JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Lourdes 2026-2027

 

Breaks my heart to have to say this, but last season 2025-2026 was the final year of Lourdes Wrestling as the school has officially closed its doors.  In their final season, the Gray Wolves qualified three to the NAIA national tournament.  Two of those qualifiers were seniors.  One was only a freshman, and I have yet to hear where he'll continue the remainder of his career. 

HWT
Collin Sullivan 

Regardless of where he ends up, the future looks bright for his young HWT.  As a freshman last season, Collin Sullivan made the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference finals. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Evergreen State 2026-2027

 

Ove the years the state of Washington has been hit hard with discontinuation.  Having written about a numerous amount of now defunct great programs in the state (14 in total, not counting recently reinstated Big Bend) I have been preaching for a long time the disservice this was doing to the massive amount of high school talent looking to compete.  I've said for a very long time that you give me a program in the state of Washington, and they'll be having success with kids from Washington in a short amount of time. 

A big thank you to the Geoducks for proving me exactly right. 

141
Horacio Godinez

Third season of wrestling & Evergreen State crowned an All-American.  Horacio Godinez, a Washington native who was also 2nd at the CCC earned 8th place honors in the NAIA nation.  He'll look to become the Geoducks first two-time AA this March! 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Embry Riddle 2026-2027

 

The Eagles are gonna soar this season same as they did in 2025-2026.  Three of their NAIA qualifiers are now out of eligibility, but they return 6, including two national champions, + two more All-Americans.  Arizona State has been and continues to be a great wrestling program in the Grand Canyon state, but Embry Riddle deserves the distinction just as much, if not more.  You want a great college wrestling program in Arizona? Then head two hours north, and you'll find one in Prescott. 

Gone is Landon Smith, a standout for the Eagles who left our coldest state (Alaska) to compete in our hottest state.  During his career he accomplished many things for the Eagles, including placing at the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) four-times.  5th-5th-1st-2nd. 

Also gone is CCC champion Jayden Luttrell & NAIA qualifier Adam Stanley. 

125
Jaren Kimura

A NWCA Scholar All-American, the Hawaiian native earned a wild card qualification to the NAIA championships last season. 

141
Yoshi Funakoshi

Now he's a story of inspiration.  Yoshi Funaskoshi lost twice at the CCC last season, finishing in 5th place.  He enters the NAIA championships, and walks out the national champion!  Talk about a two-week turn-around! Also 6th at the RENO tournament of champions (a tough tournament that usually involves all Divisions of College wrestling) he is a walking advertisement of the talent that can be picked up recruiting out of the CCCAA.  Before coming to the Embry Riddle, he was a runner-up Cerritos. 

149
Christian Lopez

Christian Lopez qualified for the NAIA championships with a 5th place showing at the CCC. 

174
Daniil Gorshkov

The Eagles have the potential to walk out of Park City, Kansas with three NAIA national champions this year, and the Russian Daniil Gorshkov is one of them.  So far he's been 4th & 3rd in the NAIA championships. 3rd-1st-1st in the CCC.  Last year he took runner-up finishes at both the Friends Falcon Open & RENO, placing 3rd at the NCAA DI Road-Runner Open. 

197
Trenton Blomquist

The two-time CCC runner-up was 5th in the NAIA nation last season. 

HWT
Ken Copley

Ken Copley has the opportunity next season to make history in a variety of ways.  He can become a two-time NAIA national champion & a four-time NAIA All-American, as he's been 8th-3rd-1st thus far in the NAIA nation.  Champion of both the Mile High Open & the CCC, the Idaho native was 3rd at RENO. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Eastern Oregon 2026-2027

 

2026-2027 looks to be a great year for Mountaineer wrestling as Eastern Oregon returns 4 of their 5 NAIA qualifiers from last season, plus two more tough wrestlers that should also be NAIA qualifiers this year.  They'll be a relatively young team, led by a poised and already proven senior. 

Gone is Cole Cross a Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) runner-up last season. 

133
Braden Carsen

One half of the Carsen brothers, Braden looks to earn the distinction of a four-time CCC place-winner this season, as he'll contend for a conference title. Thus far the Mountaineer has been 4th-5th-2nd.  19 wins on the season, he was 5th at the Missouri Valley Invitaional. 

133
Kal Carson

 
22-8 on the year, the younger Carson brother had to rely on a wildcard selection to get into the NAIA championships last season.  Took runner-up finishes at both the Mountaineer Open & the Spokane Open. 

141
Dan Guerreo

The Arizona native went 23-9 last season, finishing one match shy of a top 8 finish at the Missouri Valley Invitational. 

149
Eric Larwin

I was really shocked with as well as Eric Larwin had wrestled at other points in the season that he did not qualify for last year's NAIA championships.  Only a sophomore, still plenty of time to break through & earn that accomplishment + more.  23 wins on the season, he was most impressive at the Missouri Valley Invitational, making the finals.  He also took 2nd at the Mat Cat Open. 

