FAYETTE, Iowa – They're back!
    The West Liberty University wrestling team cracked the NCAA Division II Top 10 for the first time since the 2012-13 season on Wednesday when the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) put WLU at No. 10 in the first set of regular season team and individual rankings for the 2019-20 season.
    That marks the highest ranking for the tradition-laden West Liberty mat program since the 2012-13 Black and Gold checked in at No. 9 on Jan. 16, 2013.
    In addition, three members of Coach Danny Irwin's No. 10-ranked Hilltopper squad were ranked among the top four nationally in their individual weight classes. Sophomore All-American Cole Laya is ranked No. 4 at 125 pounds while senior All-American Darius Bunch is now the nation's No. 3-ranked 141-pounder. Senior Logan Kemp, a two-time national qualifier, moved up to No. 3 at 197 pounds.
    Laya was the 125-pound champion at the mammoth Findlay (Ohio) Open for the second consecutive year and remained in the top four of that weight class despite dropping a tough overtime decision to No. 3-ranked Nick Daggett in the UNC-Pembroke dual on Sunday.
    Bunch, who was forced to sit out the Findlay Open due to illness, moved up one spot from his preseason ranking on the strength of a hard-fought 3-2 decision against UNC-Pembroke's No. 5-ranked Jon Miller on Sunday.
    Kemp made the biggest leap, vaulting from No. 7 to No. 3 at 197 off an impressive showing at the Findlay Open. The WLU senior knocked off defending national champion Nick Mason of Tiffin in the semifinals before losing a 3-2 overtime decision to an NCAA Division I grappler in the title bout. Kemp followed that up by recording an 18-second fall and a technical fall in Sunday's two dual wins.
    Defending national champion St. Cloud State was the clear-cut No. 1 in the team standings with eight nationally-ranked wrestler – no other school had more than six – and 99 points. Nebraska-Kearney and McKendree were tied for No. 2 with 72 points while preseason No. 1 Pitt-Johnstown slipped to fourth with 65 points. Notre Dame (Ohio) rounded out the top five.
    The Hilltopper mat squad returns to action Dec. 7 at the Little State Invitational in Indianapolis.
  Team                                                               Pts        Pvs
  1. St. Cloud State                                         99             2
  2. Nebraska-Kearney                                 72             4
(tie) McKendree                                            72             3
  4. Pitt-Johnstown                                        65             1
  5. Notre Dame                                             55             5
  6. Upper Iowa                                              46          11
  7. Ashland                                                     43             9
  8. Minnesota State                                     41             7
(tie) Lindenwood                                           41             6
10. WEST LIBERTY                                        38          12
11. Newberry                                                 37             8
12. Maryville                                                  28          10
13. Colorado School of Mines                   25          20
14. UNC-Pembroke                                       23          21
(tie) Limestone                                              23          17
16. Central Oklahoma                                  22          13
(tie) Kutztown                                                22          15
18. Newman                                                   21          24
19. Fort Hays State                                       20          17
(tie) Tiffin                                                        20          16
21. Colorado State-Pueblo                         19          RV
22. East Stroudsburg                                    16          22
(tie) Adams State                                          16          17
24. Bellarmine                                                13          24
(tie) Findlay                                                     13          RV
     Also receiving votes: Emmanuel 12, San Francisco State 12, CSU-Pueblo 11, Indianapolis 10, MSU-Moorhead 10, Shippensburg 10, Western State 9, Mary 9, Wis.-Parkside 6, American Int. 6, Queens (N.C.) 6, King 6, Alderson-Broaddus 6, Colorado Mesa 3, Coker 3, Minot State 2