the nation at 125 pounds. However, he came up short of qualifying for nationals. He moves up a weight class this year, though he did wrestle his first four matches last year at 133 pounds. Turner went 3-1 in those contests. Turner was an All-America selection by the NWCA in 2019-20.
The Tigers as a team received 10 points in the Preseason Top 25 Poll, which is just three points shy of cracking the Top 25. The MIAA has a pair of teams ranked in the top five nationally with Nebraska-Kearney at No. 2 and Central Oklahoma at No. 4.
See the team and individual polls at the links below.
Individual Rankings
Top 25 Team Poll
