Beavers return to Top 25
January 12, 2016 | Wrestling
Corvallis, Ore. – The Oregon State wrestling team returned to the Top 25 on Tuesday when it was ranked No. 23 in the USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll. The Beavers (4-4) had not been ranked since Dec. 8.
The Beavers also moved up two spots to No. 17 in InterMat's team rankings, and returned to the Top 25 at No. 23 in InterMat's tournament rankings.
OSU received 37 votes in this week's poll, up from four votes in the previous two polls. A 26-9 thumping of then-No. 16 Central Michigan on Jan. 9 powered the surge; it was OSU's third win this season over a ranked opponent; they have also defeated West Virginia and previously-ranked Northern Iowa.
The Beavers were the only Pacific-12 Conference team in the Top 25. Arizona State received two votes.
Redshirt junior Joey Palmer (16-7) won twice on the Michigan road trip and returned to the Top 20 in the weekly individual rankings compiled by InterMat and The Open Mat. He is ranked 19th by The Open Mat, and 20th by InterMat.
Sophomore 125-pounder Ronnie Bresser (18-5) remained at No. 6 in InterMat's rankings and No. 7 in The Open Mat's poll after also winning twice in Michigan.
Redshirt sophomore heavyweight Amarveer Dhesi (15-3) remained at No. 9 in The Open Mat rankings and No. 10 in the InterMat rankings after splitting his matches in Michigan.
Penn State stayed No. 1, followed by Iowa, North Carolina State, Missouri and Oklahoma State.
Bresser and Palmer were also No. 1 in their respective weight classes in this week's Pac-12 rankings. Dhesi and senior Seth Thomas (165) are ranked No. 2; redshirt freshman Corey Griego (184) is ranked third; redshirt sophomores Jack Hathaway (141) and Tyler Chay (174) are ranked fourth and redshirt junior Joey Delgado (149) and redshirt sophomores Abraham Rodriguez (157) and Cody Crawford (197) are ranked fifth.
OSU returns to action on Saturday with a noon dual against Wyoming (1-4) at Gill Coliseum. The Cowboys handed OSU its only loss of the season last year, a 21-17 decision in Laramie.
For more information on the Oregon State wrestling team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/OSU_Wrestling or by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateWrestling.
