Wrestling | 2/22/2022 3:20:00 PM

MANHEIM, Pa. – For the first time in 12 years, Central Missouri Mules wrestling is ranked in a regular season National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Division II Top-25 Poll, checking in at No. 22 in the fourth poll of the 2021-22 season released Feb. 18.

The Mules received 13 points in the most recent NWCA poll.

UCM was ranked No. 19 in the 2015-16 NWCA preseason top-25 but hasn't been ranked in a regular season poll since 2009-10, when Central Missouri ranked as high as No. 16.

Central Oklahoma remained at the top of the latest poll with 119 points, followed by St. Cloud State at No. 2 with 103 points. Nebraska Kearney rounded out the top-three in the poll in third with 100 points.

In the most recent NWCA Individual Rankings, UCM has two wrestlers ranked. John Ridle is fifth at 157 pounds while Darick Lapaglia is 11th at 149 pounds. Ridle is a team-best 20-3 going into the 2022 postseason while Lapaglia is 15-6 overall.

Mules wrestling is scheduled to compete in the NCAA-II Super Regional Feb. 26 at Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo.