McCrary Earns All-American Honors as Reinhardt Wraps Season at NAIA Nationals

WICHITA, Kan. — Reinhardt University wrestling closed its 2026 season with one All-American and 11 individual wins as nine Eagles competed at the 69th NAIA Wrestling National Tournament, held March 5–7 at Heartland Credit Union Arena.

Leading the way for Reinhardt, Caden McCrary delivered a standout performance at 141 pounds, finishing fourth nationally to secure 2026 NAIA All-American honors. McCrary went 5-2 over three days, opening the tournament with two victories on day one to advance into the quarterfinals. His run in the championship bracket was halted by a 7-4 loss in the quarterfinal round, sending him into the consolation side with placement still on the line.

McCrary responded with a strong rebound in the wrestlebacks, stringing together key wins on day two to move through the consolation bracket. He defeated the No. 5 and No. 3-ranked wrestlers in the 141-pound field, solidifying his place among the nation's elite at the weight. On day three, McCrary continued his surge with a 10-3 decision that propelled him into the third-place match and guaranteed a spot on the podium.

In the third-place bout, McCrary faced a rematch with the opponent who had edged him in the quarterfinals. The contest again went the distance, with McCrary dropping a 5-2 decision to close his tournament in fourth place. The finish marked the best individual result for the Eagles in Wichita and capped a 5-2 performance against some of the deepest competition in the NAIA at 141 pounds.  McCrary's run extends Coach Jeffrey Bedard and Coach Caden Lee's streak of producing NAIA All-American wrestlers year after year!

At 174 pounds, Nate Bukovich put together a solid national showing of his own, advancing to the Round of Sixteen and finishing 2-2. Bukovich's run placed him among the final 16 wrestlers in his bracket and added important team points to Reinhardt's effort. His performance highlighted the Eagles' depth in the middle weights and provided valuable national-stage experience heading into future seasons.

Across the lineup, Reinhardt's nine qualifiers combined for 12 wins and 18 losses at the tournament. At 133 pounds, Lee Camp went 1-2, while fellow 133-pound entrant Zac Bosken finished 1-2. In the 149-pound bracket, Garrett Pace recorded a 1-2 mark, and at 157 pounds, Joabe Araujo closed his national run at 0-2. In the upper weights, Hayden Santora (165) went 0-2, Aaron Riner finished 1-2 at 197, and heavyweight Caleb Pruitt added another 1-2 performance at 285. Although the tournament didn't go as planned for many of these wrestlers, the experience gained should prove to be beneficial for all of them.  Reinhardt Wrestling is still very young overall, so these wrestlers have time to grow and improve before their final season comes up for the Eagles.

The Eagles' appearance in Wichita, highlighted by McCrary's All-American finish and Bukovich's Round of Sixteen berth, underscored a season in which Reinhardt advanced nine wrestlers to the national stage. With one podium finisher, multiple competitors gaining national-tournament experience, and 12 combined victories against top-level opposition, the program set a competitive foundation to build on as it turns toward the next campaign.

  A special thanks to Nickolas Pope, Sports Information Director at Life University Athletics, for capturing many great photos of Caden McCrary for us!

To see McCrary's full run through the tournament and other tournament brackets, please see the following link:

https://www.flowrestling.org/nextgen/events/15118868/brackets?bracket=32D4KAhHvcauDp7AkU