FAYETTE, Iowa - The Fort Hays State wrestling team has been ranked 13th in the 2017-18 NCAA DII Wrestling Coaches Association Preseason Top 25, released Friday (Oct. 20) by the organization. The poll consists of top 12 rankings of all 10 weight classes, with each spot earning a set number of points for the team.
 
The Tigers have a trio of sophomores ranked in the preseason poll, totaling 29 points to help FHSU rank 13th in the country. Brandon Ball enters the year ranked third at 141 pounds after earning All-American honors and finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships last year. Greg Tooley sits in sixth in the initial rankings at 149 pounds, while Christian Lance ranks seventh in the heavyweight poll. Both Lance and Tooley also reached the NCAA Championships, dropping out one round before qualifying for All-American status. Ball and Tooley are both the highest-ranked individual from the MIAA in their respective weight classes.
 
Fort Hays State is second among MIAA programs in the preseason poll, with Central Oklahoma opening the year ranked No. 8. A year after finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships, McKendree opens the year as the favorite to win the national title, earning 85 team points in the poll.

The Tigers finished 12th at the NCAA Championships last year, tied for the best finish under head coach Chas Thompson.
 
Tiger fans can get their first look at the 2017-18 squad at the Black and Gold Scrimmage on November 2 at 7 p.m. The regular season begins on November 8 with a road duel against Colorado School of Mines.
 
Poll Methodology: This is a tournament power index ranking.  TPI point totals are broken down by the following individual rankings: 1st=20pts, 2nd=16pts, 3rd=13pts, 4th=12pts, 5th=10pts, 6th=9pts, 7th=7pts, 8th=6pts, 9th=4pts, 10th=3pts, 11th=2pts, 12th=1pt.  The TPI point totals will be lower than the final actual NCAA tournament points because it does not include bonus points.  The preseason ranking will not include true freshmen.