NWC WRESTLING STARTS ON THE ROAD
Growth. That continues to be the word surrounding the Northwest College wrestling program entering the 2025-26 season, starting the year once again in the NJCAA rankings, where they finished last season seventh as a team.
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
Growth.
That continues to be the word surrounding the Northwest College wrestling program entering the 2025-26 season, starting the year once again in the NJCAA rankings, where they finished last season seventh as a team.
Leading the charge for the Trappers this season is expected to be returning national runner-up Asad Fayzullaev, who makes his way back to Powell from Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Fayzullaev finished second last year at 165 pounds, but after a year of growth coach Jim Zeigler said he will be jumping two weight classes to compete at 184 pounds this season.
"Really pleased with his growth and development over the time he's been here," Zeigler said. "He was 17 when he arrived in August last year, didn't turn 18 until Sept. 24, he is young. He took a nice growth spurt … He's a better, bigger, stronger athlete than he was last year. Moving up to 184 pounds I think is a big jump. Pretty much what we're telling the freshmen when they come in, if you're not getting bigger, you're not getting better."
Another returning All-American is Austin Richens from Vernal, Utah, who finished third at 197 pounds but will be moving up a weight class to heavyweight for Northwest this season.
"He was kind of in between 197 and heavyweight (last year) … I gave him the choice and he wanted to go up … He's just solid as a brick, so excited to see what he'll do in the heavyweight division. I think he's going to be far more athletic than all of his opponents. I think he's going to be every bit as strong, probably stronger than 90% of them. So I think that's a good move for him," Zeigler said.
Another returning national qualifier is Zachary Covolo from Rawlins, who won four matches at the national tournament at 133 pounds last year but is expected to compete at 141 pounds this season.
"We're excited about that. It'll take a little adjustment," Zeigler said. "He had to cut a little bit to make 133 last year, just because he was in between. But now he's made that growth spurt. He's solid."
Another returning athlete who got some mat time for the Trappers last year was Dustin Rhoades, also from Vernal, who saw time at 174 pounds.
"He alternated into the lineup some last year at 174 pounds," Zeigler said. "But Dusty has made big strides. He's taken a big growth spurt as well. He's a kid that returned from a mission, and had not done a lot of physical activity. He got married too during that process … He has just grown incredibly. He's a solid 174 pounder this year. So I look for good things out of Dusty."
Another returner is Race Moxley from Kona, Hawaii, who redshirted at 165-174 pounds last year but will be taking a large leap this year.
"Again, he has taken that big growth spurt in the weight room. Kudos to coach [Chris] Cooley on all these guys. We've got the best strength and conditioning coach out there doing this for us," Zeigler said. "Race is going to fill in at 197 this year. He's still growing into that, he's right about 190 right now. We're going to wrestle him 184 this week in the tournament but he'll fill in at the dual at 197 with the idea that when he's ready to be a full-fledged 197 he won't wrestle just duals there."
The final returning Trapper is Jackie Meador from Big Piney, who will move up from 125 to 133 pounds this year.
"We're going to redshirt Jackie. We've got him on a three-year plan just in terms of development," Zeigler said. "He may have grown and developed more than anybody over the year and he's also a double major now."
Northwest's first newcomer is Dylan Sorenson from Casper, who will feature at 125 pounds this season.
"He's a young man who's becoming a very good student because of the guys we have around him," Zeigler said. "So seeing that in him, probably for the first time where he's been excited about being a student, is really encouraging. Secondly, wrestling, he just lives, eats and breathes it. He's got a great passion for it."
He is expected to compete at 133 pounds for the Trappers with Zeigler seeing recent improvement from the freshman.
"He's doing a great job but I think he might be a little overwhelmed at first. There seems to be a little bit of hesitation in him in practice and things, but in the last week he had a really good workout," Zeigler said. "I see him growing and getting excited. I think he's one that you'll see catch on a little later on this semester, but when he catches it, he'll catch it."
Another close to home athlete will be Devin Grossman out of Billings, who Zeigler said has impressed him early on in the season and will compete for the 149 pound spot this year.
"He turned out to be a much better recruit than I had realized," Zeigler said. "I'm excited about his growth and development. He's a pretty good kid, and he's fitting in nicely and doing a great job."
Another athlete competing at 149 pounds is Caden Marler from Evanston, who finished third in 4A.
"Right now, it seems like Devin's going to be our guy this week for sure. He's going to be the starter, he's earned that. We'll see if Marler can push him and maybe have a shot at getting that spot," Zeigler said.
One of Zeigler's most exciting recruits is Colby Ducatt, a Washington state champion out of Bonny Lake who will compete at 157 pounds.
"I'm as excited about him as anybody," Zeigler said. "He is probably our most talented young freshman coming in and I'm really excited to have somebody from Washington. I think it opens up some doors."
Zeigler said Ducatt comes from a program coached by former three-time All-American Reese Andy, who is a Hall of Famer from the University of Wyoming.
The final recruit joining is from Spanish Fork, Utah, as Porter Olson will join the Trappers at 165 pounds.
"He has been used to wrestling around 150, but he's a really tall, rangy kid. He could probably wrestle as low as 149, but we talked about it, and we feel like with his long term goals of what we're trying to do with him and grow him with his length and range that we wanted him at 165," Zeigler said. "He's gained 10 pounds since he's been here. He's getting up there to a solid 165."
Northwest heads on the road to start the year, and will remain on the road through the middle of January before a home dual against Western Wyoming Community College.
That road trip starts in Colorado, as Northwest will take on Northeastern Junior College in a dual on Saturday at 1 p.m. before heading to Golden for the Mines Rookie Open on Sunday.
"We're kind of a small mom and pop shop right now. I think if you were to compare us to like Western Wyoming, they are corporate," Zeigler said. "We're trying to battle back from some stumbles that we had with Covid and other problems, and it's a long process to build a program. I've got the right kids for us, and I think if we train them right and they excel like last year's team, just reach their maximum potential and we're up there in the mix again in the top 5-7."