Posted: Mar 05, 2026
Nanpuya into the Quarterfinals After Day One at NAIA National Championships
PARK CITY, Kan. – For the first time in program history, the Georgetown College men's wrestling team competed in the NAIA National Championships on Thursday in the Heartland Credit Union Arena.
Georgetown sent four automatic qualifiers to the championships, as Doug Dittmer, Navarro Nanpuya, Marcus James, and Luke Cox all directly punched their ticket to Kansas while Leland Reeves picked up a wildcard selection in the 133-pound class.
Updated Brackets for Day Two.
Full NAIA Release from Day One.
Leland Reeves started the historic day off against the No. 14-seeded Roman De La Cruz of Saint Mary. Reeves lost via major decision 13-4 before rebounding for a 4-1 decision over Dante Rigal of Briar Cliff. Reeves' day came to an end with a loss to No. 13-seeded Alex Tabor from Lindsey Wilson via an 8-5 decision.
Reeves, who finished the final coaches' rating ranked No. 17 in 133, took some quality losses at Nationals. De La Cruz was ranked No. 15 in the final ratings while Rigal was No. 22.
Doug Dittmer was the next on the mats for the Tigers, and he quickly upset No. 12-seeded Rocco Horvath via a 7-2 decision. In the next round, Dittmer fell via major decision to No. 5-seeded Isaiah Twait from Corban before ending his first day with a victory via pin over Griffin Ray of Central Methodist.
Dittmer entered the NAIA National Tournament ranked No. 22 in the 184 class and beat No. 9-ranked Horvath in the opening round. Despite the loss to No. 5-seeded and No. 5-ranked Twait, Dittmer remains alive entering day two.
Navarro Nanpuya took the mats next for Georgetown and is the lone Tiger unblemished through the first day. Nanpuya made quick work of Zahquel Davis from Brewton-Parker with a pin in the opening round before finishing off No. 10-seeded August Batson from Southeastern via major decision.
Nanpuya is the tournament's No. 7 seed and finished the regular season with a No. 8 ranking in the coach's ratings. He defeated Batson, who was ranked No. 11 in the final ratings, adding yet another major opponent victory under his belt.
Marcus James entered the National Championships as the No. 12 seed and fell to Jett McCauley of Keiser in the opening round via major decision. James rebounded, though, and pulled out two more victories on the day to keep himself alive. First, he defeated Ty Cobb of Lourdes via decision and then bested No. 11 Efren Arizmendez from Life via fall.
James, the No. 11-ranked wrestler in the final regular-season coaches' rating, picked up wins over both No. 8 Arizmendez and No. 25 Cobb on the first day. McCauley was ranked No. 23 in the final rating.
Finally, Luke Cox lost his opening round match to Bruce Wagers of Rio Grande. Cox was not finished, though, as he picked up two more wins on the day. First, he defeated Miguel Perez of Lindsey Wilson via tech fall before wrestling in the final match of the day against No. 7 Garine Gibson. Cox picked up the 5-4 decision with a crucial takedown in the final seconds of the match to stay alive.
Cox, the No. 20-ranked wrestler in 285 according to the final coaches' rating of the season, lost to No. 9 Wagers in the opening round, but proved he belonged with ranked wins over both No. 16 Gibson and No. 23 Perez.
HOW IT HAPPENED – DAY ONE
133: No. 14 Roman De La Cruz (Saint Mary) def. Leland Reeves (MD 13-4)
133: Leland Reeves def. Dante Rigal (Briar Cliff) (Dec 4-1)
Georgetown sent four automatic qualifiers to the championships, as Doug Dittmer, Navarro Nanpuya, Marcus James, and Luke Cox all directly punched their ticket to Kansas while Leland Reeves picked up a wildcard selection in the 133-pound class.
Updated Brackets for Day Two.
Full NAIA Release from Day One.
Leland Reeves started the historic day off against the No. 14-seeded Roman De La Cruz of Saint Mary. Reeves lost via major decision 13-4 before rebounding for a 4-1 decision over Dante Rigal of Briar Cliff. Reeves' day came to an end with a loss to No. 13-seeded Alex Tabor from Lindsey Wilson via an 8-5 decision.
Reeves, who finished the final coaches' rating ranked No. 17 in 133, took some quality losses at Nationals. De La Cruz was ranked No. 15 in the final ratings while Rigal was No. 22.
Doug Dittmer was the next on the mats for the Tigers, and he quickly upset No. 12-seeded Rocco Horvath via a 7-2 decision. In the next round, Dittmer fell via major decision to No. 5-seeded Isaiah Twait from Corban before ending his first day with a victory via pin over Griffin Ray of Central Methodist.
Dittmer entered the NAIA National Tournament ranked No. 22 in the 184 class and beat No. 9-ranked Horvath in the opening round. Despite the loss to No. 5-seeded and No. 5-ranked Twait, Dittmer remains alive entering day two.
