Midland Takes Third at GPAC Championships

HASTINGS, Neb. – The Midland University women's wrestling team placed third at the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday at Lynn Farrell Arena. The Warriors crowned two individual conference champions, and three wrestlers qualified for the NAIA National Championships.

Kyra Gonzalez went 0-2 at 103 pounds to finish fifth. After receiving a pair of byes, Gonzalez lost to 17th-ranked Kimberly Navarette (Doane) by fall at 2:04. In the consolation round, she was defeated by Miranda Lajevic (Hastings) by technical fall, 12-0, at 1:49.

Destiny Castillo also finished fifth at 110 pounds. After a first-round bye, Castillo lost to 18th-ranked Raelynn O'Connor (Hastings) by fall at 0:38. In the consolation semifinals, she was defeated by Cerys Gardner (Dakota Wesleyan) by fall at 0:32. Castillo secured fifth place via forfeit over Edyn Hartman (Waldorf).

At 117 pounds, Taylor Hood earned conference runner-up honors and qualified for the national meet. The 12th-ranked Hood defeated Bettie Chambers (Doane) by technical fall, 10-0, at 2:10. Hood later lost via forfeit to 11th-ranked Angelica Vicente Gonzalez (Doane) and claimed second place following a no contest against Chambers.

Midland had two competitors at 131 pounds. Brianna Gaytan went 1-2 on the day. After an opening-round bye, Gaytan lost to Payton Weese (Doane) by fall at 0:29. In the consolation round, she defeated teammate Eny Bravo by fall at 2:28 before falling to Izzy Urban (Waldorf) by technical fall, 12-2, at 2:46. Bravo went 0-2. After an opening-round bye, she lost to Elizabeth Rubio (Morningside) by technical fall, 10-0, at 0:37 and later fell to Gaytan by fall.

The Warriors also had two wrestlers at 138 pounds. Fourteenth-ranked Maci Avila captured the conference championship and qualified for nationals. Avila defeated Ari Hen (Waldorf) by fall at 1:56, then topped Lisa Hoeflich (Hastings) by technical fall, 10-0, at 1:51 in the semifinals. In the championship bout, Avila upset fourth-ranked Reagen Gallaway by decision, 8-4. Danielle Franco placed fourth at 138 pounds. Franco lost to Hoeflich by fall at 1:54, rebounded with falls over Hen (3:54) and Tiara Faehnrich (Dakota Wesleyan) (1:39), then fell to Hoeflich by technical fall, 10-0, at 4:26 in the third-place match.

Andrea Frisque finished fourth at 145 pounds. After an opening-round bye, Frisque lost to 14th-ranked Bridgette Sotomayor (Doane) by fall at 3:53. She later fell to 18th-ranked Emma Stice (Hastings) by fall at 4:42.

Midland claimed its second individual champion at 160 pounds as 17th-ranked Ja'Nya Banks took first place. Banks defeated Baylie Wehmeyer (Morningside) by fall at 0:43, then topped teammate Hallie Stone by technical fall, 12-2, at 2:27 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Banks defeated Renee Miguel (Waldorf) by technical fall, 11-1, at 3:35. Stone placed fourth. After losing to Banks in the semifinals, she defeated Sava'nah Norte (Dakota Wesleyan) by fall at 0:33 before falling to 18th-ranked Jayla Ford (Hastings) by fall at 1:18 in the third-place match.

Noe Sedano finished sixth at 207 pounds. Sedano lost to 18th-ranked Skyler Bruno (Waldorf) by fall at 1:36, then defeated Kaitlyn Gay (Dakota Wesleyan) by fall at 0:10 in the consolation round. She later lost to 14th-ranked Taylor Rickley (Hastings) by fall at 0:48 and dropped the fifth-place match to Olivia Burciaga (Waldorf) by fall at 1:49.

Hood, Avila, and Banks will represent Midland at the 2026 NAIA Women's Wrestling National Championships on March 13-14 at Heartland Credit Union Arena in Wichita, Kansas.