157
Carlos Valdez

35 wins in his first start as a Mountaineer last season, including winning a couple of early season opens, placing 6th at the CCC & 8th at the Missouri Valley Invitational. 

HWT
Nico Rodriguez

Eastern Oregon saves the best for last.  The Idaho native earned his second All-American honor last season, as he's now 5th & 7th in the NAIA nation.  30 wins on the season, he is also 2nd & 3rd in CCC, taking 3rd at the Oppenheim Open.  Not to mention, a NWCA Scholar All-American, he's getting it done in the classroom too.  Have to add in that I'd imagine he'd beat me should we play Madden on any of the new consoles, like Playstation 4.   However, SNES? Say Madden '97, no way.  

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Defiance 2026-2027

 

No NAIA qualifiers for the Yellow Jackets last season, but the team is young & there is a lot of potential as we head into 2026-2027.  The following wrestlers I'll be keeping an eye on this year are all sophomores. 

174
Daniel Thatcher

11 wins on the year for Daniel Thatcher who placed 6th at the always tough Pepsi Patriot Open. 

184
Kale Waxler

10 wins on the season last year, Kale Waxler was 4th in the Battle In the Bluegrass. 

197
Connor Sintobin

And here's the prize.  12 wins on the season last year, Connor Sintobin came the closest to NAIA qualification with a 4th place showing at the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC). 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look at Doane 2026-2027

 

There have been so many great Tiger legends over the years.  We lost a handful from last season, as we get to watch others continue their legacies in 2026-2027.  

Tyson Beauperthuy 2nd-2nd-2nd in the NAIA nation is without a doubt one of the best of all time to never win an NAIA national title. Where exactly I'd rank him on that list, I don't know. I'd have to give it a lot of thought.  Top 10 for sure, if not higher.  Also a three-time Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) champion. 

With that said, I definitely think Ben Miller was one of the best in 2026 not to earn NAIA All-American honors during his career. I really thought he'd stand on that award stand at least once, considering everything else he did achieve & the # of All-Americans he beat during his career.  1st-1st-2nd in the GPAC he was one match shy in his final shot. 

Matt Terrence on the other hand did earn the All-American honor in his last go-round. 7th, also a two-time GPAC champion. 

NAIA qualifiers Kolton Kemmeyer & Chase Stieb 

125
Ray Ray Harris

I was a bit surprised that Ray-Ray Harris took any losses at all last year.  Didn't take many & I wouldn't be surprised if in the next two seasons of eligibility he has left, if he were to go undefeated.  It was silver at the Mile High Open, but other than that, call this dude a Leprechaun because it was gold, gold, gold, gold!  Friends Falcon Open, GPAC & the NAIA! 

125
Isaac Gibbs

I speak a lot about the pipeline that Coach Cole Spree of Indian Hills has created in finding his guys homes post their NJCAA experience.   Isaac Gibbs is yet another example.  The Texas native was another NAIA qualifier for the Tigers last season. 

174
Jake Prudek 

Speaking of a great transfer out of the NJCAA, how about a great transfer out of the CCCAA? The former Fresno City standout took runner-up honors at the GPAC & finished 3rd at the Mile High Open. 

197
Jaren Jackson

Standout freshman campaign for Jaren Jackson last year.  6th in the NAIA nation, he won titles at GPAC, Friends Falcon & the Oppenheim Open. 

HWT
Eli Criblez

On the episode of JT1Wrestle at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season, Eli Criblez was my NAIA Darkhorse pick at HWT.  Well, 2026-2027 isn't much different.  A two-time Missouri Valley Invitational place-winner, I think this dude is capable of doing some great things in his final season of competition. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look at Dickinson State 2026-2027

 

Things seem to be meeting the Blue Hawks half way as we head into the 2026-2027 season.  While Dickinson State loses three talented and tough wrestlers, they also return three talented & tough wrestlers. 

Gone are....

Seth Suvak, a Heart of America (HOA) champion in 2025 & 3rd this past season. 

Donivan Giangregorio, an NAIA qualifier who took 4th & 6th place finishes at the Missouri Valley Invitational. 

NAIA qualifier Jackson King 

125
Jose Gonzalez

I believe Jose Gonzalez is coming off of a redshirt.  In the world of NAIA wrestling one can often find themselves "out of sight, out of mind" and that may very well work in favor of the Blue Hawk.  2nd & 3rd in the HOA, he'll have his work cut out for him, but making another final is certainly within the realm.  5th at the Missouri Valley Invitational, I'd expect him to see another top 8 finish there, as well as contend for one come the national tournament. 

125
Wyatt Engwicht

Wyatt Engwicht qualified for the NAIA championships last season with a 4th place finish at the HOA. 

184
Jack Simons

The persuasiveness to get kids to leave the warm, beautiful weather of California, to endure the 10,000 degrees below zero, with 15,0000 mile an hour winds of a North Dakota winter, has to be the most impressive part of Justin Schlecht's recruiting skills. I don't know how he does it, but that's selling ice to an Eskimo level salesmanship.  One of the many California talents he's had over the season, Jack Simons was 8th at the Missouri Valley Invitational last season.