Jenkins and Banda Named NAIA All-Americans

Witchita, KS - Reinhardt Eagles Wrestling took seven wrestlers to the 2025 NAIA National Championships this past weekend to compete with hundreds of other wrestlers across the United States. The team title was captured by Grand View University, who won their 13th overall NAIA Title.  Local Georgia rival Life University followed them, but Grand View ran away with the title this year, having six wrestlers win individual titles in the ten weight class spots.

Topping the list for the Eagles was graduate student Matt Jenkins, who came back for a fifth year to push for one more chance at an NAIA All-American spot. On Saturday evening, Jenkins earned his spot among the elite in Reinhardt Eagles Wrestling as he placed 4th overall in the 165 weight class.  He was named All-American for this achievement, and this is his second overall All-American Title.  Two years ago, Jenkins was named an All-American as well.  He leaves Reinhardt as one of a select group of wrestlers that Coach Jeffrey Bedard has produced and earned the title of NAIA All-American.

Joining Jenkins as another NAIA All-American was veteran 125 wrestler from Adairsville, GA, Angel Banda.  Banda has been a star at the 125 weight class for the past four years at Reinhardt, but always seemed to just miss qualifying for the NAIA Nationals,  This year, he did it and he made the most of his time at the tournament.  Banda worked his way through the first few rounds making it to the quarterfinal rounds.  He was eliminated at this point but he won the necessary consolation rounds and found himself with a chance to place at Nationals.  Banda finished in eighth place overall in the 125 weight class and was named an NAIA All-American!

Here are the final records for the seven wrestlers competing at the 2025 NAIA Nationals:

125: Angel Banda, 4-2, Eighth Place, NAIA All-American

125: Lee Camp, 2-2,  freshman wrestler that qualified in his first year.  

149: Devin Griffen, 3-2,  He was knocked out by the sixth-place finisher in 149 weight class.

157: Aushaud Evans, 0-2

165: Nate Napolitano, 0-2

165: Matt Jenkins, 5-2, Fourth Place at 165 weight class.  Earned his second NAIA All-American status!

197: John Lovett: 2-2

Full results and complete brackets can be found on www.trackwrestling.com