Lights Wrestlers See Half Move on to Day Two of Nationals

March 6, 2025 Ira Bowman Local Sports

MSU-Northern wrestling had its eight qualifying members take to the mat in Wichita, KS for the start of the 2025 NAIA National Championships on Thursday.

At 125 pounds, 10th seeded Kolten Powers was forced to medically forfeit. After earning a bye to begin the consolation, he had to forfeit against his next opponent. At 157 pounds, No. 14 Justin Windauer lost his first-round match by decision. He came back in the first consolation match to win by fall at 4:06 before losing the next one by a close decision.

Moving up to 165 pounds, Orion Thivierge lost by major decision in his first bout, but came back to win by a 15-8 decision in the first consolation match. After earning a bye to begin his campaign, 13th-seeded 165-pounder Travis Waldner lost in a sudden victory-1, (4-1). That set up Thivierge and Waldner in a consolation second-rounder and it was Waldner who came out on top by a fall at 3:22 and securing another day of action.

Devin Crawford also got a bye to start his tournament at 174 pounds, but couldn’t prevail in the next round, losing via tech fall. He fell in the next match by a 1-point decision. At 184 pounds, 14th seeded Rylin Burns won by an (18-1) tech fall to open his campaign, but then fell by major decision. He bounced back in dominating fashion with an (18-3) tech fall in the next round.

No. 10 197-pounder Austin Vanek also won in his opening match, defeating his opponent by an (8-2) decision. He secured another victory by major decision thereafter, becoming the only Light to win two championship-bracket matches on the day.

The No. 14 heavyweight Shane Mattson lost his first rounder at 285 pounds by tech fall, but received a bye in the consolation bracket, where he won by fall at five minutes to move on.

Waldner, Burns, Vanek, and Mattson will also be featured in Day Two of the tournament on Friday.

As a team, the Lights find themselves 17th out of 54 schools with 14 points.

2025 NAIA National Championships Results for Montana State – Northern

NAIA 125

10 Kolten Powers’s place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Saoul Prado (Baker) won by medical forfeit over 10 Kolten Powers (Montana State – Northern) (MFF)
  • Cons. Round 1 – 10 Kolten Powers (Montana State – Northern) received a bye () (Bye)
  • Cons. Round 2 – 9 Kobi Johnson (Providence) won by forfeit over 10 Kolten Powers (Montana State – Northern) (FF)

NAIA 157

14 Justin Windauer’s place is unknown and has scored 2.5 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Diego Machado (St. Ambrose ) won by decision over 14 Justin Windauer (Montana State – Northern) (Dec 10-4)
  • Cons. Round 1 – 14 Justin Windauer (Montana State – Northern) won by fall over Cole Price (Concordia) (Fall 4:06)
  • Cons. Round 2 – 13 Vinnie Abbey (Indiana Tech) won by decision over 14 Justin Windauer (Montana State – Northern) (Dec 8-5)

NAIA 165

Orion Thivierge’s place is unknown and has scored 0.5 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – 14 Jasitin Kubwimmana (Campbellsville) won by major decision over Orion Thivierge (Montana State – Northern) (Maj 12-3)
  • Cons. Round 1 – Orion Thivierge (Montana State – Northern) won by decision over Abe Hafez (Midway) (Dec 15-8)
  • Cons. Round 2 – 13 Travis Waldner (Montana State – Northern) won by fall over Orion Thivierge (Montana State – Northern) (Fall 3:22)

NAIA 165

13 Travis Waldner’s place is unknown and has scored 2.5 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – 13 Travis Waldner (Montana State – Northern) received a bye () (Bye)
  • Champ. Round 2 – 4 Dylan Whitt (Grand View) won in sudden victory – 1 over 13 Travis Waldner (Montana State – Northern) (SV-1 4-1)
  • Cons. Round 2 – 13 Travis Waldner (Montana State – Northern) won by fall over Orion Thivierge (Montana State – Northern) (Fall 3:22)

