Men's Wrestling Set For National Championship
Marshall, Mo., (March 4, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College men's wrestling team is set to compete at the 2026 NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championship, beginning Thursday in Park City, Kan. Nine Vikings will compete at the event, including seven that earned National seeds.
Junior Haden Hernandez (Huntington Beach, Calif.) leads the team as the No. 3 seed at 125 pounds. He earned an automatic berth into the National championship, winning the 125 pound Heart individual title, the second conference title of his career (133 pounds in 2025). Hernandez enters the competition with a 17-1 record on the season. This is his third appearance at the National tournament, finishing with a 5-4 all-time at the event.
Senior Elijah Hynes (Broken Arrow, Okla.) is the No. 4 seed at 197 pounds and is 15-2 on the season. He earned an automatic berth into the National championship with his second place finish at 197 pounds at the Heart championship. Hynes is a three-time All-American, and this is his fourth appearance at the National championship with a 13-6 record in his previous appearances.
Junior Robert Albert (Cape Coral, Fla.) will compete at 125 pounds and is the No. 14 seed. He earned an automatic berth into the National championship, placing third at the Heart championship, and he enters the tournament with an 18-6 record. Albert is making his second appearance at the National championship, with a 0-2 record at the event.
Freshman Tuvshinjargal Zuunbayan (Arlington Heights, Ill.) will compete at 133 pounds as the No. 16 seed. He earned an automatic berth into the National championship placing fifth at the Heart championship, and is making his first appearance at the National championship. He enters the competition with a 16-4 on the season.
Junior Kristofer Arrey (Riverside, Calif.) is the No. 14 seed at 149 pounds and is 15-8 on the season. Arrey earned an automatic berth into the National championship with his third place finish at the Heart championship. This is his second appearance at the National Championship, finishing with a 1-2 record in the tournament.
Senior Francis Morrissey (Warner Robins, Ga.) earned an at-large berth into the National tournament, and competes at 157 pounds. He enters the competition with a 9-4 record on the season. Morrissey is a two-time All-American, and this is his third appearance at the National championship, previously wrestling at 174 pounds. He is 7-5 all-time at the event.
Sophomore Brayden Shelton (Centralia, Mo.) competes at 165 pounds as the No. 15 seed, and is 10-4 on the season. He earned an automatic berth in the tournament as he placed third at the Heart championship. This is his second appearance at the National championship, with a 2-2 record in his previous appearance.
Senior Dayton Hill (Broken Arrow, Okla.) will compete at 165 pounds, and enters the competition with a 17-3 record on the season. He earned an automatic berth into the National championship placing fifth at the Heart championship. This is Hill's fourth appearance in the tournament, but first as a Viking.
Senior Randy Gonzalez (Lakewood, Calif.) competes at 285 pounds as the No. 16 seed and is 23-5 on the season. He earned an automatic berth into the tournament with fourth placement at the Heart championship. This is Gonzalez's second appearance at the National Championship, going 0-2 last year.
The 2026 NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championship is a three-day event, beginning Thursday, and lasting through Saturday evening inside the Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City, Kan.
Thursday:
Session I at 11 a.m.: Championship first round and Consolation first round.
Session II at 6 p.m.: Championship second round and Consolation second round.
Friday:
Session III at 11 a.m.: Championship quarterfinal and Consolation third round.
Session IV at 6 p.m.: Championship semifinal, consolation fourth round and consolation fifth round. All Americans will be determined during Session IV.
Saturday:
Session V at 11 a.m.: Consolation final and placing matches for third, fifth and seventh.
Session VI at 7 p.m.: National Championship matches for all ten weight classes.
National Tournament-Click Here
About Missouri Valley College
Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.