KANSAS CITY, MO – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced a new Wrestler of the Week for the fifth week of the 2025-26 season. Central Missouri’s Gage Bernall was named the newest MIAA Wrestler of the Week to collect the Mules’ first weekly honor of the season.
MIAA WRESTLER OF THE WEEK: Gage Bernall, 165 lbs., Central Missouri
Gage Bernall delivered a dominant 4-0 performance at the Jim Koch Open on Saturday (Dec. 6) to claim the 165-pound title in the event. The redshirt senior opened the day with back-to-back technical falls, followed by an 8-0 major decision to advance to the finale. In the championship match, Bernall capped his run with a decisive 10-4 upset victory over No. 4-ranked Brody Hemauer of Wisconsin-Parkside. Across his four bouts, unranked Bernall recorded two tech falls, one major decision, and a statement win over a nationally ranked opponent.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Ryan Patterson, Fort Hays State (197 lbs.)
Ryan Patterson claimed a pair of victories at 197 pounds in dual action over the weekend, defeating Jeffery Morosini of No. 25 Colorado School of Mines with a 19-3 technical fall before defeating Ouachita Baptist's Cayden Byrd with a 12-5 decision. The junior racked up nine takedowns and only gave up one across the two matches. He then went 2-2 at the Bob Smith Open, reaching the semifinals with a first-period pin and a 14-3 major decision in the quarterfinal before dropping a pair of decisions by only one point each.
Jimmy Anderson, Ouachita (133 lbs.)
Fifth-ranked 133-pounder Jimmy Anderson won both of his matches on Friday (Dec. 5) in a tri-meet against Fort Hays State and No. 25 Colorado School of Mines. Anderson earned his first win in a 4-0 decision against Colorado Mines' Hunter Samora, then followed up in his next match with a first-period pin over Fort Hays State’s Jett Schwartz in just 1:51 to give Ouachita an early lead after the second bout. With two wins on Friday, Anderson improved his record to 4-1 and extended his streak to four straight dual wins during his senior campaign.
Gabe Johnson, Central Oklahoma (157 lbs.)
Gabe Johnson put on a clinic at 157 pounds in the Bronchos’ MIAA dual against Newman. The top-ranked senior scored an early takedown and two four-point near-falls for an early 11-0 lead. He cut his opponent, took him down again, and then repeated the move to secure the 17-2 technical fall in 2:42. The win marked the 50th bonus-point victory for Johnson in his career at Central.
ALSO NOMINATED: DeLeon Freeman [Newman], Jackson Kinsella [Nebraska Kearney]
WEEK ONE: Jason Henschel, Central Oklahoma
(133 lbs.) & Garrett Lyons, Central Missouri
(149 lbs.)
WEEK TWO: Cayden Byrd, Ouachita
(197 lbs.)
WEEK THREE: BK Seago, Ouachita
(285 lbs.)
WEEK FOUR: Josh Taylor, Central Oklahoma
(141 lbs.)
WEEK FIVE: Gage Bernall, Central Missouri
(165 lbs.)