NAIA 174

14 Devin Crawford’s place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – 14 Devin Crawford (Montana State – Northern) received a bye () (Bye)
  • Champ. Round 2 – 3 Kris Ketchum (St. Thomas) won by tech fall over 14 Devin Crawford (Montana State – Northern) (TF 18-2)
  • Cons. Round 2 – 13 Tyson Stover (Corban) won by decision over 14 Devin Crawford (Montana State – Northern) (Dec 7-6)

NAIA 184

14 Rylin Burns’s place is unknown and has scored 4.5 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – 14 Rylin Burns (Montana State – Northern) won by tech fall over Jordan Fulks (Marian) (TF 18-1)
  • Champ. Round 2 – 3 Tyson Beauperthuy (Doane) won by major decision over 14 Rylin Burns (Montana State – Northern) (Maj 17-4)
  • Cons. Round 2 – 14 Rylin Burns (Montana State – Northern) won by tech fall over KJ Fry (Graceland) (TF 19-3)

NAIA 197

10 Austin Vanek’s place is unknown and has scored 3.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – 10 Austin Vanek (Montana State – Northern) won by decision over Carter Kroll (Lourdes) (Dec 8-2)
  • Champ. Round 2 – 10 Austin Vanek (Montana State – Northern) won by major decision over 7 Elijah Hynes (Missouri Valley) (Maj 17-6)

NAIA 285

14 Shane Mattson’s place is unknown and has scored 3.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Wilbert Martin (Texas Wesleyan) won by tech fall over 14 Shane Mattson (Montana State – Northern) (TF 18-3)
  • Cons. Round 1 – 14 Shane Mattson (Montana State – Northern) received a bye () (Bye)
  • Cons. Round 2 – 14 Shane Mattson (Montana State – Northern) won by fall over Tony Rogers (Lindsey Wilson) (Fall 5:00)
1 Grand View GV 51.0
2 Southeastern SEFL 37.0
3 Life LIFE 34.5
4 Providence PROV 33.0
5 Doane DONE 26.5
6 Campbellsville CAKY 25.5
7 Corban CORB 24.0
8 Southern Oregon SORU 23.0
9 Indiana Tech INDT 22.0
10 Cumberlands CMSK 21.5
11 Embry-Riddle ERU 21.5
12 Cumberland CMTN 19.5
13 Missouri Valley MOVA 19.5
14 Central Methodist CM 16.0
15 Reinhardt REIN 15.5
16 Saint Mary STMY 15.5
17 Montana State – Northern MSUN 14.0
18 Concordia CONC 11.5
19 Eastern Oregon EO 11.5
20 St. Thomas STOM 11.5
21 Dickinson State DNST 8.5
22 Texas Wesleyan TXWL 8.5
23 Arizona Christian AZCH 8.0
24 Lourdes LRDO 8.0
25 Oklahoma City OKCT 7.0
26 Keiser KEIS 6.0
27 Cornerstone CORN 5.5
28 William Penn WPU 5.5
29 Graceland GRAC 5.0
30 Marian MRIN 5.0
31 Rio Grande RIOG 5.0
32 Hastings HAST 4.5
33 Rochester Christian ROCM 4.5
34 Baker BAKA 4.0
35 Cleary CLRY 4.0
36 Lindsey Wilson LW 4.0
37 Oklahoma Wesleyan OKWL 4.0
38 Wayland Baptist WYBT 4.0
39 Friends FRND 3.5
40 Midland MIDL 3.5
41 Northwestern NWIA 3.0
42 Simpson SIMP 3.0
43 Brewton-Parker BPG 2.5
44 Missouri Baptist MBU 2.0
45 St. Ambrose SAMB 2.0
46 York YORK 2.0
47 Dakota Wesleyan DW 1.5
48 Morningside MORN 1.5
49 Siena Heights SHMI 1.5
50 Benedictine BEN 0.5
51 Avila AVI 0.0
52 Midway MIDK 0.0
53 Waldorf WALD 0.0
54 William Woods WWMO 0.0