KANSAS — The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is proud to announce the honorees of the conference's two postseason men's wrestling honors. It was a sweep for Friends University, as Braydon Pacheco was named the 2025-26 KCAC Men's Wrestler of the Year, while teammate Cayleb Atkins earned the 2025-26 KCAC Men's Wrestling Newcomer of the Year award.

Pacheco took home 2nd place in the 125 lb. weight class at the KCAC Men's Wrestling Championship. picking up victories over Travis Reidy (York) and teammate Braden Ledford before falling to Saint Mary's Brody Gee in the finals of that weight class. He entered the NAIA National Championship with a 28-8 record, and at the NAIA Men's Wrestling Championship, he made it to the semifinals before suffering his first loss. After that first loss, he made his way through the consolation bracket to earn fourth place and become an NAIA All-American. 

Atkins also finished second in his weight class (157 lbs.) at the KCAC conference championship meet, picking up victories over Trevor Mogren of the University of Saint Mary and Cale Hein of Ottawa University, before falling to Josey Jernagen of Saint Mary in the championship final of the 157 lb. weight class. When he wrestled at the NAIA National Championships, he lost in the second round, but worked his way through the consolation bracket to take home seventh place and earn an All-American honor. In the regular season, he tallied a 19-5 match record.
 

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