The Iowa Lakes wrestling program wrapped up the season with a Top 25 team finish at the NJCAA National Tournament, capping off a year defined by toughness, resilience, and steady growth from the entire lineup.

Throughout the tournament, the Lakers consistently put themselves in a position to compete with the best wrestlers in the country. The group showed the same grit that defined their season, battling through tough brackets and high-level competition on the national stage.

Head Coach Corey Meyer was proud of the way the team competed from start to finish.

"I'm really proud of this group and the way they competed all year," Meyer said. "Our guys understand how to create opportunities to win matches. Even in the matches we didn't win, we were giving ourselves chances late because of the way we wrestle."

That mindset has been a cornerstone of the program's philosophy all season. The Lakers embraced hard, gritty matches and consistently sought out challenging competition, a mentality that paid off at the national tournament.

"Our philosophy has always been that the tougher and grittier the match gets, the better off we are," Meyer said. "This group embodied that. They didn't shy away from difficult situations, and that gave us a chance every time we stepped on the mat."

The Top 25 finish reflects not only the team's performance at the national tournament, but also the work put in throughout the season. From a demanding schedule to the daily grind in the wrestling room, the Lakers continued to improve and compete with some of the best programs in the country.

With the season now complete, the performance at nationals serves as another step forward for the Iowa Lakes wrestling program and a strong foundation to build on moving forward.