PARK CITY, KANSAS — The top-ranked Vikings carried their momentum into day two of the 68th annual NAIA National Championships, delivering commanding performances in the championship rounds. Grand View opened the third session with 10 wrestlers in the quarterfinals and finished with seven advancing to the semifinals. By the end of the day, the Vikings had secured nine All-American honors and sent seven wrestlers to the finals with a shot at gold. Grand View also strengthened its grip on the team race, amassing 176.5 points — an impressive 55.5-point lead over the second-place team.
By the end of day one, nine Vikings had secured All-American status, highlighting Grand View's dominance at the 68th annual NAIA National Championships. The All-Americans included 125-pounders
Aden Reeves and
Gabe Gonzales, 133-pounder
Jackson Cockrell, 141-pounder
Carson Taylor, 149-pounder
Elijah Larsen, 165-pounders
Cam Robinson and
Dylan Whitt, 174-pounder
Alex Reynolds, and 197-pounder
Garavous Kouekabakilaho.
Grand View also topped several statistical categories, leading with the most tech falls in the least amount of time (14 in 75:17), most combined tech falls and pins (19 in 99:10), most total match points (587), and an impressive overall record of 43-9 (.826).
Grand View continued to etch its name in the record books, tying its own program record by sending seven wrestlers to the finals. The Vikings now stand just one individual national champion away from breaking the all-time NAIA record for most program champions.
SESSION III
Day two of the national tournament kicked off with quarterfinals and round three consolations, and the Vikings displayed a high level of competition throughout the bout sheet.
Gabe Gonzales made another tech fall look routine in the round of 8, punching his ticket to the semifinals and securing All-American status.
Aden Reeves kept GV fans on their toes in his matchup against No. 8 seed Anthony Hughes. Reeves needed an extra period but found a winning takedown in sudden victory to secure his second All-American honor in a red and black singlet — and a chance to make his first appearance in the final.
Jackson Cockrell toed the line at 133 pounds for his quarterfinal match against No. 4 seed Aaron Lucio. Cockrell fought hard in a high-scoring battle but came up just short, falling 10-8.
Next up was longtime Viking
Carson Taylor. CT earned another major decision with an 11-0 win over No. 8 seed Thomas Williams of St. Thomas, securing his fifth All-American honor — a feat accomplished by only a handful of wrestlers across all divisions.
Elijah Larsen followed at 149 pounds, facing top-seeded Nicholas Yancey of Campbellsville. Larsen wasn't fazed by the ranking, dominating the match 11-5 to secure a spot in the semifinals.
Cam Robinson took on No. 6 seed Turner Black and put up big points once again, earning a 20-7 major decision and locking in a place in the round of four.
Dylan Whitt had a wild match in his quarterfinal but came up short against No. 5 seed Anthony Federico of Southeastern.
Alex Reynolds continued his dominance with a 9-1 tech f
all over the No. 9 seed, earning a spot on the center mats for Session IV.
Jameel Coles, the No. 11 seed, fought off several takedown attempts in his match but came up short in a tight overtime battle.
Garavous Kouekabakilaho (GK) earned the Vikings' final spot in the semifinals, controlling his round of 8 bout with a 10-4 decision over No. 8 seed Asher Ruchti to become a two-time All-American.
On the backside,
Darnai Heard started his run with a dominant tech fall over No. 4 seed and former All-American Jace Luchau of Cumberlands.
Trayvonne Jackson also took care of business, earning a fall in the final period against No. 14 seed Elias Corona of Southern Oregon.
Session III Highlights
- Carson Taylor earns 5x All-American honors
- Seven semifinalists for the Vikings
- Elijah Larsen knocks off top-seeded Nicholas Yancey
SESSION IV
Grand View entered the semifinal round with seven wrestlers, covering six of the 10 weight classes at the national tournament. The Vikings made the most of it, sending all seven to the 2025 NAIA National Finals — a statement performance from the defending champs.
At 125 pounds, Grand View doubled up in dominant fashion.
Aden Reeves cruised to the finals with a commanding 20-4 tech fall over No. 13 seed Vonn Fenn of Southern Oregon.
Gabe Gonzales followed with his fourth consecutive bonus point win, handling No. 7 seed Allen Calderon of Indiana Tech with an 11-3 decision.
Carson Taylor represented the Vikings at 141 pounds and found his way back to the finals in his final season. The senior took down four-time All-American and No. 5 seed Cade Manion of Oklahoma City, securing his spot in the championship match.
Elijah Larsen proved to be a problem once again at 149 pounds, earning a dominant major decision over No. 5 seed Victor Guzman of Cumberland to lock in his spot in the finals.
At 165 pounds,
Cam Robinson battled No. 2 seed Keller Rock of Embry-Riddle in an overtime thriller. Robinson secured a clutch takedown to win 3-0 and punch his ticket to the finals.
To close out the session, both returning champions delivered under pressure.
Alex Reynolds flexed for the crowd after a dominant major decision over No. 4 seed Shadrick Slone of Campbellsville.
Garavous Kouekabakilaho (GK) followed with a similar performance, controlling No. 5 seed Kasten Grape of Doane with a major decision to earn his spot in the finals. Seven for seven — the Vikings are ready to take center stage.
Consolation Rounds 4 & 5
The blood rounds kicked off the final session of day two in Wichita, with five Vikings fighting for podium spots on the backside of the bracket.
Jackson Cockrell was the first to take the mat and wasted no time, securing a tech fall over Lane Scorpil of William Penn to lock in his second straight All-American honor. Cockrell dropped his consolation quarterfinal match that followed, setting him up for a seventh-place bout in the placing rounds tomorrow.
