WICHITA, Kan. -- Below is a full review of what is arguably the greatest athletic season in Friends University history!
Football: Head coach Terry Harrison and the Football Falcons put together a tremendous encore to their historic 2024 season with an even better 2025 campaign. The Falcons won their second straight KCAC regular season championship, won a program record 12 games and produced the program's furthest advancement in the NAIA FCS Playoffs with a national quarterfinal appearance. The Falcons finished the year as the highest scoring team in all four-year college football with an average of 54.2 ppg, ahead of NCAA D-II Ferris State University (52.8 ppg) and NAIA and KCAC member Southwestern College (51.9 ppg). Friends was dominant on both sides of the ball, breaking their own NAIA single-season rushing record with 5,979 rushing yards and ranking third in the NAIA in points allowed per game (13.8 ppg) while tying for first in sacks (41). Harrison was named the KCAC Coach of the Year as well as the KCAC Bissell Division Coach of the Year, with offensive coordinator Eric Kelly earning Co-Bissell Division Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Quarterback K'Vonte Baker was the KCAC Player of the Year and Kyree Watkins earned KCAC Offensive Lineman of the Year honors. The Falcons' season merited recognition at Wichita City Hall after putting together a season for the ages.
All-KCAC Release
Football Trio Earns AFCA All-America Status
City Hall Recognition Release
VSN All-America Release
Watkins snags Walter Camp NAIA All-America honor
Herman earns CSC Academic All-America honor
Women's Soccer: The Falcons put together another stellar campaign in 2025, going 14-4-4 overall and finishing as the runner-up in the KCAC with a 10-1-2 conference record. Under head coach Brent Hobson, eight Falcons netted All-KCAC honors and the program advanced to the KCAC postseason tournament championship match for the third straight season, where it fell in a penalty kick shootout to top-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan University. The Falcons also netted their fifth NAIA National Tournament appearance in the last seven years. Within the conference, Samantha Jones was the KCAC Newcomer of the Year and Solenn Levesque was the league's top freshman.
All-KCAC Release
Falcons Advance to KCAC Championship Game for Third Consecutive Season
Men's Soccer: The Falcons finished 2025 at 4-7-2 in the KCAC, with Andrea Michael Xibilia earning All-KCAC second-team recognition.
All-KCAC Release
Volleyball: The Falcons wrapped up the year with a 19-12 overall record and a 4-9 mark in the KCAC, with Natalie Castillo receiving third-team All-KCAC honors. The Falcons will be under new leadership, with Kortney Cunningham set to take the reins of the program. Grace McClintock also received the prestigious 2025 AVCA-The Marines Battles Won award.
All-KCAC Release
McClintock earns prestigious AVCA-The Marines Battles Won award
Cunningham Named New Friends Volleyball Head Coach
Cross Country: Under first-year head coach Tracy Jex, both Falcon cross country teams recorded sixth place finishes at the KCAC Championship this season. Lexi Patterson ran a PR of 24:09.31 at the conference meet and finished 19th to qualify for the NAIA National Championship meet.
KCAC Championship Recap
Patterson wraps up stellar first season at NAIA Cross Country Championships
Men's Basketball
Head Coach Phil McClintock was named the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association (KBCA) Men's Four-year Coach of the Year after guiding the Falcons to their second consecutive NAIA National Championship tournament berth and the team's second straight KCAC runner-up finish (18-4). Friends won a dramatic four-overtime game over Indiana University-Southeast in the NAIA First Round before coming up just short to eventual NAIA Fab Four qualifier Ave Maria (Fla.) in the NAIA Second Round game. The Falcons finished with a record of 26-7 for the program's most wins since the 2013-14 season and put five student-athletes on the All-KCAC team.
All-KCAC Release
McClintock Named KBCA Men's Four-year Coach of the Year
Women's Basketball
Head coach Dean Jaderston and the Falcons qualified for the NAIA National Championship tournament for the first time since the 2017-18 season and won their most games (24) since that same season. Four Falcons earned All-KCAC honors, with Rayland Garner being selected as a third-team NAIA All-America performer. Friends finished the year 24-7 overall and came in third in the KCAC with a 17-5 conference record.
