The Big Ten received 71 automatic qualifying bids for the 2015-2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships, down from 86 just a year ago. Last season, the Big Ten's 86 AQ bids representedone-thirdof the allocations for the entire country. This season, however, the Big Ten is down to just one-quarter of all AQ bids. That is still easily the lion's share as the next closest conference is the EIWA with 51 bids.
One of the big reasons for the decline in bids for the Big Ten this season is the rise of the ACC as a conference. No. 2 North Carolina State has beaten powerhouses Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma State this season.