JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Arizona State 2026-2027

 

I was talking to another wrestling fan recently & he asked me if I thought Arizona State would ever rise to the prominence that they were at back in the late 1980's.  I told him that if they don't, it certainly won't be because of a lack of effort. Zeke Jones has put together a very tough lineup of wrestlers & capability is a 10-letter word to describe 10 varsity wrestlers. 

Before we dive into 2026-2027, let's take a look at those who 2025-2026 was their final season. 

Chance McClane is living breathing testimony to what one has to endure to even make a varsity lineup at this level.  Super tough kid that probably would've been an NCAA DI qualifier at another school but fell victim to the massive amount of depth that the Sun Devils have on their team. Finished 5th at this year's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite, which is hands down our toughest in-season tournament of the year. 

Cael Valencia, the magic man. I don't know how this guy did it, but three times in his career, when it looked like he didn't stand a chance he defied all odds & qualified for the NCAA DI championships. 

Colton Hawks, a four-time NCAA DI qualifier who dug down deep & shut up a lot of naysayers by finishing off his career one match shy of All-American status. 

David Szuba, a Rider transfer who had a great final season of collegiate wrestling.  4th at CKLV, 3rd in the BIG 12 & 7th in the DI nation. 

**NOTE** -  Ironically enough, Shay Addison who was R12 at CKLV last year is heading to Rider.  Glad to see this.  Rider could use a good 184 lbs'er & Addison was probably going to end up behind Brenot.  Glad to see that he'll most likely be among the 33, representing Rider instead. 

Now for a look at '26-'27...

125
Christian Castillo Or Ane'e Vigil

What's this wrestle-off going to look like? Competing for Iowa State last year, Christian Castillo demonstrated that he definitely belongs in NCAA DI beating up on some NAIA superstars at the Grand View Open.  He was also 4th at the Midlands championships. 

Ane'e Vigil won 13 matches last season.  Although he came up short of placing at the BIG 12's, he did have wins over both Conrad Hendrickson & Greg Diakomihalis.  Both tough lightweights, anxious to see who wins this battle. 

133
Adrian Meza

Adrian Meza is another former Cyclone who is now going to compete for the Sun Devils. 

141
Pierson Manville Or Emilio Ysaguirre

Considering that Emilio Ysaguirre didn't wrestle a single match in '25-'26, I'm pretty sure that the starting spot at 141 will once again go to Pierson Manville.  With that said, I also know that if Emilio Ysaguirre is wrestling this season, it'd be very unwise to count him out. Manville won 16 matches last year, an NCAA DI qualifier, 8th at the BIG 12's. 

149
Kyler Larkin

Kyler Larkin had a standout freshman campaign last year competing at 133 lbs.  Moving up two weight classes is going to be interesting.  I know how much stronger you have to be just to go from 133 to 141. I also know how insanely gifted & talented Kyler Larkin is.  At 133 last year, he went 20-4 on the year.  Runner-up finishes at both the BGI 12's & CKLV.  One match shy of being an All-American. 

157
Gabriel Delgado

The three-time Nevada High School state champ now has a year of college wrestling behind him & I think we'll see some notable things out of him this season. 

165
Nicco Ruiz

At this level of wrestling it is the little, minute & meniscal details that make the biggest differences. That was clear in watching Nicco Ruiz wrestle last season.  The small, little adjustments that he made to propel himself from one level of wrestling to the next. A BIG 12 champion & 4th in the DI nation, I'm anxious to see if he can challenge for the national title this year.  29 wins on the year, he won the Michigan State Open & he took 2nd at CKLV. 

174
Kaleb Larkin Or Leo Tukhlynovych

 Like brother Kyler, Kaleb is bumping up two weight classes from 157 to 174.  A BIG 12 champion last year, he was one match shy of being NCAA DI All-American & he was 3rd at CKLV.  Do I think that Leo Tukhylnovych is going to potentially edge him for the starting spot? No, but I do think that Tukhlynovych will be a great first test to see how Larkin handles being up 17 lbs of muscle.  As to Tukhlynovych, he had his moments last year, both good and bad.  I think his confidence was at a high when he came within a match of being top 8 in Las Vegas, but it had to have shot down when he dropped his last 6 matches of the year.  With all the other weight changes happening in Tempe, wouldn't mind hearing that he's locked in the weight room this summer bulking up to 197. 

