Graceland Wrestling Dominates Benedictine on Senior Night, 36-9

LAMONI, Iowa — Feb. 3, 2026 — On a night dedicated to honoring the program's seniors, the Graceland University Yellowjackets put together a commanding performance in a Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) dual, defeating the Benedictine College Ravens by a final score of 36-9 at the Morden Center.

Graceland, now 8-2 overall and 6-2 in Heart duals, showcased a complete team effort with seven bout victories, including two technical falls and two falls, highlighting the squad's depth and continued development. Benedictine fell to 7-4 overall and 1-4 in conference action.

The dual opened at 125 pounds where Christian Trujillo-Quintana got the Yellowjackets off to a fast start, earning a fall at 5:43 over Benedictine's Brock Sutton. The victory gave GU a 6-0 lead and set the tone for the evening.

At 133 pounds, Davion Wilson added six team points via forfeit, extending Graceland's lead to 12-0.

The Ravens battled back at the 141, 149 and 157 weight classes. Benedictine's Caleb Peralta, Hayden Biggs, and Cristian Ramos earned decision wins over Caden Lopez, Payton Harger, and Invi Bella, respectively. All three bouts were close contests, but the Ravens trimmed the lead to 12-9 after five matches.

From that point forward, it was all Graceland.

Khalil Hampton-Hollins dominated the 165-pound match, securing a 19-10 major decision over Sam Chacon. Hampton's high-paced offense and consistent control earned him four team points, pushing the margin to 16-9.

Graceland then rattled off four consecutive bonus-point victories.

At 174, Jeraimiah Nyberg recorded a technical fall (17-2) in just 2:23, overwhelming Rance Ridley with takedowns and near-fall points. Chris Wohrley followed at 184 pounds with another technical fall (17-2 at 6:27), this time over Zachariah Lusk, utilizing punishing top control and tilts throughout the bout.

In the 197-pound bout, KJ Fry delivered an emphatic finish, pinning Bricen Lee at 3:44 to add six more team points to the board. At heavyweight, Kazz Hyson closed out the dual with an 11-3 major decision over Jefferson Otter, capping the final team score at 36-9 in favor of the Yellowjackets.

"I couldn't be prouder of how our guys competed tonight, especially on Senior Night," said Head Coach Evan Hansen. "This group of seniors has laid the foundation for where this program is headed. To see them wrestle with heart and earn a strong team win in their final home dual is incredibly rewarding."

The Yellowjackets' win featured three bonus-point victories from seniors—Nyberg, Wohrley, and Fry—making the night particularly meaningful for the program.

With the regular season nearing its conclusion, the focus now shifts to one of the biggest events of the year. Graceland will next compete at the Missouri Valley Open on Saturday, Feb. 7, with action beginning at 9:00 a.m. CST. The event will be hosted at the Burns Athletic Center in Marshall, Missouri, and features elite competition from across the NAIA and beyond.

For more information on Graceland Men's Wrestling and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.