UNK Wrestling: #1 Lopers Blank Bobcats to Start Title Defense
Kearney, Neb. – Top-ranked and defending national champion Nebraska Kearney was dominant in a 42-(-1) win over Southeast C.C. Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.
This was UNK's opener for the 2025-26 season; some young members of the program head to the Dakota Wesleyan Open this Saturday (Nov. 8) with the varsity at No. 46 Iowa State next Friday (Nov. 14).
The SCC Bobcats, ranked fourth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), came in with three ranked individuals as well as Michigan transfer Ira Jenkins (Hwt.). The young program placed sixth at the 2025 NJCAA national meet but matched up with a veteran Loper squad tonight.
"They were a good test for us and glad they came over. A solid team and I think one that's going to contend for a JUCO National Championship," said UNK head coach Dalton Jensen. "They are just down the road, and it makes sense we should be dueling them and supporting the state. There's a lot of homegrown kids that wrestled on both sides tonight."
UNK gave up just two takedowns all night while raking up two falls, two tech falls and two majors. There were some tough battles including at 197 pounds were top-ranked Jackson Kinsella (Clarinda, Ia.) and Cuban national Victor Montoya were both dinged for stalling. Kinsella used a second period escape to win, 2-1, with the third-ranked Montoya cited for unsportsmanlike conduct and thus docking his team a point.
"This is a starting point for us and a good prep meet for a great challenge at Iowa State. It's about getting guys down to weight, seeing how they compete and compose themselves and handle little technical skills in those important areas when they get tired," said Jensen. "Obviously a lot of work to go from here."
At 285-pounds second-ranked Crew Howard (Clarinda, Ia.) tallied a second period takedown and built up nearly 2:00 of riding time to get past Jenkins, 5-0, with redshirt sophomores Brady Collins (Wray, Colo.) and Cael Robb (Medford, Minn.) having back-to-back falls and the middle weights. Collins was up 10-3 before sticking his Bobcat foe at 5:25 with Robb, ranked ninth in D2, rallying from an early deficit to have a fall in just 1:25 over preseaon number one Ayson Rice. Finally, junior newcomer
Otgonbayar Batsuuri
(Mongolia) ranked up six takedowns and a 3-point near fall to have a second period tech, 21-5. He was two-time national champ at Fort Hays State Northwest Tech.
The Lopers return home Nov. 22 (Sat.) with the annual Younes Hospitality Open at the SportsPlex.