COLUMBIA, Mo. - Last Thursday, Jan. 22, the NCAA released the first of four coaches' panel rankings for the 2014-15 wrestling season. In the first edition, all 10 of Mizzou wrestling's starters were ranked in their respective weight classes.
Leading the way for the Tigers were two No. 1 ranked wrestlers in redshirt senior Alan Waters (125) and sophomore J'den Cox (197). Other top Mizzou wrestlers in the first coaches' panel rankings included redshirt sophomore Lavion Mayes (5th - 141), redshirt senior Drake Houdashelt (5th - 149) and redshirt senior Johnny Eblen (6th - 174).
The complete list of Mizzou wrestling in the Jan. 22 coaches' panel rankings can be found below:
125 - Alan Waters - No. 1
133 - Zach Synon - No. 27
141 - Lavion Mayes - No. 5
149 - Drake Houdashelt - No. 5
157 - Joey Lavallee - No. 13
165 - Mikey England - No. 25
174 - Johnny Eblen - No. 6
184 - Willie Miklus - No. 12
197 - J'den Cox - No. 1
HWT - Devin Mellon - No. 14
The final coaches' panel rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine qualifiers for the 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. This year's championships take place March 19-21 in St. Louis, Mo. at Scottrade Center.
Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches' rankings to earn spots in their qualifying tournaments for the 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
The coaches' rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches representing each qualifying tournament. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class.
In order to be eligible for the rankings, wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents in the weight class and have wrestled within the past 30 days.
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