Women's Basketball Falcons place four on All-KCAC list
Garner snags NAIA Women's Basketball All-America honor
Men's Wrestling
It was a breakout year for the Friends University men's wrestling program, as head coach Tyler Mies earned his second straight KCAC Coach of the Year nod after guiding the Falcons to their first-ever KCAC Championship along with team records of eight NAIA qualifiers and three NAIA All-Americans (Braydon Pacheco, Braden Ledford, Cayleb Atkins). The Falcons also finished a program-best 11th nationally at the NAIA National Championship. Friends was just as successful off the mat, receiving the prestigious KCAC Men's Wrestling Team of Character and Champions of Character award and obtaining the NWCA Scholar Team award with a 3.5825 team GPA that ranked an incredible second in the nation.
Men's Wrestling captures first-ever KCAC championship, eight wrestlers qualify for national tournament
Men's Wrestling has 8 Falcons compete at NAIA National tournament; bring home program record 3 All-Americans
Men's Wrestling Falcons obtain NWCA Scholar Team award
Jason Bowers Feature Story
Braden Ledford Feature Story
Women's Wrestling
In his first season at the helm, Austin Zaring helped the Falcons qualified a program-best three women's wrestlers for the NAIA National Championship tournament with a strong performance at the KCAC Championship meet.
Women's Wrestling qualifies three for NAIA Nationals; five total on the podium in KCAC/SAC conference tournament
Women's Wrestling wraps up their season at the NAIA National tournament
Austin Zaring Feature Story
Competitive Cheer
Friends head coach Joshua Johnson was named the KCAC Coach of the Year after leading the Falcons to a top three finish at the KCAC Championship, with four Cheer Falcons being selected to the All-KCAC team. Friends then wrapped up the season with a third-place finish in the Intermediate Small Coed NAIA Division and a fifth-place result in the Intermediate All Girl NAIA Division at the 2026 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Nationals in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Johnson and Stuchlik each named KCAC Coach of the Year at conference cheer and dance championships; Dance Falcons earn Team of Character award
Competitive Cheer Falcons pick up third and fifth place finishes at NCA Nationals
Competitive Dance
Head coach Taylor Stuchlik and the Competitive Dance Falcons finished third at the KCAC Championship for the program's best-ever conference finish since its inception in the 2022-23 season. Additionally, Stuchlik was named the KCAC Coach of the Year and the Falcons received the prestigious KCAC Team of Character award. Rachel Quinn earned All-KCAC honors for the Falcons.
Johnson and Stuchlik each named KCAC Coach of the Year at conference cheer and dance championships; Dance Falcons earn Team of Character award
Powerlifting
Under head coach Kate Jones, the Powerlifting Men's and Women's Falcons each posted Top 10 finishes at the USA Collegiate Nationals. Highlighting the event was Gennie Vitt winning the National Championship in the Women's 82.5kg. The Falcons also recorded multiple state records on the season and qualified 18 athletes overall for nationals.
Powerlifting Recap: Falcon Men and Women teams post Top 10 finishes at USA Collegiate Nationals
Powerlifting Recap: Falcons qualify more athletes for nationals at USAPL Kansas State Championships
Women's Golf
Victoria Hofmann was named the KCAC Women's Golf Player of the Year and then finished as the individual runner-up at the KCAC Championship to help the Falcons post a top-three team result. Along with Hofmann's first-team All-KCAC honor, Lindsay McBride was a second-team selection, capping a successful first year at the helm for head coach Scott Moshier.
Hofmann claims runner-up finish as Women's Golf Falcons come in third at KCAC Championship
Hofmann named KCAC Women's Golf Player of the Year; McBride earns second-team nod
Through Tragedy and Triumph: The inspiring journey of Friends Women's Golf Student-Athlete Victoria Hofmann
Tennis
Silva Avakian claimed her second career KCAC Women's Tennis Player of the Year nod, while Tennis Falcons put a trio on the All-KCAC lists. Avakian also earned first-team All-KCAC honors for the third straight season, while Aneth Diaz was a second-team women's tennis All-KCAC selection and Cristobal Fuentes earned second-team honors on the men's side. Under head coach Alex Lee, both Falcon Tennis teams also qualified for the KCAC Postseason Tournament in the same season for what is believed to be the first time in program history.
