According to my sources, only three of the eight All Americans from last season, plus one from 2022 return. This means that we will definitely see some new faces in the All American hunt. An opportunity to step up. Will be a fun weight.
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| Isaiah Luellen Grand View |
Fort Hays State to Baker to Grand View, it's difficult for me to believe that Isaiah Luellen still has eligibility left, but according to the Viking's official website, he's a senior this year. 3rd in the NAIA nation in 2022 & an NAIA runner-up last season, he will be the favorite to win a national title this year.
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| Caleb Swalla Justin McCunn Grand View |
The one thing that Grand View isn't hurting for is quality backups. At every weight class they are two to four deep & 174 lbs is no exception. Caleb Swalla earned a 5th place finish at the Missouri Valley Invitational last season, placing 3rd at the Doane Open & 4th at the Luther Hill Invite. Justin McCunn won the Luther Hill Invite.
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| Nakoda Siegel Rylin Burns Montana State Northern |
The Lights will shine extremely bright at 174 lbs in the NAIA this season. Right there to challenge Luellen for the NAIA title this season will be two time All American ('22 5th & '23 4th) Nakoda Siegel. Siegel has thus far also been 2nd twice in the Cascade Conference as well as 4th in 2022 & 2nd last year in the Missouri Valley Invitational. Perhaps this will be the season he obtains gold at all three tournaments.
Rylan Burns is a tough customer in his own right. 5th in the Cascade Conference, he was 6th at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| Chinges Tsermaa Doane |
While placing 8th in the nation is still one heck of an accomplishment, I do believe that Chinges Tsermaa was capable of more last season. All the evidence I need is a 3-2 decision over 2023 NAIA champion Gerado Hernandez at the Mile High Open.
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| Michael Scarponi Doane |
I tell you what, if ole JT#1 ever won the lottery, there's a chance I might choose to live in Michael Scarponi's home town. I once stayed their for a couple of days on a tour of Southern California & I found Temecula to be very beautiful area. Some great high school wrestling in the area, as Scarponi illustrates, but it could definitely use more collegiate wrestling. Enough of that tangent... Thus far Scarponi has silver & gold GPAC finishes, as well as a bronze earned at the Mile High Open. Among the schools looking to put two on the award stand at the NAIA's, Doane presents their case via 174 lbs.
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| Noah Hollendonner Marian |
A match away from NAIA All American honors last season, Noah Hollendonner was a Patriot Open Champion, placing 4th in the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| Brice Parks Pate Eastin Campbellsville |
Campbellsville is a team with two talents at 174 lbs. One of them is Brice Parks, a Mid-South Conference runner-up who finished one match shy of NAIA All American honors last season. The other is Pate Eastin, who placed 3rd in the Mid-South.
An All American with a 4th place finish in 2022, Joe Koontz will look to recapture a top eight NAIA finish this season. He was 4th in the Mid-South Conference last year.
A two time NAIA qualifier, Jordan Lomeli went 19-10 last season capturing a runner-up finish at the KCAC tournament.
A winner of a GPAC title last season, Alex Vandyke will go for another conference title & All American honors this season.
Pretty impressive rookie season for South Dakota high school state champ. A 6th place finish at the Doane Open & runner-up honors at the GPAC.
One of the best on the Red-Raider squad, the name may be Francksen-Small, but the effort is Francksen-large. Thus far the Orange City representative has been 3rd & 5th within the GPAC, as he goes into his junior season looking to earn another top 6 finish.
Winning a conference title last season, Kolbe Madron will be going into his junior season.
A transfer from Little Rock, Alex Hernandez qualified for his first NAIA championships with a 3rd place finish at the Cascade Conference tournament. Eligibility wise, he has three more seasons left.
20-12 on the season last year, junior Max Zamora had a runner-up finish at the Menlo Open & a 4th place finish at the Cascade Conference.
Already a South African World Team member during his career, Matt Bartlett goes into his final season of NAIA wrestling having qualified for the NAIA championships last season. Among his accomplishments, a 7th place finish in Cascade & a runner-up finish at the Eastern Oregon Mountaineer Open.
Also a gifted song writer & performer, Anthony Aguilera goes into his junior season having qualified for the NAIA championships last season with an 8th place finish at the Cascade Conference tournament.
Only a freshman last season, Abel Nava showed us what he's made of with 3rd place finishes at both the Missouri Valley Invitational as well as the Spokane Invitational. He was also 4th at the Grand View Open.
A two time Missouri Valley Invitational place winner (8th in '20 & 7th in '23) Sheldon Cole enters the '23-'24 season having also placed 4th at the Mile High Open last year.
The Runnin' Eagle had quite a good showing last season, picking up an 8th place finish at the Missouri Valley Invitational, a runner-up finish at the Life Open & a 4th place finish at the Patriot Open.
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| Joe Koontz Lindsey Wilson |
An All American with a 4th place finish in 2022, Joe Koontz will look to recapture a top eight NAIA finish this season. He was 4th in the Mid-South Conference last year.
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| Jordan Lomeli Ottawa |
A two time NAIA qualifier, Jordan Lomeli went 19-10 last season capturing a runner-up finish at the KCAC tournament.
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| Alex Vandyke Morningside |
A winner of a GPAC title last season, Alex Vandyke will go for another conference title & All American honors this season.
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| Lane Miller Dakota Wesleyan |
Pretty impressive rookie season for South Dakota high school state champ. A 6th place finish at the Doane Open & runner-up honors at the GPAC.
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| Jake Francksen-Small Northwestern |
One of the best on the Red-Raider squad, the name may be Francksen-Small, but the effort is Francksen-large. Thus far the Orange City representative has been 3rd & 5th within the GPAC, as he goes into his junior season looking to earn another top 6 finish.
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| Kolbe Madron Oklahoma City |
Winning a conference title last season, Kolbe Madron will be going into his junior season.
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| Alex Hernandez Southern Oregon |
A transfer from Little Rock, Alex Hernandez qualified for his first NAIA championships with a 3rd place finish at the Cascade Conference tournament. Eligibility wise, he has three more seasons left.
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| Max Zamora Menlo |
20-12 on the season last year, junior Max Zamora had a runner-up finish at the Menlo Open & a 4th place finish at the Cascade Conference.
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| Matt Bartlett Corban |
Already a South African World Team member during his career, Matt Bartlett goes into his final season of NAIA wrestling having qualified for the NAIA championships last season. Among his accomplishments, a 7th place finish in Cascade & a runner-up finish at the Eastern Oregon Mountaineer Open.
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| Anthony Aguilera Arizona Christian |
Also a gifted song writer & performer, Anthony Aguilera goes into his junior season having qualified for the NAIA championships last season with an 8th place finish at the Cascade Conference tournament.
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| Abel Nava Providence |
Only a freshman last season, Abel Nava showed us what he's made of with 3rd place finishes at both the Missouri Valley Invitational as well as the Spokane Invitational. He was also 4th at the Grand View Open.
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| Sheldon Cole Embry Riddle |
A two time Missouri Valley Invitational place winner (8th in '20 & 7th in '23) Sheldon Cole enters the '23-'24 season having also placed 4th at the Mile High Open last year.
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| Tre Morrisette Life |
The Runnin' Eagle had quite a good showing last season, picking up an 8th place finish at the Missouri Valley Invitational, a runner-up finish at the Life Open & a 4th place finish at the Patriot Open.
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