Northern Colorado edges Air Force 19-17 at Air Force Academy
Northern Colorado rallied through a string of midweight decisions, including No. 11 Dominick Serrano’s 13-12 hold and Murphy Menke’s 15-4 major, to top Air Force 19-17.
Air Force Academy, Colo. — Northern Colorado defeated Air Force 19-17 on Feb. 22, 2026, at the United States Air Force Academy.
No. 11 Dominick Serrano’s 13-12 decision at 133 pounds proved decisive. Serrano built a 9-4 lead entering the third and withstood a late rally that included a four-point nearfall by Bubba Wright; Serrano held the one-point margin to secure the victory.
Murphy Menke’s 15-4 major decision at 174 supplied a key bonus-point swing for Northern Colorado. Menke recorded takedowns in each period and earned a riding-time point en route to the major decision.
KJ Evans turned a 3-1 deficit into a 6-3 victory at 149 with a four-point nearfall late in the third and a riding-time point. Daishun Powe (157) and Kilian Schultz (165) added decisions, and Mahonri Rushton’s third-period escape produced a 5-4 win at 184, all contributing to Northern Colorado’s team total.
Air Force answered with several high-impact results. No. 32 Tucker Owens opened the dual with a 14-1 major decision at 125. Carter Nogle pinned Ramon Salazar in the first period at 141, and No. 30 Karson Tompkins posted an 11-2 major decision at 197. Rylan Kuhn closed the lineup with a 7-1 decision at 285.
The meet was held as Air Force’s Senior Day at Clune Arena, and Air Force event notes advised that visitors without DoD identification must obtain a base pass for entry. Northern Colorado’s official schedule also records the Feb. 22 result as a 19-17 road victory at Air Force.
Northern Colorado collected several narrow decisions and one major to reach 19 team points. Air Force’s bonus-point wins kept the dual close, but Northern Colorado’s midweight string of results produced the two-point margin.