By: Nick Pope: Sports Information Director
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The Life University men's wrestling team put together a strong opening day at the 2026 NWCA National Duals on Friday, advancing to the semifinals after a pair of hard-fought duals that showcased the Running Eagles' depth, bonus-point production, and composure in close matches.
Round 1: Life University vs. Corban (40–9)
Life University opened its National Duals campaign with a commanding victory over Corban, winning seven of the ten bouts to build an early cushion. Mikey Doerr set the tone at 125 lbs, racing out to a 19–6 lead before securing an exciting pin. At 133 lbs, Isaiah Rubio extended the Life U advantage with a win by forfeit.
Corban responded with victories at 141 and 149 lbs, but the Running Eagles quickly regained momentum at 157 lbs. Fabian Padilla continued his dominant midseason form, notching a pin after a pair of takedowns to swing the dual back in Life U's favor.
The middleweights then carried the team to victory, beginning with Rocky Raby at 165 lbs, who delivered a flawless 16–0 technical fall over Jess Rubio. Konlin Weaver followed at 174 lbs, overwhelming Armando Nicacio with a 19–4 technical fall. Kendall Norfleet continued the onslaught at 184 lbs, pinning No. 4 Isaiah Twait in the second period, while a win by forfeit at 197 lbs for Gio Jackson further extended the Life U lead.
At 285 lbs., the toughest matchup of the opening round came down to the final seconds, as No. 4 Gabriel Jacobs battled No. 3 Antonio Garcia in a tightly contested heavyweight bout. With the dual already decided, Jacobs struck first with an opening-period takedown and added an escape to force overtime, but Garcia secured the decisive takedown in sudden victory, handing Life U a narrow 7–4 loss in the extra period.
Quarterfinal: Life University vs. Oklahoma City (27–17)
The quarterfinal against Oklahoma City proved to be a tightly contested battle from start to finish, with nearly every bout coming down to narrow margins and bonus-point opportunities. Mikey Doerr opened the dual at 125 lbs with a tense opening period before earning a win via injury default, giving Life U an early 6–0 team advantage.
Oklahoma City responded at 133 lbs with a technical fall to close the gap, but an important pin by Mauro Michel at 141 lbs pushed the Running Eagles back in front. OCU answered again with a decision and a pin at 149 and 157 lbs, briefly swinging momentum.
Life U regained control when No. 8 Alexander Couto delivered four critical team points with an upset major decision over No. 6 Jordan Lomeli. Oklahoma City added another decision, but Tre Morrisette answered emphatically with a technical fall over No. 18 Cole Olguin. The Running Eagles then closed out the dual with back-to-back decisions from Gil Jackson, who earned an 8–3 win, and Gabe Davis, who prevailed in a 20–13 shootout to secure the 27–17 victory.
Up Next
Life University continues competition at the 2026 NWCA National Duals on Saturday as the Running Eagles advance to the semifinals. Day two of the tournament will stream live on FloWrestling, with live results and bout-by-bout coverage available through TrackWrestling.
