INDIANAPOLIS -- University of Central Missouri wrestling's Jakason Burks captured 2025 NCAA-II National Championship at 125 pounds Saturday evening, March 15, inside Corteva Coliseum.

Burks becomes the sixth Mules wrestler to win at least one national title and the first since former UCM standout Frank Cagnina in 2015. 

Burks was one of three Mules to earn All-America accolades for the tournament. Damon Ashworth secured his second straight All-America recognition after finishing fourth at 184 pounds while John Ridle earned his second-career All-America honor with a sixth-place finish at 157 pounds. The three All-Americans are the most for UCM wrestling since the 2008-09 season. 

A senior from Omaha, Neb., Burks, who was the top seed at 125 pounds entering the NCAA-II Wrestling Championship, defeated sixth-seeded Zach Ourada of Nebraska Kearney in the championship match Saturday evening with a 5-2 decision to finish the tournament undefeated at 4-0 and wrap up his season with an impressive 31-4 overall record.  

Ridle (27-9), a redshirt senior from West Dundee, Ill., started his final day in the 157-pound consolation bracket where he faced the No. 4 seed Casey Barnett from Tiffin and earned the victory by a 16-14 decision. He dropped his match to fifth-seeded Aaden Valdez of Adams State via a fall (2:59), sending him into the fifth-place match, where he dropped an 8-0 major decision to Minnesota State's Caleb Meunier to earn sixth place and his second-career All-America accolade. 

Ashworth (22-7), a redshirt junior out of Excelsior Springs, Mo., opened Saturday with back-to-back sudden victories over Jacari Deal of Nebraska Kearney, 7-4, and fourth-seeded Cade Mueller of Augustana (S.D.), 6-3, in the consolation bracket to earn his way to the third-place match. In the final, Ashworth dropped his final match to No. 2 seeded Matt Weinberg of Kutztown by fall (1:44) to finish fourth and earn his second straight All-America honor.

In the final team standings, the Mules placed seventh with 43 total points, which marks the highest finish in program history.