184
Aiden Brenot

The Sun Devils have a good one in North Dakota State transfer Aiden Brenot.  The two-time NCAA DI qualifier was R12 as a freshman.  7th & 4th thus far in the BIG 12, he was also 5th at the Southern Scuffle. 

HWT
Ben Szuba

One Szuba out, one Szuba in.  Going 14-2 last year while redshirting, freshman Ben Szuba won titles at both the Edinboro Open & RENO. 

HWT
Kal-El Fluckiger

 His dad was a standout for the Sun Devils years ago earning NCAA DI All-American honors in 2003, along with a PAC-12 title.  With a kickass name like Kal-El, I can't help but expect big things out of this Superman. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Appalachian State 2026-2027

 

The Mountaineers have some tough wrestlers coming back for the 2026-2027 season. 

133
Jarvis Little

Jarvis Little fell short of NCAA DI qualification a year ago, but gave us glimpses of why we should trust that he'll break on through in 2027.  19 wins on the season, he defeated Zach Redding 9-4. 

141
Aldo Hernandez

20 wins on the season last year, Aldo Hernandez won the Southern Conference title. 

149
Kaden Keiser

I was taken aback & really thrown for a loop when Kaden Kesier finished 4th at the Southern Conference and came up short of NCAA DI qualification.  26 wins on the year, I thought & still think he has the ability to be a Southern Conference champion. 

184
Tomas Brooker

The two-time NCAA DI qualifier won a Southern Conference title this past season, posting 26 wins on the year.  A Mountaineer Open champion, Tomas Brooker was also 3rd at the Southern Scuffle. 

HWT
Stephan Monchery

Stephan Monchery heads into '26-'27 looking to become a three-time SOCON champion.  He won 24 matches last season. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At American 2026-2027

 

Crowing two EIWA champions last season, Head Coach Jason Borrelli continues to build the program in our nation's capital. Heading into 2026-2027, he says goodbye to some gifted talents. 

It was truly a shame that Max Leete & Ray Lopez were at the same weight class.  Even more of a shame that both were seniors this past year.  Max Leete, a two-time NCAA DI qualifier, finished off his career as an EIWA champion & one match shy of being a DI All-American. 75 career wins.  Lopez, a testimony to just how tough it is to even crack a lineup at this level.  Won the Navy Classic & finished 7th at the Southern Scuffle. Stuck both Brett Ungar & Jacob Van Dee. 

As to Jack Maida?  The truth about the 2023 NCAA DI qualifier is that had it not been for injuries, I'd be writing down a whole list of his other credentials & accomplishments.  As tough as this sport is & as much as it demands out of you, it'd be nice if those demons we refer to as injuries would just leave our athletes alone. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. 

125
J.J. Peace

7th in the EIWA a year ago, J.J. Peace came up a bit short of NCAA DI qualification, but should among the 33 in 2027.  25 wins on the year, he was 7th in the Southern Scuffle. 

184
Caleb Campos

I'm really hoping that when we see our first appearance of Coach Borrelli this season that he has his hair like this.  The Eagles first top 8 All-American since 2016, Caleb Campos placed 4th in the DI nation a year ago.  An EIWA champion, he was the Southern Scuffle runner-up & 3rd at the Navy Classic.  31 wins on the year. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Air Force 2026-2027

 

You never want to look too far ahead in this sport & counting your chickens before they hatch is often a mistake. Nevertheless, the Falcons have only crowned one three-time All-American in their history & that was Terry Isaacson all the way back in 1964.  Coach Barber wasn't even born yet! So, it has to excite him to know that he potentially has the next three-time AA currently on his squad.  It also has to probably have him a bit worried too.  Being the class act that he is, he was genuinely happy to see Wyatt Hendrickson win an NCAA DI title, even if it was another uniform. But what a statement that would've made for Falcon wrestling.  I do think overall that the move from the BIG 12 to the PAC-12 will benefit Air Force.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I want to put in a word for Tucker Owens. The 2023 NCAA DI qualifier came up a little short of making it again last year.  8th in the BIG 12, he won some big matches for the blue & silver. 

