No. 9 Eagle Grapplers Start National Duals At 1-2

At the 2026 NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Friday (Jan. 9), the No. 9-ranked Ashland University wrestling team went 1-2 on the first day of competition.
 
The Eagles (4-3) lost to top-ranked Central Oklahoma, 36-11, to open action. They then topped No. 25-ranked King, 26-16, before falling to No. 6 and Great Midwest Athletic Conference rival Tiffin, 33-16.
 
Ashland's victory over King to begin the consolation round saw six Eagles earn wins at their respective weight classes:

• No. 12-ranked junior 125-pounder Luke Acuna won via technical fall, 15-0, over Roberto Garcia.
• At 133 pounds, sophomore Donovan Paes pinned Alex Fernandez III in 4:09.
• Third-ranked 149-pound junior Hayden Kuhn topped Brennan Watkins by a 15-4 major decision.
• Redshirt freshman Fernando Lopez took a 14-5 major decision from Joe Bertrand.
• Senior Nate Barrett gave AU its third consecutive major decision, 12-0, over Sayfore Sieh.
• No. 7-ranked 285-pound senior Wyatt Bailey topped Nathan Coley, 9-4.

Ashland's two wins in the dual vs. Central Oklahoma were earned by Kuhn, who defeated No. 11-ranked Cole Mayfield via a 15-0 tech fall, and Bailey, who pinned Paul Sharp in 1:08.
 
Both Kuhn (pin in 4:34 over Maddox Simcoe) and Bailey (18-2 tech fall over Richard Thornton) ended 3-0 days against the Dragons. Also vs. Tiffin, redshirt freshman No. 14-ranked 184-pounder Fletcher Rose won in overtime, 8-5, against Brencyn Evans, while No. 8-ranked junior 197-pounder Peyton Lemon won 5-1 over Max Millin.
 
COMING UP
The second and final day of the National Duals on Saturday (Jan. 10), starting at 10 a.m. Eastern/9 a.m. Central.
  125 – El Kirk (CO) def. Luke Acuna (AU), pin 4:19
133 – Jason Henschel (CO) def. Donovan Paes (AU), pin 3:20
141 – Josh Taylor (CO) def. Rylen Campbell (AU), 13-3 maj. dec.
149 – Hayden Kuhn (AU) def. Cole Mayfield (CO), 15-0 tech. fall
157 – Gabe Johnson (CO) def. Fernando Lopez (AU), 15-0 tech. fall
165 – Bryce Dauphin (CO) def. Nate Barrett (AU), 9-4 dec.
174 – Hunter Jump (CO) def. Hayden Flynn (AU), 17-1 tech. fall
184 – Branson Britten (CO) def. Fletcher Rose (AU), 4-2 dec.
194 – Garrett Wells (CO) def. Peyton Lemon (AU), 15-2 maj. dec.
285 – Wyatt Bailey (AU) def. Paul Sharp (CO), pin 1:08
  125 – Luke Acuna (AU) def. Roberto Garcia (KU), 15-0 tech. fall
133 – Donovan Paes (AU) def. Alex Fernandez III (KU), pin 4:09
141 – Ashtan Hendricks (KU) def. Rylen Campbell (AU), 13-5 maj. dec.
149 – Hayden Kuhn (AU) def. Brennan Watkins (KU), 15-4 maj. dec.
157 – Fernando Lopez (AU) def. Joe Bertrand (KU), 14-5 maj. dec.
165 – Nate Barrett (AU) def. Sayfore Sieh (KU), 12-0 maj. dec.
174 – Clinton Morrisette (KU) def. Hayden Flynn (AU), pin 2:24
184 – Luke Justice (KU) def. Fletcher Rose (AU), 5-4 dec.
194 – David Bertrand (KU) def. Peyton Lemon (AU), 9-4 dec.
285 - Wyatt Bailey (AU) def. Nathan Coley (KU), 9-4 dec.
  125 – Zavian LaFountain (TU) def. Luke Acuna (AU), pin 4:17
133 – Cael Woods (TU) def. Donovan Paes (AU), pin 1:19
141 – Bret Minnick (TU) def. Rylen Campbell (AU), 14-2 maj. dec.
149 – Hayden Kuhn (AU) def. Maddox Simcoe (TU), pin 4:34
157 – Casey Barnett (TU) def. Fernando Lopez (AU), pin 1:57
165 – Gavin Owens (TU) def. Gavin Nelson (TU), pin 5:00
174 – Emilio Arellano (TU) def. Hayden Flynn (AU), 19-4 tech. fall
184 – Fletcher Rose (AU) def. Brencyn Evans (TU), 8-5 dec. (OT)
194 – Peyton Lemon (AU) def. Max Millin (TU), 5-1 dec.
285 – Wyatt Bailey (AU) def. Richard Thornton (TU), 18-2 tech. fall
(Ashland given one-point team adjustment)