KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eastern Oregon Men's Wrestling kicked off the 2026 calendar year by continuing to receive strong recognition in the NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll, maintaining 39 votes as announced by the NAIA national office on Thursday. Additionally, three Mountaineers are ranked in the individual standings, further solidifying the program's competitive presence.

In the 133-pound weight class, sophomore Kai Carson has made a significant jump, climbing to No. 14 with 71 points. Since the previous poll, Carson has added two more impressive dual wins to his record. He secured a 2:30 fall against Providence's Kina'u McBrayer and followed that up with a dominant 15-0 technical fall victory over MSU-Northern's Daniel Evert. Carson now boasts a 20-4 overall record and a 6-1 dual record on the season.

Redshirt senior Eric Karas continues to hold steady at No. 20 in the 197-pound weight class with 45 points. Karas went 1-1 in his most recent duals. He suffered a defeat to Providence's No. 8 Brendan Lockhart but earned a forfeit victory against MSU-Northern. Karas remains a key contributor for the Mountaineers this season.

Rounding out the individual rankings, redshirt junior Nico Rodriguez retains his No. 8 spot in the heavyweight division, with 116 points. Rodriguez recently faced off against No. 11 Ethan DeRoche in the Providence dual and came out on top with a 7-4 decision. With a current overall record of 17-5 and a perfect 5-0 dual record, Rodriguez has proven to be a consistent force on the mat.

Rankings are determined through a voting process conducted by a panel of head coaches from each conference, using a points-based system that evaluates both team and individual performances.

To view the full rankings release, visit the NAIA Rankings Press Release.