BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The Life University men's wrestling team delivered a statement performance at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships, dominating the field with multiple individual titles and marquee victories over nationally ranked opponents.

The Running Eagles controlled the tournament from start to finish, powered by a deep lineup that produced six individual champions, three all-Life U finals, and a signature win over the nation's No. 1 wrestler.

Life U's champions included Elvis Solis (149 lbs), Fabian Padilla (157 lbs), Alexander Couto (165 lbs), Reese Jones (174 lbs), Kendall Norfleet (184 lbs), and Gio Jackson (197 lbs).

Following the tournament, Kendall Norfleet was named the AAC Wrestler of the Year after an undefeated season and dominant conference run, while Elvis Solis earned Freshman of the Year honors behind one of the most impressive performances of the weekend.

At 149 lbs, Solis, ranked No. 8 nationally, delivered a breakout performance. He opened with a first-period fall and followed with a semifinal injury default before taking down No. 1 Mario De La Torre (Southeastern) in the finals with a commanding 13-3 major decision—one of the biggest wins of the tournament.

At 157 lbs, Life U asserted total control of the bracket, sending two top-five wrestlers—No. 2 Fabian Padilla and No. 4 Douglas Terry—into an all-Running Eagles final. Padilla advanced with a fall and a tech fall before claiming the title via medical forfeit, while Terry secured a runner-up finish after a dominant run through his side of the bracket.

At 165 lbs, the Running Eagles repeated that dominance with another all-Life U championship bout between No. 6 Alexander Couto and No. 7 Rocky Raby. Couto powered through the bracket with a tech fall and a decision before earning the title via medical forfeit, while Raby added a second-place finish.

At 174 lbs, Reese Jones, ranked No. 5 nationally, turned in a complete performance that included a fall, a tech fall, and a key ranked win. He capped his run with a gritty 2-1 decision over No. 7 Ty Rodriguez (Southeastern) in the championship match.

At 184 lbs, Norfleet, ranked No. 2 in the nation, continued his undefeated season with authority. He recorded a fall and a major decision before securing the title via medical forfeit in an all-Life U final against No. 3 Tre Morrisette.

At 197 lbs, Gio Jackson, ranked No. 2 nationally, added another marquee victory to Life U's resume. After advancing with bonus-point wins, he defeated No. 5 Gentry Smith (Southeastern) in the finals, while No. 8 Efren Arizmendez battled back to place fifth and contribute valuable team points.

At 141 lbs, No. 12 Mauro Michel added to the team's success with a third-place finish, rebounding with two falls and a major decision after a semifinal setback in a competitive bracket.

Across the lineup, Life U consistently delivered against ranked competition, securing multiple wins over top-10 opponents while controlling several weight classes with nationally ranked talent.

Head coach Omi Acosta shared his thoughts after the team's win, saying, "First I wanna thank God, and second, I'm super grateful for the opportunity to bring the team down here to where I'm from and compete and win the Conference Championship. I'm proud of everyone on the team, we qualified twelve guys and I'm extremely proud of EJ Solis who beat the top guy in the country and I'm proud of everyone who put their best foot forward. Next thing is the NAIA Championship, so we're looking forward to getting back to Marietta, working on a couple of things and getting ready to compete for the a National Championship. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who supports us and made the drive down here to support us at conference. God bless everyone. LUCHA!" 

With six individual champions, three all-Life U finals, and a tournament résumé defined by ranked victories, the Running Eagles now turn their focus to the NAIA National Championships in Wichita, Kansas, looking to carry their momentum onto the national stage.