Sunday, February 22
USAFA, CO
1:00 pm
Air Force Academy
17
vs
19
Northern Colorado
Air Force Drops Regular Season Finale, 19-17
2/22/2026 4:54:00 PM | Wrestling
USAF ACADEMY – Falcon wrestling came up short against Big 12 rival Northern Colorado, 19-17, Sunday afternoon in Clune Arena. Air Force finalized the 2025-26 campaign dual slate at 5-8 with a 1-7 mark in the Big 12 Conference.
Prior to the dual, the Falcons celebrated its six seniors: managers Drake Buchanan and Luke Maki, along with classmates Brenden Barnes, Nicholas Gonzalez, and team captains Bryce Shelton and Tucker Owens.
C1C Tucker Owens went out on top in his final dual bout at USAFA, commanding a 14-1 major decision over Bryson Valdez. Owens, the 32nd-ranked 125 pounder in the nation, scored a takedown in each period, highlighted by near-fall points in this third. Owens concluded the 2025-26 campaign with a 19-5 overall, a 10-2 mark in dual action, and 59 career wins. Owens was 7-2 in Big 12 dual meets.
Falcon junior Bubba Wright electrified the arena in the 133 bout when he narrowly pinned No. 11 Dominick Serrano. Serrano, a two-time NCAA qualifier, built a 13-4 lead heading into the final period. Wright, determined to make a statement, threw Serrano to his back for a takedown and four ensuing near-fall points. Wright arguably had the Bear pinned, but Serrano's shoulder movement staved off the upset fall. Wright finished the match riding Serrano into the mat.
Falcon standout sophomore No. 30 Carter Nogle took the excitement and rolled it into his bout where he stormed Ramon Salazar with a takedown and a scramble that led to Salazar bridging to keep his shoulders off the mat. It took Nogle 2:37 to stick the Bear's back to the ground. Nogle capped the regular season with 18 wins and a 10-3 record in dual meets.
Northern Colorado was able to shutdown a surging Air Force team with five-straight wins at 149, 157, 165, 174, 184.
With Northern Colorado leading the dual 19-10, No. 30 Karson Tompkins took the mat determined to get the Falcons back into the fight. Tompkins put up five points in the first period via takedown and a pair of near fall points. He was awarded a stall point in the second period to go up 6-0 heading into the third period. Tyler Perry mustered a reversal in which Tompkins quickly escaped and added another takedown. At the final whistle, Tompkins had an 11-2 lead for a major decision that brought Air Force within six points.
Freshman heavyweight Rlyan Kuhn was relentless in his attacks, scoring a takedown and two stall points worth of offense. Despite the effort, Kuhn was unable to pin Enzo Cappabianca who took the mat with sole intention of not being pinned. Kuhn finalized the 2025-26 regular season with 15 wins and a 6-4 dual meet record.
Feb. 22 – Northern Colorado 19, Air Force 17
125: #32 Tucker Owens (AF) over Bryson Valdez (UNCO) (MD 14-1)
133: Dominick Serrano (UNCO) over Bubba Wright (AF) (Dec 13-12)
141: #30 Carter Nogle (AF) over Ramon Salazar (UNCO) (Fall 2:37)
149: KJ Evans (UNCO) over Bryce Shelton (AF) (Dec 6-3)
157: Daishun Powe (UNCO) over Lincoln Gregersen (AF) (Dec 8-2)
165: Kilian Schultz (UNCO) over Jesse VanOrden (AF) (Dec 7-2)
174: Murphy Menke (UNCO) over Gunner Cramblett (AF) (MD 15-4)
184: Mahonri Rushton (UNCO) over Brian Burburija (AF) (Dec 5-4)
197: #30 Karson Tompkins (AF) over Tyler Perry (UNCO) (MD 11-2)
285: Rylan Kuhn (AF) over Enzo Cappabianca (UNCO) (Dec 7-1)
Next up, the Falcons' top 10 will travel to the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships presented by Allstate in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 6-7. The tournament will be held in Tulsa's BOK Center for the tenth consecutive season.
Session 1 (Friday, March 6, 10 a.m. CT)
Session 2 (Friday, March 6, 5 p.m. CT)
Session 3 (Saturday, March 7, Noon CT)
Session 4 (Saturday, March 7, 7 p.m. CT)
All 14 Conference programs will compete in Tulsa for Big 12 titles and berths in the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Legacy Big 12 wrestling members Arizona State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia are joined by affiliate programs from Air Force, Cal Baptist, Missouri, North Dakota State, Oklahoma, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Northern Colorado, Utah Valley and Wyoming.