Avakian earns second career KCAC Women's Tennis Player of the Year nod; Falcon Tennis trio receives All-KCAC recognition
Program Changer: Avakian and Falcon Tennis a perfect match
Baseball
Over the course of the 2026 season, the Baseball Falcons won a modern-era 12 straight games on the way to obtaining the fourth seed in the KCAC with a 23-13 conference record. The Falcons finished 30-23 overall under 16th year head coach Adam Neisius and placed four players on the All-KCAC team.
Socarras highlights four Baseball Falcons on All-KCAC team
Steady Hand: Neisius has Baseball Falcons soaring as high as ever in 16th season
Men's Golf
Under head coach Dustin Galyon, the Men's Golf Falcons won their fourth straight KCAC Championship and then posted a runner-up finish at the NAIA National Championship, the best national finish on record in Friends history. The Falcons placed four on the All-KCAC team, with Trinton Nobles earning his third straight KCAC Men's Golf Player of the Year nod.
Men's Golf Falcons make history with second place finish at NAIA National Championship
Four!!! Men's Golf Falcons claim fourth straight KCAC Championship
Nobles earns third straight KCAC Men's Golf Player of the Year nod; Falcons place four on All-KCAC team
Four-year Letter-WINNER: Nobles concluding a career to remember for Friends Men's Golf
Softball
The Falcons wound up 31-22 overall on the season and found themselves back in the NAIA Opening Round for the fifth time during head coach Suzanne Unruh's eight-year tenure after advancing to the KCAC postseason tournament title game. Four Softball Falcons also earned All-KCAC recognition.
Four Softball Falcons earn All-KCAC status
Thrice as Nice! Three wins propel Softball Falcons into KCAC Championship and NAIA National Tournament for fifth time in eight years
Track & Field
The Falcon track & field teams had historic success from start to finish in the 2025-26 season, with the men winning both the KCAC Indoor and Outdoor championships, while the women finished second at both conference meets along with setting multiple school records in the process. The league success earned head coach Henry Brun both the KCAC Men's Indoor and Outdoor Coach of the Year awards along with top coaching nods from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Carter Giittinger and Tiyna Ridge were major standouts this past season, with Giittinger winning the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championship and earning All-America honors in the Heptathlon and Ridge securing an All-American nod in the Women's 60 Meters at the national indoor meet, coming within .01 seconds of a national title. The duo picked right back up in the outdoor season, as Ridge captured a double All-America with second-place finishes in both the Women's 100 Meter and 200 Meter events and Giittinger produced two All-American performances in the Decathlon (Third overall) and Men's Pole Vault (T-6th). Abby Green (Hammer Throw) and Fien Molenberg (800 Meters) also clinched NAIA All-America honors at the national outdoor meet for the Falcons.
Men's Falcons capture KCAC Indoor Track & Field Championship, Women's Falcons finish second to earn best conference showing since 2023
Brun named USTFCCCA South Central Region Men's Coach of the Year
Giittinger, Ridge highlight Falcons' performances at NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championship
Outdoor Track & Field: Full KCAC Championship Recap
Brun, Giittinger earn top USTFCCCA Regional Awards
Outdoor Track & Field: Full recap of the NAIA National Championships
Setting the Standard: Ridge leaving lasting mark on Friends track & field program
Top of the League
The Falcons received top conference recognition for the athletic department staff, as Dr. Rob Ramseyer was named the 2025-26 KCAC Athletic Director of the Year and Robin Johnson was named the KCAC Head Athletic Trainer of the Year
Ramseyer selected as KCAC Athletic Director of the Year
Johnson named Head KCAC Athletic Trainer of the Year
STUDENT-Athlete Success
The Falcons completed one of the finest seasons in the history of the university in the 2025-26 season on and off the court. Bolstered by five regular season conference championships, the Falcons captured the KCAC Commissioner's Cup with a cup record 196 points. This is the sixth KCAC Commissioner's Cup for Friends, the most in the league since the competition began in the 2012-13 season. The athletic department also saw the highest student-athlete program evaluations on record and one of the best cumulative GPA performances in the last 10 years.
