EDMOND, Okla. -- Defending national champion
Josh Shields remained No. 1 at 165 lbs. for the eighth-straight poll, as announced Wednesday by the NCAA II Wrestling Coaches Association.
Senior 157-pounder
Andy Lamancusa dropped out of the national rankings for the first time all season after being ranked as the nation's No. 1 for three consecutive polls midseason.
Nebraska-Omaha will be the overwhelming favorite to capture its second straight NCAA Division II national championship next week, March 12-13, after the Mavericks were the unanimous first-place pick in the final NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll of the season.
UNO received all eight first-place votes in balloting of coaches from around the country to finish with 160 points in the rankings. The Mavericks have been No. 1 in 15 straight polls the past two years, having topped the rankings in every poll in 2008-09 and again this season.
Nebraska-Omaha won the Super Region II title and qualified all 10 individuals for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, which the Mavericks will host on March 12-13.
Super Regional I champion Newberry (S.C.) stayed No. 2 in the poll, while Super Regional III winner Augustana (S.D.) moved from fifth to third and Wisconsin-Parkside stayed fourth.
Rounding out the top 10 is St. Cloud State (Minn.), Super Regional IV champion Western State (Colo.), Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.), Gannon (Pa.), Nebraska-Kearney and Upper Iowa.