141
Carter Nogle

What a phenomenal season Carter Nogle had last year.  30 wins on the year, a 3rd place finish at the BIG 12 & 5th in the DI nation. 

165
Logan Fowler

Can a single win have that much effect on a wrestler's career? I've seen it happen before.  Althoughg Logan Fowler had a losing record last season, he did shutout All-American Cesar Alvan 6-0. 

197
Karson Tompkins

The focus this season is going to be on Carter Nogle, but Karson Tompkins will give the wrestling media plenty of reasons to pay attention to him too.  The Texan won 23 matches last season, 8th in the BIG 12 & one match shy of being top 8 at Cliff Keen Las Vegas. 

Resurrecting Wrestling At the National Christian College Athletic Association

 

There are a lot of things about this sport that shock me.  That don't make any sense to me.  You and I both know that wrestling is a predominately Christian sport.  In America anyway, most of the people you meet in wrestling are going to be of the Christian faith. They might differ as far as whether they're Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic or Methodist, but they're Christian.  I've been around this sport since the early 1990's & I have more fingers on one hand than Muslims I've met, & I've met only slightly more of the Jewish faith.  I'm the only agnostic I've ever known in nearly 35 years of being involved in wrestling.  

I'm going back to the time I was 7 years old, to thinking about last week.  I mean nearly everyone I ever run into in wrestling is Christian & for so many their faith is such a huge part of their wrestling and their lives.  I think getting wrestling into private Christian High Schools has been one of the best things to happen to wrestling.  You look at states that dominate, and a lot of the top schools are private Christian.  Even here in Iowa where I live, when you think Iowa High School wrestling, you immediately think of Don Bosco & everything they've achieved over the years.  

So, I can't be the only one that is left shaking my head about the following facts. 

1 - The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) does not sponsor wrestling. 

2 - Out of 88 Schools attached to the NCCAA only 8 of them have wrestling. 

3 - Most of these weren't discontinuations either.  In fact, only 4 schools (Maranatha Baptist, Northwestern University in St Paul, BIOLA & Pensacola Christian) discontinued their college wrestling teams. 

4 - The Other 76 Schools in the NCCAA?  They never had a wrestling program. 


Now there are some things to consider here.  Some of these schools are extremely small.  They have less students attending them than you may have had in your junior high that consisted of 7th & 8th grades.  

We had one that has been shut down since in Iowa called Vennard.  You could walk the entire campus in less than 10 minutes.  You had a large building for classes, a large building for housing & a large building for the Men & Women's basketball program.  I believe they might have had soccer too, which they shared facilities with William Penn University.  Maybe Women's volleyball. 

The point is, all of these schools have at least some sports & it blows my mind that with as Christian as wrestling is, that wrestling isn't one of their sports. 

It was at one time though.  

Ben Peterson who was the Head Coach at Maranatha Baptist got wrestling into the NCCAA & they held a championship from 1975 through 1998.   I haven't found a lot about it, but among their stars Mike Houck & Jim Gruenwald come to mind.  

The other thing that makes this kind of complicated are the schools that were NCCAA members, that had wrestling & the school has since shut down.  Examples include: Pillsbury Baptist & Clark's Summit

Then there are schools that have dropped wrestling & they are also no longer a part of the NCCAA, which include - Liberty, Carson-Newman, Anderson (SC), Olivet-Nazarene, Cedarville & LeTourneau.  


Before I go off on too much of a tangent, the NCCAA decided to stop sponsoring wrestling because in 1998 it had pretty much dwindled to nothing.  


