Eight wrestlers from South Dakota State University have been included in the latest NCAA Division I Wrestling Coaches’ Rankings, which lists the top 33 athletes in each weight class ahead of the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
The rankings are compiled through a vote by three coaches per weight class. Only wrestlers designated as starters and with at least eight Division I matches—one within the past month—are considered. The RPI (Rating Percentage Index), which is also used in evaluating wrestlers, factors in individual winning percentage, opponents’ winning percentage, and opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage. For RPI consideration, athletes must have competed in at least 15 matches against Division I competition at their listed weight.
Bennett Berge leads South Dakota State’s contingent at No. 6 in his division according to the coaches’ poll. Julian Tagg follows at No. 10 among 141-pound competitors. Moses Espinoza-Owens and Cael Swensen are ranked No. 14 and No. 16 in their respective classes (174 pounds and 157 pounds). Other Jackrabbits maintaining spots include Luke Rasmussen (No. 28), Marcus Espinoza-Owens (No. 29), and Brady Roark (No. 21). Cale Seaton enters the rankings for the first time at No. 31; he is also ranked No. 25 by RPI.
In addition to individual rankings, pre-allocations for NCAA Championship tournament spots were announced by conference, determining how many automatic bids each league receives based on performance metrics and historical data.
The Big 12 Conference received a total of 63 automatic pre-allocations for this year’s championships, including six or more slots for eight weight categories; these will be awarded based on placings at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship scheduled March 6–7 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Both the coaches’ ranking and RPI contribute to a broader set of criteria used during selection and seeding for nationals, alongside head-to-head records, quality wins, conference tournament placement, common opponent results, and win percentages.
A detailed description of the full selection process is available through ncaa.org.
The upcoming NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will take place March 19–21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland—the third time Cleveland has hosted this event.