KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MIAA head wrestling coaches unanimously selected the University of Nebraska Kearney Lopers as the favorites to take home the conference title in the 2025-26 season.
 
Nebraska Kearney, the defending 2025 NCAA Division II National Champion, was tabbed the top team by all head coaches in the 2025-26 MIAA Preseason Coaches poll. Five-time defending MIAA champion Central Oklahoma was picked second, followed by Central Missouri in third. Fort Hays State, Newman and Ouachita each finished in a tie for the fourth spot in the rankings.
 
The Lopers finished 4-1 in the MIAA last season, only falling to Central Oklahoma – the 2024-25 MIAA Champion. Nebraska Kearney went on to win the team title at the NCAA Super Region VI Championships and eventually captured the NCAA Division II National title. The victory marked the Lopers’ fifth national title and first since 2022.
 
All six MIAA wrestling teams were represented at the 2025 Division II Wrestling National Championships. Twenty-four MIAA wrestlers advanced to the national tournament and 17 earned All-America status with a top-eight finish. Central Oklahoma returns its defending 157-pound national champion, Gabe Johnson, and Nebraska Kearney returns its 125-pound national runner-up, Zachary Ourada.
 
The MIAA has captured the last four NCAA Division II wrestling national titles with the Lopers earning the crown in 2025 and 2022, and the Bronchos winning it all in 2024 and 2023.
 
The 2025-26 MIAA wrestling season officially begins this weekend, November 1-2, with the Division II postseason scheduled to begin February 28, 2026. To view the full 2025-26 schedules for all six MIAA wrestling teams, visit theMIAA.com/wrestling.
 
2025-26 MIAA WRESTLING PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Nebraska Kearney [5] – 25 points
2. Central Oklahoma [1] – 21 points
3. Central Missouri – 17 points
T4. Fort Hays State – 9 points
T4. Newman – 9 points
T4. Ouachita – 9 points 
[#] – First Place Votes