@MizzouWrestling Rank Nine in NCAA Coaches Panel Rankings, NCAA Allocations Announced
2/25/2016 3:36:00 PM | Wrestling
McGhee and Miklus move up in the rankings, seven from Mizzou ranked in Top 10
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Round three of the NCAA Coaches' Panel rankings were announced on Thursday by the NCAA with nine Mizzou Wrestling grapplers ranked in the top-33, including seven who were ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes. The rankings are the third of four to be released and will be one tool in determining qualifiers for the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, held March 17-19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
To be eligible for the rankings, wrestlers must be designated a starter, compete in five matches against Division I opponents, and have wrestled in the last 30 days. In addition to the coaches' rankings, wrestlers will be measured by winning percentage and rating percentage index (RPI) in order to earn a spot at the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
Conference qualifier allocations were also announced on Thursday by the NCAA. The Mid-American Conference will have 41 allocations for its conference tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the NCAA event. The number of allocations per weight class determines how many wrestlers at each weight can automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, based on their placing at the MAC Championships.
Mizzou Wrestlers Ranked
| Weight | Rank | Name | MAC Allocations at Weight |
| 125 | 10 | Barlow McGhee | 4 |
| 133 | 16 | Zach Synon | 6 |
| 141 | 7 | Matt Manley | 4 |
| 149 | 4 | Lavion Mayes | 5 |
| 157 | 29 | Le'Roy Barnes | 5 |
| 165 | 5 | Daniel Lewis | 4 |
| 174 | 5 | Blaise Butler | 3 |
| 184 | 9 | Willie Miklus | 4 |
| 197 | 2 | J'den Cox | 5 |
| HWT | N/A | 1 |
Mizzou has four wrestlers ranked in the top-five at their weight, with junior 197-pounder J'den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) ranked the highest of any Tiger grappler at No. 2. Cox has recorded a 25-1 record this season, including a 15-1 mark in dual competition, producing bonus points in 16 of 26 matches. The Tiger junior earned his 100th career victory on Feb. 21 in a 16-7 major decision over Nebraska's Aaron Studebaker.
Mizzou junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes (Mascoutah, Ill.) is ranked No. 4 in the 149 pound weight class. The returning All-American had won his first 25 matches of the season before falling to Nebraska's Jake Sueflohn in the tiebreaker overtime period on Feb. 21.
Both redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis (Blue Springs, Mo.) and redshirt senior 174-pounder Blaise Butler (Belvidere, Ill.) rank in at No. 5 in their respective weight class. In Lewis' last two matches, he has defeated No. 6-ranked Max Rohskopf (N.C. State), 6-1, and No. 9-ranked Austin Wilson (Nebraska), 4-0. The freshman grappler is 22-4 in his first season as an attached wrestler for the Tigers, with three of his four losses coming to opponents ranked in the top-12. Butler has won his last seven matches dating back to Jan. 22, highlighted by a 3-1, SV-1, win over then-No. 3-ranked Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma State) on Jan. 22.
Other Tigers ranked in the top-10 included redshirt junior 141-pounder Matt Manley (Perry, Okla.) at No. 7, redshirt sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus (Altoona, Iowa), and redshirt sophomore 125-pounder Barlow McGhee (Rock Island, Ill.) at No. 10. McGhee and Miklus moved up one and two spots, respectively, from the previous panel rankings.
Redshirt junior 133-pounder Zach Synon (Cary, Ill.) checked in at No. 16, while redshirt senior Le'Roy Barnes (Belton, Mo.) ranked in at No. 29 for the Tigers, giving Mizzou ranked wrestlers at nine of 10 weight classes.
The Tigers travel to Ypsilanti, MI. to compete in the 2016 MAC Championships, hosted by Eastern Michigan March 5 and 6. Mizzou has won the last three MAC Tournament titles, and four consecutive conference titles overall after winning the 2012 Big 12 title in its final year in the conference.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).
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