Darnai Heard faced a heartbreaker at 149 pounds, falling just short against top-seeded Nicholas Yancey in a 9-8 battle.
Dylan Whitt earned his second All-American honor, this time at 165 pounds. He majored his way into the placing rounds with a 14-6 win over No. 15 seed Angel Hernandez. Whitt continued his strong run with another win over No. 9 seed Reese Jones, advancing to the consolation semifinals tomorrow morning.
Jameel Coles fell short in his All-American round, losing to No. 16 seed Temuujijn Mendbileg of Dakota Wesleyan.
Trayvonne Jackson also saw his tournament come to an end with a hard-fought sudden
death loss to No. 8 seed Asher Ruchti.
Semifinal Highlights
- GK, Red, and CT return to the national finals
- Nine Grand View All-Americans
- Seven Vikings advance to the finals
TEAM STANDINGS
| STANDING |
TEAM |
| 1 |
Grand View |
176.5 |
| 2 |
Life |
125.0 |
| 3 |
Southeastern |
107.0 |
| 4 |
Doane |
63.5 |
| 5 |
Indiana Tech |
60.5 |
| 6 |
Southern Oregon |
56.5 |
| 7 |
Providence |
56.0 |
| 8 |
Corban |
54.0 |
| 9 |
Embry-Riddle |
52.0 |
| 10 |
Central Methodist |
49.5 |
2025 NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS – THROUGH SESSION IV
NAIA 125
3-SEED: GABE GONZALES – FINALIST
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 3 Gabe Gonzales won by tech fall over 11 Brody Gee (Saint Mary) (TF 20-2)
- Semifinal - 3 Gabe Gonzales won by major decision over 7 Allen Calderon (Indiana Tech) (Maj 11-3)
NAIA 125
1-SEED: ADEN REEVES – FINALIST
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 1 Aden Reeves won in sudden victory - 1 over 8 Anthony Hughes (Marian) (SV-1 9-6)
- Semifinal - 1 Aden Reeves won by tech fall over 13 Vonn Fenn (Southern Oregon) (TF 20-4)
NAIA 133
5-SEED: JACKSON COCKRELL
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 4 Aaron Lucio (Southeastern) won by decision over 5 Jackson (Dec 10-8)
- Cons. Round 4 - 5 Jackson Cockrell won by tech fall over Lane Scorpil (William Penn) (TF 22-7)
- Cons. Round 5 - Andrew Voiles (Southeastern) won by fall over 5 Jackson Cockrell (Fall 1:46)
NAIA 141
1-SEED: CARSON TAYLOR – FINALIST
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 1 Carson Taylor won by major decision over 8 Thomas Williams (St. Thomas) (Maj 11-0)
- Semifinal - 1 Carson Taylor won by decision over 5 Cade Manion (Oklahoma City) (Dec 6-1)
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)
- Cons. Round 3 - 6 Darnai Heard won by tech fall over 4 Jace Luchau (Cumberlands) (TF 17-1)
- Cons. Round 4 - 1 Nicholas Yancey (Campbellsville) won by decision over 6 Darnai Heard (Dec 9-8)
NAIA 149
8-SEED: ELIJAH LARSEN- FINALIST
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 8 Elijah Larsen won by decision over 1 Nicholas Yancey (Campbellsville) (Dec 11-5)
- Semifinal - 8 Elijah Larsen won by major decision over 5 Victor Guzman (Cumberland) (Maj 10-2)
NAIA 165
3-SEED: CAM ROBINSON – FINALIST
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 3 Cam Robinson (won by major decision over 6 Turner Black (Cumber-lands) (Maj 20-7)
- Semifinal - 3 Cam Robinson won in sudden victory - 1 over 2 Keller Rock (Embry-Riddle) (SV-1 3-0)
NAIA 165
4-SEED: DYLAN WHITT - CONSI SEMIFINALIST
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 5 Anthony Federico (Southeastern) won by decision over 4 Dylan Whitt (Dec 13-9)
- Cons. Round 4 - 4 Dylan Whitt won by major decision over 15 Angel Hernandez (Keiser) (Maj 14-6)
- Cons. Round 5 - 4 Dylan Whitt won by decision over 9 Reese Jones (Life) (Dec 4-1)
NAIA 174
1-SEED: ALEX REYNOLDS – FINALIST
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 1 Alex Reynolds won by major decision over 9 Daniil Gorshkov (Embry-Riddle) (Maj 9-1)
- Semifinal - 1 Alex Reynolds (Grand View) won by major decision over 4 Shadrick Slone (Campbellsville) (Maj 13-4
NAIA 184
11-SEED: JAMEEL COLES
- 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)
- Quarterfinal - 3 Tyson Beauperthuy (Doane) won in sudden victory - 1 over 11 Jameel Coles (SV-1 4-1)
- Cons. Round 4 - 16 Temuujijn Mendbileg (Dakota Wesleyan) won by decision over 11 Jameel Coles (Dec 9-3)
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)
- Cons. Round 3 - 6 Trayvonne Jackson won by fall over 14 Elias Corona (Southern Or-egon) (Fall 6:44)
- Cons. Round 4 - 8 Asher Ruchti (Southern Oregon) won in sudden victory - 1 over 6 Trayvonne Jackson (SV-1 5-2)
NAIA 197
1-SEED: GARAVOUS KOUEKABAKILAHO – FINALIST
CHAMPIONSHIP LIFESTYLE
