Graceland Wrestling Battles Through Day One at NAIA National Championships
PARK CITY, Kan. – The Graceland University men's wrestling team showcased resilience and determination on the opening day of the 2025 NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championships at Hartman Arena. With multiple wrestlers taking the mat against the nation's top competition, the Yellowjackets delivered hard-fought performances and secured key victories in the championship and consolation brackets.
Head Coach Zack Mullins reflected on the team's effort, saying, "Graceland should be proud of these guys and the way they competed against the best guys in the country. They showed poise, grit, determination, and resilience throughout every match. I'm proud of these young men and am excited for Juan Lopez to compete tomorrow."
125 lbs – Clemente Delgado
Clemente Delgado began his tournament run with a tough opening-round matchup, falling by major decision (8-0) to Vonn Fenn (Southern Oregon). In the consolation bracket, Delgado rebounded with a 9-1 major decision over Matteo Vargo (Cumberlands) before dropping a 4-2 decision to Jeffrey Bailey (Cornerstone), concluding his tournament run.
133 lbs – Nick Foster
Nick Foster started his tournament with a 4-2 decision loss to Freddy Barajas (Saint Mary). In the wrestlebacks, he responded strongly with a technical fall (18-2) against Landon Bertsch (Marian) before being eliminated by major decision (10-0) against Roman De La Cruz (Saint Mary).
165 lbs – Juan Lopez
Juan Lopez faced a tough test in the championship bracket, falling to No. 2 seed Keller Rock (Embry-Riddle) by fall (1:41). However, Lopez battled back in the consolation rounds with a technical fall (17-2) over Braeden Baller (Texas Wesleyan). His performance keeps him alive in the tournament as he prepares for the next session.
184 lbs – KJ Fry & Joseph Teguia
KJ Fry suffered an 8-0 major decision loss to Kendall Norfleet (Life) in his opening bout. He bounced back in the consolation rounds with a technical fall (19-3) over Jackson King (Dickinson State) before being eliminated.
Joseph Teguia faced a tough path, falling by fall (2:47) to Thomas Ketchen-Carter (Cumberlands) in the championship bracket. In the wrestlebacks, he fought hard but was eliminated after a 17-11 decision loss.
197 lbs – John Schuttler
John Schuttler opened his tournament with a fall (3:43) loss to Kasten Grape (Doane). In the consolation bracket, he secured an 8-3 decision against Trenton Blomquist (Embry-Riddle) before falling by decision (6-3), closing out his tournament.
Up Next
Graceland will be back on the mat tomorrow for Day Two/Session Three of the NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championships in Park City, Kan. Juan Lopez remains in contention in the 165-pound weight class and will continue to fight for a place on the podium.
For more information on Graceland Men's Wrestling and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.