Navarro Nanpuya took the mats next for Georgetown and is the lone Tiger unblemished through the first day. Nanpuya made quick work of Zahquel Davis from Brewton-Parker with a pin in the opening round before finishing off No. 10-seeded August Batson from Southeastern via major decision.
Nanpuya is the tournament's No. 7 seed and finished the regular season with a No. 8 ranking in the coach's ratings. He defeated Batson, who was ranked No. 11 in the final ratings, adding yet another major opponent victory under his belt.
Marcus James entered the National Championships as the No. 12 seed and fell to Jett McCauley of Keiser in the opening round via major decision. James rebounded, though, and pulled out two more victories on the day to keep himself alive. First, he defeated Ty Cobb of Lourdes via decision and then bested No. 11 Efren Arizmendez from Life via fall.
James, the No. 11-ranked wrestler in the final regular-season coaches' rating, picked up wins over both No. 8 Arizmendez and No. 25 Cobb on the first day. McCauley was ranked No. 23 in the final rating.
Finally, Luke Cox lost his opening round match to Bruce Wagers of Rio Grande. Cox was not finished, though, as he picked up two more wins on the day. First, he defeated Miguel Perez of Lindsey Wilson via tech fall before wrestling in the final match of the day against No. 7 Garine Gibson. Cox picked up the 5-4 decision with a crucial takedown in the final seconds of the match to stay alive.
Cox, the No. 20-ranked wrestler in 285 according to the final coaches' rating of the season, lost to No. 9 Wagers in the opening round, but proved he belonged with ranked wins over both No. 16 Gibson and No. 23 Perez.
HOW IT HAPPENED – DAY ONE
133: No. 14 Roman De La Cruz (Saint Mary) def. Leland Reeves (MD 13-4)
133: Leland Reeves def. Dante Rigal (Briar Cliff) (Dec 4-1)
133: No. 13 Alex Tabor (Lindsey Wilson) def. Leland Reeves (Dec 8-5)
184: Doug Dittmer def. No. 12 Rocco Horvath (Cumberland) (Dec 7-2)
184: No. 5 Isaiah Twait (Corban) def. Doug Dittmer (MD 12-2)
184: Doug Dittmer def. Griffin Ray (Central Methodist) (Fall 4:15)
184: No. 7 Navarro Nanpuya def. Zahquel Davis (Brewton-Parker) (Fall 3:31)
184: No. 7 Navarro Nanpuya def. No. 10 August Batson (Southeastern) (MD 11-1)
197: Jett McCauley (Keiser) def. No. 12 Marcus James (MD 14-6)
197: No. 12 Marcus James def. Ty Cobb (Lourdes) (Dec 7-2)
197: No. 12 Marcus James def. No. 11 Efren Arizmendez (Life) (Fall 2:10)
285: Bruce Wagers (Rio Grande) def. No. 9 Luke Cox (Fall 0:52)
285: No. 9 Luke Cox def. Miguel Perez (Lindsey Wilson) (TF 17-1 / 3:23)
285: No. 9 Luke Cox def. Garine Gibson (Central Methodist) (Dec 5-4)
W-L Record at NAIA National Championships:
Leland Reeves: 1-2
Doug Dittmer: 2-1
Navarro Nanpuya: 2-0
Marcus James: 2-1
Luke Cox: 2-1
184: Doug Dittmer def. No. 12 Rocco Horvath (Cumberland) (Dec 7-2)
184: No. 5 Isaiah Twait (Corban) def. Doug Dittmer (MD 12-2)
184: Doug Dittmer def. Griffin Ray (Central Methodist) (Fall 4:15)
184: No. 7 Navarro Nanpuya def. Zahquel Davis (Brewton-Parker) (Fall 3:31)
184: No. 7 Navarro Nanpuya def. No. 10 August Batson (Southeastern) (MD 11-1)
197: Jett McCauley (Keiser) def. No. 12 Marcus James (MD 14-6)
197: No. 12 Marcus James def. Ty Cobb (Lourdes) (Dec 7-2)
197: No. 12 Marcus James def. No. 11 Efren Arizmendez (Life) (Fall 2:10)
285: Bruce Wagers (Rio Grande) def. No. 9 Luke Cox (Fall 0:52)
285: No. 9 Luke Cox def. Miguel Perez (Lindsey Wilson) (TF 17-1 / 3:23)
285: No. 9 Luke Cox def. Garine Gibson (Central Methodist) (Dec 5-4)
W-L Record at NAIA National Championships:
Leland Reeves: 1-2
Doug Dittmer: 2-1
Navarro Nanpuya: 2-0
Marcus James: 2-1
Luke Cox: 2-1
UP NEXT
Nanpuya takes on No. 2-seeded Kendall Norfleet of Life to begin today's championship quarterfinal round, while Dittmer, James, and Cox all remain alive in their respective consolation brackets.