CCIW men’s wrestling teams prepare for national dual championships
Momentum from late December has continued into January for College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s wrestling teams, with several programs achieving notable wins and individual athletes gaining national recognition. Teams are now preparing for a major test at the NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Millikin University remains undefeated after their performance at the Fred Johnson Duals last Saturday, bringing their record to 12-0 overall and 6-0 in CCIW dual matches. Senior heavyweight Leno Campbell was named CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week after winning all three of his matches at the event, including two by fall and one by major decision. Campbell secured a comeback victory for Millikin against Carthage with a pin in just 48 seconds during the final bout, overcoming a 10-point deficit.
Freshman Mateo Casillas also maintained an unbeaten season at 197 pounds, moving to 16-0. Casillas is ranked No. 13 nationally and recently earned a sudden-victory win over Augustana’s Braiden Young. Millikin previously swept MSOE and Wheaton in late December.
North Central College started 2026 ranked No. 5 in the NWCA tournament poll and No. 7 in dual rankings. The team features top-ranked wrestlers Chip Guzman (125 pounds) and Ethan Spacht (133 pounds). Guzman holds a perfect record of 21-0 with 15 technical falls, while Spacht is at 21-1 with ten pins and multiple victories over highly ranked opponents. Senior Joshua Robison is ranked sixth nationally at 141 pounds with a record of 10-3. All three held the top spot in their weight classes in the Region V rankings released on December 31.
Illinois Wesleyan University achieved its first home dual win since reinstating its wrestling program in 2023 by defeating Buena Vista University, 24-22, on January 2. Freshmen Brady Mouser and Tyson Zvonar contributed early points through a decision and a pin respectively, while Trey Dunning secured the team victory with a late takedown.
Augustana College posted two wins out of three matches at the Fred Johnson Duals before defeating St. Ambrose University, highlighted by Teke Nieto’s closing pin and Tyson Bruce’s two pins during the week.
Carthage College faced close losses but saw strong performances from senior Zaren Anderson (157 pounds), who had two falls, and CJ Gilbert (174 pounds), who recorded a technical fall.
The focus now shifts to the NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships scheduled for January 9–10 at UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. North Central enters as the No. 7 seed among twenty-four teams after finishing seventh last year; Millikin will also compete for CCIW representation. The championship includes all eight top finishers from last season, led by Wartburg and Augsburg as top seeds.