DUBUQUE, Iowa — Nebraska Wesleyan closed the 2025–26 season with two podium finishes at the NCAA Division III Region VI Championships, held Friday and Saturday at the Five Flags Center.

Competing in a loaded 18-team field hosted by Loras College, the Prairie Wolves totaled 23.5 points to place 13th overall. Wartburg claimed the team title with 210.5 points, followed by Loras (173.5) and Coe (167.5).

Nebraska Wesleyan matched last season's regional performance with two individual placers, as Robbie Fisher (141 pounds) and Emilio Chavez (174 pounds) each earned eighth-place finishes. For Fisher, it marked his second consecutive regional podium appearance. For Chavez, a senior, it was the first regional placement of his career.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Ten wrestlers represented the Prairie Wolves in Dubuque: Quinton Chavez (125), Christopher McClanahan (133), Robbie Fisher (141), Nathan Rowden (149), Cy Peterson (157), Trev Halsey (165), Emilio Chavez (174), Casey Kinnell (184), Habeeb Raji (197), Donovan Mann (285).

Fisher navigated a challenging bracket at 141 pounds. After advancing into the championship side, he ran into the tournament's top seed, Blume of Wartburg, who secured a technical fall to send Fisher into the consolation bracket. Fisher kept his season alive with a medical forfeit victory before battling through two more matches. He ultimately dropped his final two bouts by fall, securing an eighth-place finish and closing his sophomore campaign with another regional honor.

Chavez delivered one of the weekend's most decisive moments for the Prairie Wolves. He opened his tournament with a first-round pin, immediately putting himself in position to contend for a top-eight finish. In the next round, Chavez faced the No. 1 seed from host Loras, who secured a fall to move Chavez into the consolation bracket.

There, Chavez wasted little time making his statement. Wrestling with urgency, he recorded a 34-second pin to guarantee himself a place on the podium and ensure he would compete on Saturday's final day, one of just two Prairie Wolves to do so. Though he fell in his final two matches, Chavez's eighth-place finish marked a significant milestone in his final collegiate season.

Region VI once again proved to be one of the nation's deepest brackets, featuring multiple nationally ranked programs and individual top seeds across nearly every weight class. Nebraska Wesleyan battled through early setbacks but found momentum in the consolation rounds.

The Prairie Wolves have now secured at least two regional placers in back-to-back seasons.

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