OWENSBORO, Ky. – The 2026 Great Midwest Wrestling Championship is set to take place on Saturday, January 31 at Bresica University's Moore Center with Kentucky Wesleyan being the host college.
 
Matches are set to begin at 11:00 A.M. E.T.  Coaches will rank eight wrestlers per weight class with six being seeded. Then, after the top six are selected, wrestlers will be randomly drawn into a bracket.
 
Brackets will be released on TrackWrestling following the coaches meeting and will be updated in real time for the duration of the tournament. Each school was permitted two entries per weight class and the top advancing wrestler will count towards the team point scoring totals.
 
The conference is recognized on an individual level among the NCAA Division II rankings with more than several wrestlers ranking in the top 20 in their respective weight classes.
 
In the conference, Tiffin ranks No. 7 making them the highest team ranked in the Great Midwest.  Tiffin has five wrestlers ranked in the top ten of their respective weight classes.  Leading the way is Nolan Gessler in the 165 lb. weight class.  Gessler is ranked first in his weight class with a perfect 10-0 record.  Trailing behind him is Anthony Aniciete in the 125 lb. weight class with a 10-2 record sitting at fourth and Casey Barnett in the 157 lb. weight class with a 11-2 record.  Then, Jake Powell in the 285 lb. weight class sits at eighth nationally with a 17-6 record.  Finally, Emilio Arellano in the 174 lb. weight class sits at tenth with a 19-5 record.
 
Ashland is also ranked in the polls as they find themselves at tenth place.  They’re coming off the previous championship season being crowned champs for the fourth time in program history. 
 
Leading the Eagles is Hayden Kuhn sitting at fourth place in the nation with a 17-2 record in the 149 lb. weight class.  Then, Luke Acuna sits at 17th in the 125 lb. weight class with a 13-8 record.  Then, Nate Barett in the 165 lb and Sevi Garza at fifth in the 174 lb. weight class with a 14-2 record and Peyton Lemon in the 197 lb. weight class sitting at fifth place as well with a 17-4 record.  Sitting at 13th place in the highest weight class, 285 lbs., is Wyatt Bailey with a 20-7 record.  Finally, in the 165 lb. weight class is Nate Barrett as he sits at the bottom of the rankings at 20th place with a 3-3 record.
 
All matches will be streamed on FloCollege.
 
Additional championship information can be found HERE.