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Naval Academy Athletics

Schedule

2025-26 Wrestling Roster

Payton Thomas

  • Class Sophomore
  • Weight 197
  • Hometown Moore, Okla.
  • High School Moore

Biography

Career Honors
2025 NCAA Qualifier
 
2025-26 // Sophomore Year
Finished the season with a 9-8 record and a 2-1 mark in duals … Defeated Drexel’s Justin Griffith, 8-1, at the Navy Classic to place third with a 1-1 record … Pinned Logan Eller in the first period in the dual meet against Appalachian State … Finished third at the Patriot Open, defeating Eller (4-1) and VMI’s Braxton Lewia (forfeit). 
 
2024-25 // Freshman Year 
Navy’s starter at 197 pounds … Finished the season with a 12-13 overall record and 3-6 in dual competitions … Debuted against 14th-ranked Mac Stout in the dual meet against No. 25 Pittsburgh but dropped a close match, 11-5 … Earned his first collegiate victory in the dual meet against Drexel when he pinned Ethan Wilson in the second period … Placed third in his weight class at the Navy Classic going 2-1 overall in the tournament … Represented Navy at the EIWA Championship where he went 3-2 overall including a victory over Cayden Davis (10-6) to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship … Entered the championship as the 28th-seeded wrestler at 197 pounds. 
 
High School
A 2023 graduate of Moore High School in Moore, Okla. … Earned four varsity letters in wrestling … Went 32-0 in his senior year … Class 6A Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) state champion at 190-pounds … Earned OSSAA All-State recognition his senior year … A two-time OSSAA conference champion his junior and senior year … Was the No. 8-ranked 195-pounder in the country coming out of high school in the Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine (WIN) rankings … Member of the National Honor Society and the Native American Club … Spent the 2023-24 academic year at the Naval Academy Prep School (NAPS). 
 
Personal
Son of Tim and Cristina Thomas … Enjoys hunting, fishing and camping.

 

Career Numbers

YEAR OVERALL RECORD DUAL RECORD DECISION  MAJOR DECISION  TECHNICAL FALL FALL  FORFEIT  OVERTIME  VS. RANKED OPPONENTS 
2025-26 9-8 2-1 4-6 1-0 1-1 2-0 1-1 1-1 1-4
2024-25 12-13 2-6 6-6 2-2 1-0 1-5 2-0 0-0 2-10
Career 20-21 4-7 10-12 3-2 2-1 3-5 3-1 1-1 3-14

Historical Player Information

  • 2024-25Freshman

    197 lbs
  • 2025-26Sophomore

    197 lbs