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GRACELAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Graceland Wrestling Dominates Waldorf in Season-Opening Dual

Graceland Wrestling Dominates Waldorf in Season-Opening Dual

Results

LAMONI, Iowa — The Graceland University men's wrestling team opened its 2025–26 campaign in commanding fashion Tuesday night, defeating Waldorf University 39-9 at home inside the Morden Center.

The dual marked the head coaching debut of Evan Hansen, a former NAIA national champion and longtime assistant under Coach Zack Mullins. Hansen's Yellowjackets (1-0) won eight of ten matches, recording four falls and a technical fall, while showing resilience in early-season form.

Waldorf (0-1) claimed the opening bout at 125 pounds via forfeit, but Graceland answered with dominance through the middle and upper weights. Davion Wilson put the Jackets on the board at 133, securing a fall at 17-1 over Rev Baptista.

At 141 pounds, Lee Lopez edged Shiwoko Shiwoko in a tight 9-8 decision, giving Graceland a 9-6 advantage. Waldorf's Noah Avila responded with a narrow 9-8 decision over Payton Harger at 149, briefly tying the dual at 9.

Graceland surged ahead with five straight wins, beginning at 157, where Invi Bella earned a 16-7 major decision over Preston Ray. At 165, Collin Sharp followed with an 11-5 decision, and Jeremiah Nyberg pinned Daven Hames at 174 to widen the margin.

The Jackets continued to roll with back-to-back pins from Chris Wohrley (184) and Kazz Hyson (285), while KJ Fry added a technical fall (18-0) at 197 to cap the dominant team performance.

"This means the world to me," said head coach Evan Hansen. "But more than anything, it means a lot to this team. These guys have worked hard all fall, and for us to come out and wrestle with this kind of effort — especially in front of our fans — that's something I'll never forget. I learned so much working alongside Coach Mullins, and now I'm just honored to lead this group moving forward."

Match Results:

  • 125 lbs: WU's Malachi Aispuro over GU (forfeit) — WU 6, GU 0

  • 133 lbs: GU's Davion Wilson over WU's Rev Baptista (fall, 17-1) — WU 6, GU 6

  • 141 lbs: GU's Lee Lopez over WU's Shiwoko Shiwoko (decision, 9-8) — GU 9, WU 6

  • 149 lbs: WU's Noah Avila over GU's Payton Harger (decision, 9-8) — GU 9, WU 9

  • 157 lbs: GU's Invi Bella over WU's Preston Ray (major decision, 16-7) — GU 13, WU 9

  • 165 lbs: GU's Collin Sharp over WU's Ronald Hooten (decision, 11-5) — GU 16, WU 9

  • 174 lbs: GU's Jeremiah Nyberg over WU's Daven Hames (fall) — GU 22, WU 9

  • 184 lbs: GU's Chris Wohrley over WU's Ellis Hughes (fall) — GU 28, WU 9

  • 197 lbs: GU's KJ Fry over WU's Jackson Rickter (technical fall, 18-0) — GU 33, WU 9

  • 285 lbs: GU's Kazz Hyson over WU's Sabastian Ramirez (fall) — GU 39, WU 9

Graceland showcased depth across its lineup, picking up bonus-point victories in six of its eight wins. The performance sets a confident tone for the program under Hansen's direction, especially with several early-season open tournaments on deck.

Up Next: Graceland travels to compete in the Simpson Open on Saturday, Nov. 1. Wrestling begins at 9 a.m. CDT inside Cowles Fieldhouse in Indianola, Iowa.

For more information on Graceland men's wrestling and all Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com