Texas’ NCAA Foothold in the Hill Country – Schreiner Wrestling
Texas has solid college wrestling now and real programs. Real rooms and real opportunity.
But if you’re talking about the first school to plant an NCAA flag in Texas, it starts in Kerrville.
Schreiner added wrestling in 2018–19, got its footing in the NCWA, then made the jump into NCAA Division III for the 2021–22 season. It wasn’t a rushed move. They competed first, built the room, then stepped into the NCAA grind. For Texas athletes who want an NCAA option without leaving the state, that matters.
How It Started
Schreiner’s early years were built in the club space.
On the men’s side, the program gained traction quickly at NCWA nationals, finishing ranked around the mid-teens as a new team and then pushing near the Top 10 the following year. They also produced multiple All Americans and an NCWA national champion at 125 pounds: Cody Cabanban (Hawaii).
On the women’s side, the early results were even stronger. Schreiner went to NCWA club nationals twice and finished national runner up (2018) and national champions (2019), producing a long list of All Americans and four national champions across those two seasons.
At the same time, Schreiner’s women were also competing in the broader women’s college landscape through associations that included athletes from every level, which meant they were tested across every division from the beginning.
Who’s Running the Room
On the men’s side, Jason Rodriguez is listed as head coach, with Manuel Rocha as assistant coach. Troy Jewell is listed as the Director of Men’s and Women’s Wrestling, and remains closely tied to the women’s side shortly after the departure of Tarkyia Mensah this season.
The Men’s Program: A Real NCAA Milestone
Schreiner’s biggest men’s headline is simple: Austin Cooley became the program’s first NCAA All American last season.
That’s a real marker for any young NCAA program, and it helped put Schreiner on the national map at Division III. Cooley won’t be able to finish this season due to leaving for the Marine Corps, but his impact is already part of the program’s history.
The Women’s Program: The Resume Builder
The women’s side has carried much of Schreiner’s national profile over time, and the results back that up.
They’re coming off their second straight SLIAC conference championship, and they’re in position to chase a third. Across six competitive seasons (excluding the COVID year with no national tournament), Schreiner’s women have produced nine All Americans in the major women’s college associations.
The top name is Odelia Lopez (103, Corpus Christi). She’s a two-time All-American (5th in 2024 and 2025), and her resumé includes wins over top national competition across several divisions. She was also named Schreiner University Female Athlete of the Year in 2024 and 2025. During those seasons, Schreiner hovered around the Top 20 nationally, which is a meaningful marker for a program still building in the NCAA space.
Schreiner has also shown up academically. In 2024, the women finished 12th nationally in the NWCA Scholar All-American team rankings across all NCAA divisions.
Even this season, after graduating or losing starters, they still finished 10th at the NCAA Division III National Duals and were in the mix deep into the placement rounds.
A Note on Texas Duals
One of the healthy signs for college wrestling in Texas is that these programs have made an effort to see each other when schedules allow. The challenge is calendar reality. With association tournaments, travel, and postseason formats pulling teams in different directions, it’s getting harder to line up consistent in state duals the way fans want. When they do happen, they still matter, because they give Texas kids a real measuring stick without leaving home.
All In All
Schreiner is still a young NCAA program, but it’s not brand new anymore. The early club years produced real results, the NCAA transition has already produced an All American on the men’s side, and the women have built a track record that holds up nationally. More than anything, Schreiner gives Texas wrestlers another real option..one that didn’t exist a few years ago, and the program’s best chapters still feel like they’re ahead of us.
