Warriors at the Sioux City Open 2026

SIOUX CITY, Iowa.- Waldorf University turned in a solid day on the mats at the Sioux City Open with several Warriors stringing together strong performances and building momentum through a demanding tournament bracket. While team scores weren't the headline at this open event, the individual results told the story of a group competing hard, advancing deep into their weights, and learning from the early-round battles that didn't quite swing their way.

Leading the way for Waldorf was Shiwoko Shiwoko, who battled his way into the semifinals and ultimately finished fifth in his weight class. Shiwoko battled through the front side of the bracket efficiently into the semis before being bumped to the consolation rounds, where he regrouped and closed out his final matches with authority. His ability to finish strong on the backside and secure a top-five placement highlighted both his conditioning and composure in pressure situations.

Ron Hooten also delivered a noteworthy outing, finishing the day with a 2-2 record. Hooten picked up one win by decision, grinding out a close match on the scoreboard, and added another victory by fall, showcasing his ability to capitalize when he found positions to attack. Though he came up short of placing, Hooten's pair of wins underlined his potential to turn close matches into results for the Warriors as the season continues.

Marco Gandy put together one of the most balanced and productive runs of the tournament for Waldorf, closing with a 3-2 mark. Gandy traded an early win for a loss on the front side, then caught fire on the backside of the bracket, rattling off two more victories before his day came to an end. His wins came in three different fashions—a decision, a major decision, and a technical fall—showing he could win tight tactical battles, pull away late, or completely dominate the action when he found his rhythm.

Across the lineup, the Warriors showed that when they built momentum early in bouts, they were difficult to slow down. Shiwoko's late-tournament surge and Gandy's versatile scoring reflected that trend. At the same time, the day also exposed an area the team knows it needs to address: matches where Waldorf fell behind in the opening exchanges often stayed out of reach. In those situations, the wrestlers struggled to fully climb back, especially against experienced competition in the middle and later rounds.

Even so, the overall performance at the Sioux City Open gave Waldorf plenty to build on. With athletes advancing to the semifinals, picking up wins by fall and technical superiority, and competing deep into the day, the Warriors continued to gain valuable mat time and confidence.