PARK CITY, KANSAS – The top-ranked Vikings kicked off the 68th annual NAIA National Championships with a dominant first day, competing in two rounds. Grand View wrapped up the opening session undefeated, aside from one bye, advancing 12 wrestlers to day two—including 10 quarterfinalists—while leading the team race with 51 points.
By the end of day one, all 12 Vikings remained in the tournament, with 10 competing in quarterfinal bouts and two battling through the consolation bracket. Statistically, the Vikings were nothing short of dominant, posting a remarkable 24-2 record (92.3%), recording the most tech falls in the least amount of time (10 in 52:55), securing the most pins and tech falls combined in the shortest span (14 in 70:04), and racking up the highest total match points with 314.
SESSION I
Grand View University came out strong with their one-two punch at 125! Top-seeded
Aden Reeves and No. 3 seed
Gabe Gonzales both earned tech falls to get the Vikings rolling. No. 5 seed
Jackson Cockrell took care of business in round one with a tech fall of his own.
Carson Taylor, the top-seeded 141-pounder, was up next for the Vikings. Competing in his fifth national tournament in a GV singlet, Taylor started off with a dominant 15-1 major decision.
Both GVU 149-pounders advanced to championship round two. No. 6 seed Darnai secured the Vikings' first pin of the tournament in his national debut representing GV.
Elijah Larsen, also representing GV at nationals for the first time and seeded No. 8, added more points for the Vikings after receiving an injury default.
At 165 pounds, GV boasted the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in the tournament. Heart Newcomer of the Year
Cam Robinson wasted no time, earning a fall in just two minutes. Returning All-American
Dylan Whitt followed suit, kicking off his tournament with a tech fall.
Top-seeded
Alex Reynolds, carrying a target on his back, dominated his way to a tech fall. No. 11 seed
Jameel Coles put up points in a hurry, securing a 19-3 tech fall to advance on the championship side of the 184-pound bracket.
No. 1 seed
Garavous Kouekabakilaho closed out the first round for the Vikings with the team's seventh tech fall of the session, capping off an 11-for-11 performance in bonus point matches for Grand View.
SESSION II
The Vikings stormed into Park City Arena for round two, with all 12 wrestlers still competing in the championship bracket.
At 125 pounds, Reeves and Gonzales kept up their momentum. Reeves secured his spot in the quarterfinals with a 13-5 major decision, while Gonzales continued his dominance on the other side of the bracket, earning his second tech fall of the tournament.
At 133 pounds, Cockrell found himself in a rematch against No. 12 seed Freddy Barajas of Saint Mary's in the round of 16. This time, Cockrell had a different outcome in mind, avenging last year's result with a hard-fought 4-2 decision.
Carson Taylor delivered another commanding performance at 141 pounds, earning a 14-1 major decision over Cole McKinley. Larsen punched his ticket to the quarterfinals with a clutch fall in the late stages of his match.
In the 165-pound bracket, Robinson racked up 20 points in a dominant tech fall over the No. 14 seed. On the other side, Whitt electrified the GV crowd with a sudden-death takedown to secure his quarterfinal spot, giving the Vikings two 165-pounders in the next round.
Top-seeded
Alex Reynolds delivered yet another tech fall, crushing hopes in round two as he has done all season. No. 11 seed
Jameel Coles pulled off a thrilling upset, securing a last-second takedown to defeat No. 6 seed Kyle Knudtson of Eastern Oregon and advance.
Grand View's 10th quarterfinalist of 2025 was
Garavous Kouekabakilaho, who finished his match in dominant fashion with a fall early in the third period.
Darnai Heard faced a setback in round two, falling to the No. 11 seed, but he bounced back in thrilling fashion. In a wild, back-and-forth battle, Heard secured a dominant 21-13 major decision to punch his ticket to day two of the national tournament.
Jackson Cockrell also dropped his round of 16 match against No. 11 seed Gentry Smith of Southeastern but quickly regrouped in the consolation bracket. Facing No. 12 seed Trenton Blomquist of Embry-Riddle in consolation round two, Jackson delivered in the clutch, scoring a late takedown in the third period to extend his lead to 8-3 and secure his spot in session three tomorrow.
