KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eastern Oregon Men's Wrestling has secured a spot in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 rankings for the 2025-2026 season, coming in at No. 21 with 65 points, as announced by the NAIA national office on Thursday morning.
Four Mountaineers were ranked among the top competitors in their respective weight classes. Leading the charge for EOU is returning Heavyweight All-American
Nico Rodriguez, who earned the No.3 ranking following his 5th place finish at last season's national tournament.
Jackson Eylar follows closely with an impressive No.5 ranking at 125 pounds after a strong national performance last year.
Eric Karas is ranked No.13 spot at 197 pounds, while
Braden Carson rounds out the list at No.22 in the 141 pound class.
Additional Mountaineers were also ranked in the NAIA Preseason Cascade Conference Ratings, released on Tuesday. Notable mentions include
John Rudebaugh,
Cody Glenn,
Stone Robledo,
Wylee Lindeen, and
Cole Cross.
The rankings are determined through a voting process involving a panel of head coaches representing each conference, using a points-based system that evaluates team and individual performances.
To view the full release, visit:
NAIA Rankings press release.