I'd like to see the NCCAA get wrestling again.  This isn't like a Division. So don't think of it like that.  It wouldn't be like DI, or DII or NAIA.  Think of it more like PSAC.  I think that'd be the best way to look at it.  

Currently we have 6 NAIA wrestling programs, whose schools are affiliated with the NCCAA. 

Central Christian
Oklahoma Wesleyan
Wayland Baptist
York (NEB)
Campbellsville
Hannibal-LaGrange 

Plus we have two strong NCWA teams that are also a part of the NCCAA.

Azusa Pacific
Ottawa (Arizona) 


That's 8 teams, & I'd like to see a yearly NCCAA tournament.  8 man brackets, give medals to the top 3 finishers in each weight class.  A trophy for the team champs. 

Would this lead to anything? I don't know.  I'd like to think it would.   79 schools in the NCCAA that don't have wrestling.  If the championship could grow, get some prestige and some recognition, who knows what could happen.  

Love seeing the sport grow & this may be a way to do it.  


Don't know about you, but I like the look of this & think it's a good start. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Adams State 2026-2027

 

The Grizzlies have a long & illustrious history of NCAA Division II wrestling. It's an overlooked fact & it's a shame that it is, but as to NCAA DII wrestling, the state of Colorado produces. You can go back to the days of legends like Chuck Jean, even further. Half a century later the white & green is still producing legends.  Some of which are now out of eligibility & others who will be returning for action in 2026-2027. 

Isaiah Gamez had an outstanding career for the Grizzlies 2nd-2nd-1st at Super Region VI, he was 4th-R12-5th in the D2 nation & 2nd-3rd at the Midwest Classic. 

Kiernan Thompson ended his career an NCAA D2 qualifier, with a 2nd place finish at Super Region VI

Angel Flores ended his career a two-time NCAA D2 All-American with finishes of 4th & 6th. 

Aden Valdez, a four-time Super Region VI champion & also a Midwest Classic Champion, puts himself in the category of one of the best to not make the NCAA Division II finals.  7th-3rd-3rd All American honors, 91 career wins. 

Ben Tonneson, an NCAA D2 qualifier for the Grizzlies, 3rd at Super Region VI. 

133
Jakob Romero

8th in the D2 nation a year ago, the two-time NCAA D2 qualifier heads into 2026-2027 with Super Region VI finishes of 3rd & 1st. 

165
Malachi Rider

22 wins on the season, Malachi Rider finished 2026 both one match shy of NCAA D2 qualification & one match shy of a top 8 showing at the Midwest Classic. He won the Yunes Hospitality. 

HWT
Jaylon Ignacio

11 wins on the year, Jaylon Ignacio was 6th at Super Region VI & 3rd at the Yunes Hospitality. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Ashland 2026-2027

 

I'd say the ups most certainly outweighed the downs, and the pros outnumbered the cons, but there were still a few negatives among many positives for the Eagles in 2025-2026.  As we look forward, we lose a couple of greats among the purple & gold, but we bring a lot back too. 

Nate Barrett, what a standout career he had for the Eagles.  1st-2nd-3rd-3rd at Super Region III, he earned 8th place All-American finishes in both his freshman & senior seasons. 

Sevi Garza, a three-time NCAA D2 qualifier with Super Region III finishes of 1st-3rd-3rd.  Made the Midwest Classic finals this season. 

Wyatt Bailey, an NCAA D2 qualifier as a junior & a hair away from qualification in both his sophomore & senior seasons.  Was 5th-3rd-4th at Super Region III.  Earned a 6th place finish at the Midwest Classic this year. 

125
Luke Acuna

Injuries lured their ugly head around a couple of different times this past year for Luke Acuna.  The two-time NCAA D2 qualifier went into Super Region III with 1st & 2nd place finishes, looking to make his third trip to the dance.  Unfortunately he'd have to default to 6th place.  73 career wins, he was 6th at the Midwest Classic as a freshman & will be looking for another placement there in 2027 as well.  3rd in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). 

