WR Reaches Highest Ranking Since 1999

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue wrestling team climbed to No. 13 in Theraworx NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll released Tuesday, the program's highest ranking in nearly 10 years. The Boilermakers tallied 176 points while jumping two spots from last week. The last time Purdue wrestling was ranked 13th or higher was the Feb. 17, 1999, edition of the NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll, where the Boilermakers checked in at No. 13.

Purdue head wrestling coach Tony Ersland's squad has been ranked among the nation's top 25 in 20 consecutive polls and 31 total polls during his five-year tenure.

I'm proud of our guys and the hard work and sacrifice they give everyday! Their progress has been fun to watch, but I know they are capable of more and I look forward to the opportunities that lay ahead for this team. #FightToTheFinish #BoilerUp #HammerDown

— Tony Ersland (@TonyErsland) December 6, 2018

Not only has the team become a mainstay in the national rankings, but so are multiple individuals. For a fourth straight week, five Boilermakers are listed among the top-20 at their respective weight class. In all, six different Purdue wrestlers have been nationally ranked this season.

The last time Purdue had five ranked wrestlers in the lineup was the week of Dec. 3, 2012, with No. 17 Camden Eppert (125); No. 15 Cashé Quiroga (133); No. 14 Ivan Lopouchanski (149); No. 20 Tommy Churchard (157); and No. 15 Braden Atwood (197).

This week Griffin Parriott made his debut on the 157-pound national rankings at No. 9. He entered the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational unranked as the No. 8 seed and had just one match under his belt. The redshirt sophomore made a statement, finishing second at the tournament and carving his place among the nation's top 10.

Along his path to the finals, Parriott knocked out a pair of top-five seeds who were ranked in the top 10. First, it was Nebraska's top-seeded and third-ranked Tyler Berger in the quarterfinals, taking a 4-2 decision in sudden victory.

In the semifinals, a takedown with 32 seconds remaining in the third period propelled Parriott past the No. 5 seed and eighth-ranked Taleb Rahmani of Pittsburgh for a 5-3 decision.

Devin Schroder and returning NCAA qualifiers Ben Thornton, Dylan Lydy and Christian Brunner join Parriott in the rankings. Schroder, Lydy and Brunner have appeared on all six editions of rankings issued this season. Thornton is spending his fourth straight week listed in the top 20.

PURDUE'S RANKED WRESTLERS
WEIGHT	RANK	NAME	RECORD
125	17	Devin Schroder	11-4
133	18	Ben Thornton	12-3
157	9	Griffin Parriott	5-2
174	14	Dylan Lydy	14-3
197	13	Christian Brunner	8-4