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Warriors Place Three at GPAC Championships
Posted: Feb 21, 2026

Warriors Place Three at GPAC Championships

Results

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The (RV) Midland University Warriors had five wrestlers compete at the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference Championship, held this weekend at the Bultman Center. As a team, Midland finished eighth with 42.5 points. Doane claimed the team title with 170 points. Three Warriors placed in the top four of their respective weight classes.

Dylan Atherton placed fourth at 125 pounds. After receiving an opening-round bye, Atherton defeated Creel Weber (Hastings) by fall at 4:32. In the next round, he dropped a 4-1 decision to 19th-ranked Isaac Gibbs (Doane). Atherton responded in the consolation semifinals with an 18-0 technical fall over Ryan Buchanan (Morningside) at 4:26. In the third-place match, he fell to Malachi Aispuro (Waldorf) by fall at 2:19.

Zion Amerson competed at 157 pounds. Following an opening-round bye, Amerson lost a 10-3 decision to Jordan Tobias (Hastings). In the consolation round, he was defeated by Brandon Harris (Briar Cliff) by fall at 2:53.

Nate McDonald, ranked No. 16 in the NAIA at 184 pounds, finished third to qualify for the NAIA National Championships. McDonald opened with an 8-1 decision over Lane Miller (Dakota Wesleyan), then earned a 4-2 decision against Kolton Kammeyer (Doane) in the quarterfinals. He was defeated in the semifinals by 13th-ranked Barret Brandt (Concordia) by fall at 2:29. In the consolation semifinals, McDonald recorded a 15-2 major decision over Jaxon Quail (Dakota Wesleyan). Needing a win to secure a national berth, McDonald faced Kammeyer again and earned a 14-4 major decision.

Collin Stone wrestled at 197 pounds. After an opening-round bye, Stone was defeated by Joel Arias (Northwestern) by major decision, 14-2. In the consolation round, he lost an 11-6 decision to Justyce Hostettler (Hastings).

Zeph Sivels captured the conference championship at 285 pounds. Ranked No. 3 in the NAIA, Sivels received an opening-round bye before earning an 8-0 major decision over Cole Hennings (Dakota Wesleyan). In the semifinals, he edged Eli Criblez (Doane) 3-2 by criteria. Sivels then defeated 17th-ranked Koen Mattern (Hastings) 2-1 by criteria in the championship match.

Sivels and McDonald will represent Midland at the 2026 NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championships, scheduled for March 5-7 at Heartland Credit Union Arena in Wichita, Kansas.