133
Rylen Campbell

13 wins on the season, Rylen Campbell finished off '25-'26 one match shy of being an NCAA D2 qualifier. 

149 
Hayden Kuhn

The two-time NCAA D2 qualifier who has posted back-to-back Super Region III finishes of 3rd will be looking for All-American honors in his final season.  73 career wins, likely to hit that 100 mark as well.  A Midwest Classic runner-up, he won a G-MAC title as well as a Findlay Open title. 

165
Lance Overmyer

Lance Overmyer returns to the varsity lineup a NCAA D2 qualifier in 2025. 

184
Fletcher Rose

26 wins on the season, Fletcher Rose earned NCAA D2 qualification with a 2nd place finish at Super Region III.  A Pioneer Open Champion, he was 3rd in the G-MAC & one match shy of being a Midwest Classic Place-winner. 

197
Peyton Lemon

Peyton Lemon's sophomore season saw him finish a match shy of placement at the Midwest Classic & a match shy of NCAA D2 qualification at Super Region III.  He decided his junior season was going to go a lot different, and it sure did.  He placed 5th at the Midwest Classic & made the Super Region III finals.  Not to mention he won a G-MAC title.  65 career wins, not sure if he'll wrestle enough matches this season to get to the 100 mark, but it is doable.  Among the many other things that he's bound to accomplish in '26-'27. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Allen 2026-2027

 

No Super Region Place-winners for the Yellow-Jackets last season, but I do believe they have a returner very capable of a top 6 finish in 2027. 

174
Jerrell Baskins

The Georgia native won 11 matches for the Royal blue & gold last season. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Augustana (South Dakota) 2026-2027

 

The Vikings put 8 on the award stand at Super Region V last season & as we head into 2026-2027, I realize that they give me an opportunity to be able to talk about something that in the near future I may not get an opportunity to speak about if NCAA Division II adopts the five for five NCAA Division I plan. Augustana redshirted some very tough freshmen last year, and I'm anxious to see what they can do this season. 

Gone are....

Cael Larson, who ends his career with a 5th place showing at Super Region V

Coy Gunderson, a three-time Super Region V place winner who made the NCAA DII tournament in his final attempt.  5th-5th-1st at Super Region V. 

Max Ramberg, probably one of the best to never win a Super Region V title, but he did win an NCAA D2 title! 6th-4th-1st overall in the D2 nation with 98 career wins. 


Back....

141
Luke Koenen

25 wins on the season last year, Luke Koenen placed 5th at Super Region V

149
Nolan Ambrose

27 wins on the year, Nolan Ambrose was one match shy of being an NCAA D2 Qualifier.  He took 3rd place at both the Dakota Wesleyan Open & the Yunes Hospitality. 

149
Hudson Loges

We could be looking at a very competitive wrestle-off at 149 lbs, as Hudson Loges is coming off a redshirt season of 24-5. 

157
Kaden Nicolas

Another tough freshman coming off of redshirt, Kaden Nicolas went 21-3 on the year.  A runner-up at Dakota Wesleyan & a champion at Yunes Hospitality. 

165
Payton Handevidt

18 wins on the season, Payton Handevidt came up a bit short of a top 6 showing at Super Region V, but did win the Dakota Wesleyan Open. 

174
Gunner Mullen

Another tough freshman who redshirted this past season.  Gunner Mullen went 21-5, winning the Yunes Hospitality. 

HWT
Max Balow

Missing the NCAA D2 national tournament by one match in both '25 & '26, Max Balow will be looking to earn that qualification in 2027.  16 wins on the year, a Dakota Wesleyan runner-up. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Bluefield State 2026-2027

 

The Big Blue graduates two-time Super Region III place-winner Enrique Sanchez who took back-to-back 6th place finishes.  Two who didn't place last year, look to earn top 6 finishes in 2026-2027. 

125
Ryder Rhodes

21 wins on the season last year, Ryder Rhodes defeated Tommah Gummow 6-5 last season. 

165
Kairyn Hall

Kairyn Hall won 19 matches last season.