Mattern Finishes NAIA Runner-Up at 285; Tied for Best Individual Result in School History
(Wichita, KS) – Hastings sent three Broncos to the National Championships, as junior Justin Rodriguez, sophomore Jordan Tobias, and sophomore Koen Mattern wrestled at the best-of-the-best event. Mattern defeated three wrestlers at 285 seeded higher than him, including a familiar foe at the #1-seed in the semifinal, to reach the final, where he was pinned at the end of the first period. His runner-up finish is tied for the best in school history.
(Wichita, KS) – Hastings sent three Broncos to the National Championships, as junior Justin Rodriguez, sophomore Jordan Tobias, and sophomore Koen Mattern wrestled at the best-of-the-best event. Mattern defeated three wrestlers at 285 seeded higher than him, including a familiar foe at the #1-seed in the semifinal, to reach the final, where he was pinned at the end of the first period. His runner-up finish is tied for the best in school history.
Mattern, competing at 285 as the #13 seed, trailed late in the second period, then got an escape that led to a takedown and pin against #20-seed Adam Soufi in his first match. Against #4-seed Shane Cook of Grand View in the round of 16, Mattern got a takedown in the second period to take a 3-2 lead going to the third period and came away with a 6-4 decision.
Mattern locked in his NAIA All-American guarantee with a pin over #12-seed Jordan Sommers of Keiser at the 3:17 mark in the quarterfinals. Facing #1-seed Zeph Sivels from Midland, who he had recently lost by one in the final of the GPAC Championships, Mattern trailed 1-0 in the second, before tying it up at one on a stalling penalty. Mattern got an escape at the 1:52 mark in the third and held on for the 2-1 upset win. At the end of the first period of the championship against #2-seed Kenneth Copley from Embry-Riddle, Mattern was taken down and pinned at the 2:55 mark.
Seeded 24th at 133, Rodriguez trailed 2-1 after two periods in his first match against #9-seeded Riley Bettich from Cumberlands, but got an escape and take down to move on to the next round with a 5-2 decision. Tied at zero going to the third period against #8-seed Paul Ruff of Concordia, Ruff got an escape and held on for the 1-0 decision. Facing #25-seed Landon Bertsch from Marian in his first consolation match, Rodriguez came up short in a 5-1 decision.
Tobias lost by fall in his first match to #8-seed Hunter Hobbs at 157. In his consolation match, he got an early takedown and took a 7-4 lead into the third period against #9-seed Jake Moon from Oklahoma City. Moon managed to get an escape and takedown in the third period to get the 8-7 decision over Tobias.
As a team the Broncos finished 25th with 20 points, which is their best national finish since 2022 when they finished in 23rd place.
The Broncos will now enter the offseason and prepare for the 2026-27 season.
