UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Seven members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team remain ranked nationally by Intermat, all of whom now appear in the top six at their respective weights. In addition, head coach Cael Sanderson’s two-time defending NCAA and Big Ten Champions are the No. 1 team on Intermat’s Tournament Power Index (TPI). The full list of national rankings is available at www.intermatwrestle.com.
Penn State is ranked No. 1 with 110.0 points on Intermat’s TPI with the Iowa Hawkeyes a close second with 95.5. Minnesota is further back in third with 92.5 while Oklahoma State sits in fourth with 87.0.
Sophomore All-American Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.) is ranked No. 2 at 125 after his national runner-up finish a year ago in St. Louis. Sophomore Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) returns to the mats after a red-shirt season last year and is ranked No. 6 at 149. Sophomore All-American Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) is ranked No. 2 at 157. Defending NCAA Champion and two-time All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) is ranked No. 2 at 165 to begin the season. Sophomore Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) is ranked No. 4 at 174. Defending NCAA Champion and two-time All-American Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) is ranked No. 1 nationally at 184. Three-time All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.), the 2011 NCAA Champion at 184 and national runner-up at that weight a year ago, is ranked No. 3 at 197, his new weight.
Penn State will open up the 2012-13 regular season by hosting No. 24 Lehigh on Friday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall before they venture to West Virginia on Sunday, Nov. 18, for their first road dual of the year. Penn State’s full season of home duals is sold out. No standing room only tickets remain for the Lehigh dual. For information on which duals have a limited number of standing room only tickets available and to purchase tickets, fans can call 1-800-NITTANY or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office windows. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via Twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling.