Former Waverly-Shell Rock wrestler and two-time state champion Aiden Riggins has qualified for the NCAA wrestling championships. Riggins will compete at 165 pounds for Iowa State.
Riggins qualified for the national tournament after placing fourth in the Big 12 conference tournament. Riggins entered the tournament as the eighth seed and received a first round bye. Riggins lost in the quarterfinals to Terrell Barraclough of Utah Valley by a score of 2-0.
Riggins then proceeded to pick up wins in the consolation second round and quarterfinals before receiving a medical forfeit in the consolation semifinals from Arizona State’s Nicco Ruiz. Riggins would once again fall to Barraclough in the third place match by a score of 1-0 to finish fourth.
Riggins makes it nine of the last 13 years that a former Go-Hawk has made the division one national championship tournament. Riggins joins Mark Ballweg, Cody Caldwell, Bryce Steiert, and Austin Yant in that group.
Ballweg competed for Iowa at 141 pounds, where he placed second at the Big 10 tournament in 2013. Ballweg would fall just short of becoming an All-American after being eliminated in the round of 12 at the national tournament.
Caldwell competed for UNI at 174 pounds, where he placed fourth at the MAC tournament in 2014. Caldwell picked up an upset win at the national tournament against eighth seeded Cody Walters of Ohio.
Steiert was a four time qualifier for UNI at 157, 165, and 174 pounds. Steiert placed eighth at the national tournament in 2019 to become an All-American. In 2020, Steiert became the Big 12 champion and was set to compete at nationals before the tournament was cancelled because of COVID-19.
Yant is a three time qualifier at 165 pounds for UNI from 2021 to 2023. Over that time, Yant posted a 7-6 record at the national tournament.
Riggins is in his first year competing for Iowa State. Riggins previously competed for Iowa at 184 pounds. After not placing at the Big 10 championships in 2024, Riggins transferred to Iowa State for the 2024-2025 season.
Brackets have yet to be released for the tournament.
