INDIANAPOLIS – Ten Southern Conference wrestlers were among those in the first of three coaches’ panel rankings for the 2012-13 wrestling season, the NCAA announced. The final rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine the qualifiers for the 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches’ rankings to earn spots for the 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The coaches’ rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches representing each qualifying tournament. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. In order to be eligible for the rankings, wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents and have wrestled within the last 30 days.

The SoCon is represented by Chattanooga’s Nick Soto (16^th), Campbell’s Eric Montoya (28^th) and Appalachian State’s Dominic Parisi (29^th) at 125 pounds; The Citadel’s Ugi Khishignyam (eighth) and Chattanooga’s Dean Pavlou (27^th) at 141; Appalachian State’s Zack Strickland (22^nd) and Chattanooga’s Josh Condon (28^th) and 165; Chattanooga’s Niko Brown (19^th) at 197; and The Citadel’s Odie Delaney (14^th) and Gardner-Webb’s Travis Porter (33^rd) at 285.  

The full rankings of each weight class are available here on NCAA.com.