MASON CITY – The NIACC wrestling team is ranked sixth with North Idaho in the NJCAA team rankings released on Thursday.
Western Wyoming is ranked first in the second rankings of the season. Defending national champion Clackamas and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M are tied for second.
Indian Hills is ranked fifth, Iowa Central is ranked eighth, Iowa Western is ranked 10th, Ellsworth is tied for 16th and Iowa Lakes is tied for 21st.
NIACC, which was ranked seventh in the preseason rankings, has two wrestlers ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes. Christian Minto holds the top spot at 165 pounds and Deville Dentis is ranked first at 149 pounds.
Minto, the defending 165-pound national champion with a career record of 36-1, opened his 2021-22 season with a 10-4 win Wednesday night over Indian Hills’ Cameron Nesbitt, who is ranked seventh.
Dentis, who placed third at the national tournament at 149 pounds for Clackamas in 2021, is 3-1 this season with two major decisions.
NIACC’s Jose Valdez is ranked second at 197 pounds. The Trojans’ Chase McCleish is ranked seventh at 184 pounds and Clarence Lee-Green is ranked 10th at 133 pounds.
Valdez, who has a career record of 22-6, is 2-0 this season. McCleish, who has a career record of 12-7, is 7-2 this season.
Lee-Green, who has a career record of 28-18, is 3-3 in the 2021-22 season.
NIACC, which is 0-3 in duals, returns to action Wednesday at home against Minnesota West CTC in the NIACC rec center. The dual meet is slated to start at 6 p.m.
NJCAA team rankings
1. Western Wyoming; 2. Clackamas; 2. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; 4. Pratt; 5. Indian Hills; 6. North Idaho; 6. NIACC; 8. Iowa Central; 9. Muskegon; 10. Iowa Western; 11. Cloud County; 11. Cowley; 13. Triton; 14. Southwest Oregon; 15. Harper; 16. Ellsworth; 16. Labette; 18. Northwest Kansas Tech; 18. RCTC; 20. Umpqua; 21. Iowa Lakes; 21. Henry Ford; 23. Mott; 23. Northeastern; 23. Otero.
ICCAC RANKED WRESTLERS
125 – 4. Lane Crowell (Iowa Central); 5. Chris Busutil (Indian Hills); 7. Jakason Burks (Iowa Western).
133 – 1. Caleb Meekins (Indian Hills); 5. Hayden Halter (Iowa Central); 10. Clarence Lee-Green (NIACC).
141 – 4. Creighton Baughman (Iowa Western); 6. Victor Guzman (Indian Hills).
149 – 1. Deville Dentis (NIACC); 4. Nathan Lendt (Ellsworth).
157 – 2. Fabian Padilla (Iowa Western); 5. Jace Luchau (Iowa Central).
165 – 1. Christian Minto (NIACC); 7. Cameron Nesbitt (Indian Hills).
174 – 10. Khaitov Mirzo (Ellsworth).
184 – 1. Deron Pulliam (Indian Hills); 7. Chase McCleish (NIACC).
197 – 2. Jose Valdez (NIACC); 6. Khris Walton (Indian Hills); 9. Massoma Endene.
285 – 1. Jorden Pryor (Iowa Central); 10. Jacob Rahn (Iowa Lakes).
