For Immediate Release
Monday, November 9, 2026
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC Wrestler of the Week
Kaden Nicolas (157 lbs., R-Fr., Becker, Minn. / Becker HS) - Augustana
- Captured the 157-pound title at the DWU Open
- Posted a perfect 5-0 record with three technical falls
- Earned a 15-2 major decision over Noah Bull of Nebraska
- Defeated No. 4 Griffin Lundeen of Northern State, 8-6, in the championship match
Other Top Performances
Kaden Renner (UMary)
- Won the 165-pound championship at the DWU Open with a perfect 5-0 record
- Recorded four victories by fall during the tournament
- Pinned Thure Johnson of Doane in 2:30
- Defeated Augustana’s Ethan Duncombe by fall in 2:20
- Pinned Minot State’s Roman Leifridt in 3:00
- Advanced to the finals with a 22-second fall over Nebraska’s Nikolas Rotella
- Claimed the title with a 5-3 decision over No. 14 Payton Handevidt of Augustana
Colton Hush (Minnesota State)
- Competed at 149 pounds after opening the season ranked No. 1 at 141 pounds
- Defeated defending NCWA National Champion Tyger Taam of Menlo College by fall at 4:26
- Was one of three Mavericks invited to compete at the Collide All-Star Showcase
Liam Babitt (MSU Moorhead)
- Recorded two victories for MSUM against Saint John’s and Saskatchewan
- Pinned Saint John’s wrestler Zeke Connor in 1:46
- Added another fall over Saskatchewan’s Aiden Michelle Riley in 1:06
Carter Johnson (Minot State)
- Opened the Dakota Wesleyan Open with three consecutive victories by fall at 285 pounds
- Finished third in the tournament
- Secured his fourth win of the day by pin
Sloan Johannsen (Northern State)
- Won his second tournament championship with a 5-0 record at the DWU Open
- Opened with a technical fall over Ronald Milord before adding another technical fall against Chadron State’s Rudy Rodriguez
- Defeated Augustana’s Cole Welte by a 9-1 major decision in the quarterfinals
- Earned a 5-3 semifinal victory over UMary’s Nic Enzminger
- Captured the 125-pound title with a technical fall over Nebraska’s Zaiyahn Ornelas in the championship bout
Stetson Davis (Sioux Falls)
- Won the 285-pound championship at the DWU Open with a perfect 5-0 record
- Recorded falls over Cody Netherton of Chadron State and Mwamba Ngeleka of Wayne State
- Earned a 12-1 major decision over UMary’s Emery Slater in the quarterfinals
- Defeated Minot State’s Carter Johnson in the semifinals
- Claimed the championship with a 5-2 decision over Doane’s Colby Reichenbach
- Finished with three bonus-point victories, including two falls and a major decision
Dylan Louwagie (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Finished 4-0 at the RCTC Yellowjacket Open
- Won the 149-pound championship
- Recorded one pin, one technical fall, and two major decisions
- Earned a 16-2 victory over St. Cloud State’s Hudson Burnett
Navarro Nanpuya (St. Cloud State)
- Went 1-0 at the All-Star Showcase
- Defeated No. 1-ranked NCAA Division III wrestler and returning All-American Tate Flege of UW-La Crosse
- Earned a marquee victory at 184 pounds by an 8-6 decision
NSIC Wrestling Pages
NSIC Wrestlers of the Week
11/3/26: Sloan Johannsen - Northern State
11/9/26: Kaden Nicolas - Augustana
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past three decades, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 128 individual national champions. For additional information, visit
NorthernSun.org.
About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.
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