Prior to the dual, the Falcons celebrated its six seniors: managers Drake Buchanan and Luke Maki, along with classmates Brenden Barnes, Nicholas Gonzalez, and team captains Bryce Shelton and Tucker Owens.
C1C Tucker Owens went out on top in his final dual bout at USAFA, commanding a 14-1 major decision over Bryson Valdez. Owens, the 32nd-ranked 125 pounder in the nation, scored a takedown in each period, highlighted by near-fall points in this third. Owens concluded the 2025-26 campaign with a 19-5 overall, a 10-2 mark in dual action, and 59 career wins. Owens was 7-2 in Big 12 dual meets.
Falcon junior Bubba Wright electrified the arena in the 133 bout when he narrowly pinned No. 11 Dominick Serrano. Serrano, a two-time NCAA qualifier, built a 13-4 lead heading into the final period. Wright, determined to make a statement, threw Serrano to his back for a takedown and four ensuing near-fall points. Wright arguably had the Bear pinned, but Serrano's shoulder movement staved off the upset fall. Wright finished the match riding Serrano into the mat.
Falcon standout sophomore No. 30 Carter Nogle took the excitement and rolled it into his bout where he stormed Ramon Salazar with a takedown and a scramble that led to Salazar bridging to keep his shoulders off the mat. It took Nogle 2:37 to stick the Bear's back to the ground. Nogle capped the regular season with 18 wins and a 10-3 record in dual meets.
Northern Colorado was able to shutdown a surging Air Force team with five-straight wins at 149, 157, 165, 174, 184.
With Northern Colorado leading the dual 19-10, No. 30 Karson Tompkins took the mat determined to get the Falcons back into the fight. Tompkins put up five points in the first period via takedown and a pair of near fall points. He was awarded a stall point in the second period to go up 6-0 heading into the third period. Tyler Perry mustered a reversal in which Tompkins quickly escaped and added another takedown. At the final whistle, Tompkins had an 11-2 lead for a major decision that brought Air Force within six points.
Freshman heavyweight Rlyan Kuhn was relentless in his attacks, scoring a takedown and two stall points worth of offense. Despite the effort, Kuhn was unable to pin Enzo Cappabianca who took the mat with sole intention of not being pinned. Kuhn finalized the 2025-26 regular season with 15 wins and a 6-4 dual meet record.
Feb. 22 – Northern Colorado 19, Air Force 17
125: #32 Tucker Owens (AF) over Bryson Valdez (UNCO) (MD 14-1)
133: Dominick Serrano (UNCO) over Bubba Wright (AF) (Dec 13-12)
141: #30 Carter Nogle (AF) over Ramon Salazar (UNCO) (Fall 2:37)
149: KJ Evans (UNCO) over Bryce Shelton (AF) (Dec 6-3)
157: Daishun Powe (UNCO) over Lincoln Gregersen (AF) (Dec 8-2)
165: Kilian Schultz (UNCO) over Jesse VanOrden (AF) (Dec 7-2)
174: Murphy Menke (UNCO) over Gunner Cramblett (AF) (MD 15-4)
184: Mahonri Rushton (UNCO) over Brian Burburija (AF) (Dec 5-4)
197: #30 Karson Tompkins (AF) over Tyler Perry (UNCO) (MD 11-2)
285: Rylan Kuhn (AF) over Enzo Cappabianca (UNCO) (Dec 7-1)
Next up, the Falcons' top 10 will travel to the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships presented by Allstate in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 6-7. The tournament will be held in Tulsa's BOK Center for the tenth consecutive season.
Session 1 (Friday, March 6, 10 a.m. CT)
Session 2 (Friday, March 6, 5 p.m. CT)
Session 3 (Saturday, March 7, Noon CT)
Session 4 (Saturday, March 7, 7 p.m. CT)
All 14 Conference programs will compete in Tulsa for Big 12 titles and berths in the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Legacy Big 12 wrestling members Arizona State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia are joined by affiliate programs from Air Force, Cal Baptist, Missouri, North Dakota State, Oklahoma, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Northern Colorado, Utah Valley and Wyoming.
Players Mentioned
133
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
133
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