SEWARD, Neb. – After two tournaments to begin the 2025-26 season, Concordia University, Nebraska Wrestling has its sights set on the first dual of the young campaign. The 16th-ranked Bulldogs will host rival Hastings on Thursday evening in a clash that will count towards the GPAC regular season standings. Head Coach Josh Watts’ program went 6-2 in conference duals during the 2024-25 season.
No. 16 Concordia vs. Hastings
Thursday, Nov. 13 | 7 p.m. | Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Webcast: GPAC Network
Live Results: TrackWrestling
Twenty-three Concordia competitors have wrestled in at least one of the first two tournaments to open this season: the Friends Falcon Open (Nov. 1) and the Dakota Wesleyan University Open (Nov. 8). At the Falcon Open, Aaron Wilson (157), Simon Arredondo (165) and Gabe Kant (285) each placed within the top eight of their respective weight classes. At the DWU Open, Kant placed third in the heavyweight bracket and Cole Price placed sixth at 165 pounds. A native of Augusta, Kan., Kant has already collected seven wins this season (a team high). Arredondo and Price have notched four wins apiece.
The No. 16 NAIA national ranking is the highest for the Bulldog Wrestling program since finishing the 2019-20 season at No. 15. In the official rankings, nine Concordia wrestlers appear at the conference level with seven of them boasting NAIA national rankings. The team’s nationally ranked competitors include Steven Barnes (19th at 141), Hagen Heistand (second at 149), Cole Price (17th at 157), Hunter Weimer (22nd at 174), Barret Brandt (18th at 184), Torrance Keehn (14th at 197) and Kant (19th at 285). A full listing of ranked Concordia/Hastings wrestlers can be found below. Heistand has yet to wrestle this season after earning 2025 NAIA national runner up status at 149 pounds.
Trey Heckadon is in his fourth season as head coach of the Broncos. Hastings won a trio of duals over junior colleges this past Friday. The Broncos placed fifth at the 2025 GPAC Championships while hosting the event. Heckadon’s current squad features five wrestlers ranked at the conference level. The headliners are Justin Rodriguez (ranked 16th in the NAIA at 133) and Koen Mattern (ranked eighth in the NAIA at 285). There is potential on Thursday for a ranked heavyweight matchup should Mattern square off with Kant. Mattern is the GPAC’s reigning heavyweight champion. Based on the most recent official NAIA wrestling ratings, Hastings is rated the NAIA’s No. 32 team (officially receiving votes).
Ranked Wrestlers
(Based on official rankings released the week of Nov. 3)
No. 16 Concordia
141 – Steven Barnes: 2nd GPAC | 19th NAIA
141 – Cal Price: 4th GPAC
149 – Hagen Heistand: 1st GPAC | 2nd NAIA
157 – Cole Price: 2nd GPAC | 17th NAIA
157 – Aaron Wilson: 6th GPAC
174 – Hunter Weimer: 2nd GPAC | 22nd NAIA
184 – Barret Brandt: 3rd GPAC | 18th NAIA
197 – Torrance Keehn: 2nd GPAC | 14th NAIA
285 – Gabe Kant: 4th GPAC | 19th NAIA
Hastings
125 – Aidan Rodriguez: 5th GPAC
133 – Justin Rodriguez: 1st GPAC | 16th NAIA
157 – Jordan Tobias: 5th GPAC
174 – Esteban Sedano: 5th GPAC
285 – Koen Mattern: 1st GPAC | 8th NAIA
The Bulldogs will be off from competition this weekend. After the Hastings dual, the next outing on the calendar will be a dual at No. 8 Doane on Nov. 21. That weekend will also include the Younes Hospitality Open in Kearney, Neb., on Nov. 22.