Rushton Qualifies for NCAAs, Leads Bears on Opening Day of Big 12 Championships

Friday, March 6

Tulsa, Okla.

All Day

University of Northern Colorado

Big 12

3/6/2026 9:13:00 PM | Wrestling

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

TULSA, Okla. – Northern Colorado wrestling opened competition Friday at the Big 12 Wrestling Championships inside the BOK Center, highlighted by a strong performance from 184-pounder Mahonri Rushton who punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships.

Rushton led the way for the Bears at 184 pounds, advancing through the bracket and securing an automatic qualifying position for the NCAA Tournament. Rushton earned a 6–4 decision over Oklahoma's Brian Soldano to move into qualifying position before receiving a medical forfeit victory over Oklahoma State's Zack Ryder to secure his spot at the NCAA Championships.

At 133 pounds, Dominick Serrano opened the day with an impressive 13–2 major decision over California Baptist's Richard Murillo, earning bonus points for the Bears. Serrano later dropped a tightly contested 4–1 sudden victory bout to Missouri's Gage Walker before falling 3–0 to Oklahoma's Carter Schmidt.

Murphy Menke also picked up a victory for Northern Colorado at 174 pounds. Menke earned a 5–0 decision over Air Force's Gunner Cramblett before dropping a tightly contested match later in the consolation rounds.

Several other Bears battled throughout the opening day of the tournament. At 125 pounds, Bryson Valdez faced a pair of tough matchups against West Virginia and South Dakota State. Joel Aguilar-Guerrero (141), KJ Evans (149), Daishun Powe (157), Kilian Schultz (165), Tyler Perry (197) and Enzo Cappabianca (285) also competed for Northern Colorado during the opening day of the tournament.

Rushton's run at 184 pounds stands as the highlight of the day for the Bears, as he officially secured his place at the NCAA Championships and will continue to wrestle for placement on the tournament's final day.

TAKEDOWN CLUB: The Takedown Club plays a vital role in the success of UNC Wrestling. Your support helps invest in the latest training and performance technology and supports championship-level travel opportunities. These investments directly support our student-athletes as they prepare to compete on the biggest stage at the Big 12 Wrestling Championships.

Give to the Takedown Club today!

FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, visit the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the wrestling team on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNCBearsWrestle) and Instagram (@UNCBearsWrestle).