10/22/2026 7:33:00 PM | Wrestling
Jesuroga ranked #1 after another Super Region V title and National Runner-Up finish
MANHEIM, Penn. - St. Cloud State Wrestling was ranked 18th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) DII Poll as announced Thursday afternoon. The Huskies went 17-2 last season, 10-0 in NSIC play, and had five All-Americans by the end of the season. Â
St. Cloud State earned 27 points to put themselves in the number 18 spot. Glenville State earned the top ranking in the poll, accumulating 70 total points.Â
Fifth-year Joel Jesuroga was ranked as the #1 wrestler in the 157-weight class by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Thursday morning. Joel spent all of the 2025-26 season as the #2 ranked wrestler in 157 and was last ranked number one towards the end of the 2024-25 season.Â
Jesuroga has earned back-to-back National Championship runner-up finishes in 2025 and 2026. Last season he produced another elite season where he went 24-1 as one of the top wrestlers at 157 and in the country. Joel tallied 10 bonus point wins with seven major decisions and three tech falls. Jesuroga beat multiple ranked opponents last season including No. 9 Cael Robb of Nebraska-Kearney 11-2, no. 13 Caleb Meunier of Minnesota State 4-1 SV, No. 13 Kaden Renner of UMary 16-3, again beat No. 8 Caleb Meuiner of Minnesota State 7-5, notched a 9-1 major decision over No. 4 Easton Worachek of Wisconsin-Parkside, came away with a decision and tech fall to reach the semifinals at Super Region V, knocked off the reigning National Champion (149) in No. 10 Cael Larson of Augustana 4-2 to reach the finals and secure his spot in the NCAA Tournament.Â
Jesuroga repeated as Super Region V Champion after again beating No. 4 Easton Worachek of Wisconsin-Parkside 4-1 in OT and entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed. He beat Nicolas Zamora 7-3 of Maryville in round one, secured All-American Honors with an 8-3 win over No. 7 Hayden Hunh of Gannon to reach the semifinals, and returned to the National Championship match after beating No. 3 Aaden Valdez of Adams State 4-3. He was matched up with No. 1 Gabe Johnson of Central Oklahoma in a rematch of last year's National Championship where he would be defeated 2-2 in tiebreakers to be the National Runner-Up for the second straight season.Â
By the end of the season, he earned First Team All-NSIC, became the 47th Husky to be a multiple time All-American, was the 13th Husky to reach multiple National Championship matches, and was named NSIC Wrestler of the Week in the week of 2/16/26 following the win over Worachek as the Huskies threepeated as NSIC Champions.Â
Also in the national rankings for the Huskies are Richard Murillo (133), Carson Martinson (174), Navarro Nanpuya (184), and Ira Jenkins (285). All four wrestlers are incoming transfers for the Huskies. Murillio was ranked as highly as 28th nationally and started for California Baptist University at the Big 12 Championships. Martinson qualified for the DIII National Championship last season with Wartburg College. Nanpuya was the 2026 NAIA National Champion, Most Outstanding Wrestler, as well as the 2026 NAIA Men's Wrestler of the Year while Jenkins comes in as the reigning 2026 NJCAA National Runner-Up.Â
Look Ahead
The Huskies will kick off their season next Thursday, October 29th with the annual Black and Red Classic at Halenbeck Hall at 7:00 p.m. CT. They'll then compete in the All-Star Showcase and the Yellowjacket Open on Saturday, November 7th. Â
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For all the latest on St. Cloud State Wrestling, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.Â