UP NEXT
Grand View will return to NAIA National Championship action tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. with quarterfinal matches and third-round consolations.
| PLACE |
TEAM |
SCORE |
| 1 |
Grand View |
51.0 |
| 2 |
Southeastern |
37.0 |
| 3 |
Life |
34.5 |
| 4 |
Providence |
33.0 |
| 5 |
Doane |
26.5 |
| 6 |
Campbellsville |
25.5 |
| 7 |
Corban |
24.0 |
| 8 |
Southern Oregon |
23.0 |
| 9 |
Indiana Tech |
22.0 |
| 10 |
Cumberlands |
21.5 |
2025 NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS – THROUGH SESSION I
NAIA 125
3-SEED: GABE GONZALES – QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 3 Gabe Gonzales won by tech fall over Chase Ayers (Lindsey Wilson) (TF 16-1)
- Champ. Round 2 - 3 Gabe Gonzales won by tech fall over 14 Matteo Vargo (Cumberlands) (TF 17-2)
NAIA 125
1-SEED: ADEN REEVES – QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 1 Aden Reeves won by tech fall over Tyler Hisey (Indiana Tech) (TF 16-1)
- Champ. Round 2 - 1 Aden Reeves won by major decision over 16 Clarence Lee-Green (Lindsey Wilson) (Maj 13-5)
NAIA 133
5-SEED: JACKSON COCKRELL – QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 5 Jackson Cockrell won by tech fall over Landon Bertsch (Marian) (TF 19-4)
- Champ. Round 2 - 5 Jackson Cockrell won by decision over 12 Freddy Barajas (Saint Mary) (Dec 4-2)
NAIA 141
1-SEED: CARSON TAYLOR – QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 1 Carson Taylor won by major decision over Cole McKinley (Lourdes) (Maj 14-1)
- Champ. Round 2 - 1 Carson Taylor won by major decision over 16 Tristan Bremer (Providence) (Maj 8-0)
NAIA 149
6-SEED: DARNAI HEARD
- Champ. Round 1 - 6 Darnai Heard won by fall over Devin Griffin (Reinhardt) (Fall 3:33)
- Champ. Round 2 - 11 Hagen Heistand (Concordia) won by decision over 6 Darnai Heard (Dec 4-2)
- Cons. Round 2 - 6 Darnai Heard won by major decision over Steven Barnes (Concor-dia) (Maj 21-13)
NAIA 149
8-SEED: ELIJAH LARSEN- QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 8 Elijah Larsen won by injury default over Brayden Smith (York) (Inj. 3:00)
- Champ. Round 2 - 8 Elijah Larsen won by fall over 9 Bret Minor (Life) (Fall 6:22)
NAIA 165
3-SEED: CAM ROBINSON – QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 3 Cam Robinson won by fall over Abe Hafez (Midway) (Fall 1:58)
- Champ. Round 2 - 3 Cam Robinson won by tech fall over 14 Jasitin Kubwimmana (Campbellsville) (TF 20-5)
NAIA 165
4-SEED: DYLAN WHITT - QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 4 Dylan Whitt won by tech fall over Blaze Sumiye (Providence) (TF 16-1)
- Champ. Round 2 - 4 Dylan Whitt won in sudden victory - 1 over 13 Travis Waldner (Montana State - Northern) (SV-1 4-1)
NAIA 174
1-SEED: ALEX REYNOLDS – QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 1 Alex Reynolds won by tech fall over Jevion Ross (St. Thomas) (TF 18-3)
- Champ. Round 2 - 1 Alex Reynolds won by tech fall over 16 Braylin Ruchti (Southern Oregon) (TF 18-2)
NAIA 184
11-SEED: JAMEEL COLES – QUARTERFINALIST
- Champ. Round 1 - 11 Jameel Coles won by tech fall over Jeremiah Voliva (Avila) (TF 19-3)
- Champ. Round 2 - 11 Jameel Coles won by decision over 6 Kyle Knudtson (Eastern Oregon) (Dec 8-5)
NAIA 197
6-SEED: TRAYVONNE JACKSON –
- Champ. Round 1 - 6 Trayvonne Jackson received a bye () (Bye)
- Champ. Round 2 - 11 Gentry Smith (Southeastern) won by decision over 6 Trayvonne Jackson (Dec 4-2)
- Cons. Round 2 - 6 Trayvonne Jackson won by decision over 12 Trenton Blomquist (Embry-Riddle) (Dec 8-3)
NAIA 197
1-SEED: GARAVOUS KOUEKABAKILAHO – QUARTERFINALIST
CHAMPIONSHIP LIFESTYLE
