University of North Carolina Athletics
2025-26 Wrestling Roster
Kysen Terukina
- Weight:
- 125
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Ewa Beach, Hawaii
- High School:
- Kamehameha
Awards and Accomplishments
Four-time NCAA Qualifier (2021, 2022, 2024, 2026)
2025-26 (Pre-NCAAs): Wrestled at 125 pounds during his first season as a Tar Heel • Entering the NCAA Championships, has 13 wins on the year • Opened the season with six-straight dual victories • Made Carolina debut with a decision versus Northern Colorado's Aydan Thomas (11/9) • Posted a major decision against Navy's Andrew Binni (11/15) • Collected his first ranked win of the season in dual action against No. 26 Trever Anderson of Northern Iowa (12/21) • Named ACC Wrestler of the Week (12/23) • Had four-straight wins at the two-day Soldier Salute (1/3-1/4) • Earned first ACC dual victory by decision against Pitt's Tyler Chappell (1/30) • Represented the Tar Heels at the 2026 ACC Championships (3/8) • Earned two wins at the conference tournament, against Tyler Chappell of Pitt and Virginia's Keyveon Roller • Qualified for the 2026 NCAA Championships in Cleveland, his fourth career NCAA appearance and his first at UNC
2024-25 (Iowa State): Registered an 11-3 record in a difficult season battling multiple injuries • Missed the beginning of the season due to a neck injury but went 11-1 upon his return until suffering a knee injury during the finals of the Cyclone Open • Recorded a 4-1 dual record • Posted wins against North Carolina’s No. 23 Spencer Moore and Iowa’s Joey Cruz • Suffered a narrow 4-1 loss to West Virginia’s Jett Strickenberger at the buzzer • Went 0-2 and did not place at the Big 12 Championship • Cyclone Open Champion
2023-24 (Iowa State): 2024 NCAA Qualifier • Went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships • Defeated Army’s No. 25 Ethan Berginc, 4-2, in the first consolation round • Logged best career finish at the Big 12 Championship (fourth place) as the No. 6 seed • Wrestled to a 14-10 season record • Five bonus-point victories (one fall, two tech falls, two major decisions) on the season • Best win of the season was a 14-3 major decision over Wisconsin’s No. 6 Eric Barnett • Defeated Northern Colorado’s No. 7 Stevo Poulin, 3-2, at the Big 12 Championship • Had nine results decided by a takedown or less, going 5-4 in those matches • Finished the year with a 9-4 dual record
2022-23 (Iowa State): Went 3-2 before his season was ended early due to injury • Defeated No. 6 Eric Barnett (WIS), 9-7, in sudden victory on the first weekend of the season • Accepted an invitation to wrestle at the NWCA All-Star Classic in Austin, Texas • Lost by fall to No. 3 Patrick McKee (MINN) in the All-Star match
2021-22 (Iowa State): 2022 NCAA Qualifier • Finished eighth at 125-pounds at the Big 12 Championship • The only 2022 NCAA Qualifier from the state of Hawaii • Compiled a 15-8 overall record, including 8-3 in dual meets • Finished year with two major decisions and a fall • Had three wins over top 20 ranked wrestlers, including back-to-back wins over No. 6 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State) and No. 5 Killian Cardinale (West Virginia) • Won titles at the Grand View Open and Warren Williamson Daktronics Open • Started season 11-0
2020-21 (Iowa State): 2021 NCAA Qualifier • Finished sixth at 125-pounds at the Big 12 Championship • The only 2021 NCAA Qualifier from the state of Hawaii • Finished his freshman campaign with an 8-7 record • Won the starting 125-pound spot early in the season • Posted a 4-2 dual record • Tallied 11 takedowns in duals on the year • Earned three wins by major decision
Prep/Personal: Kysen Terukina is the son of Darryl and Raina Terukina • Has four older siblings • Wrestled at Kamenamena High School during prep career • A four-time Hawaii High School state champion • Became the sixth wrestler in Hawaii high school history to win four state titles • Rated as the No. 1 recruit out of Hawaii in the class of 2020
Four-time NCAA Qualifier (2021, 2022, 2024, 2026)
2025-26 (Pre-NCAAs): Wrestled at 125 pounds during his first season as a Tar Heel • Entering the NCAA Championships, has 13 wins on the year • Opened the season with six-straight dual victories • Made Carolina debut with a decision versus Northern Colorado's Aydan Thomas (11/9) • Posted a major decision against Navy's Andrew Binni (11/15) • Collected his first ranked win of the season in dual action against No. 26 Trever Anderson of Northern Iowa (12/21) • Named ACC Wrestler of the Week (12/23) • Had four-straight wins at the two-day Soldier Salute (1/3-1/4) • Earned first ACC dual victory by decision against Pitt's Tyler Chappell (1/30) • Represented the Tar Heels at the 2026 ACC Championships (3/8) • Earned two wins at the conference tournament, against Tyler Chappell of Pitt and Virginia's Keyveon Roller • Qualified for the 2026 NCAA Championships in Cleveland, his fourth career NCAA appearance and his first at UNC
2024-25 (Iowa State): Registered an 11-3 record in a difficult season battling multiple injuries • Missed the beginning of the season due to a neck injury but went 11-1 upon his return until suffering a knee injury during the finals of the Cyclone Open • Recorded a 4-1 dual record • Posted wins against North Carolina’s No. 23 Spencer Moore and Iowa’s Joey Cruz • Suffered a narrow 4-1 loss to West Virginia’s Jett Strickenberger at the buzzer • Went 0-2 and did not place at the Big 12 Championship • Cyclone Open Champion
2023-24 (Iowa State): 2024 NCAA Qualifier • Went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships • Defeated Army’s No. 25 Ethan Berginc, 4-2, in the first consolation round • Logged best career finish at the Big 12 Championship (fourth place) as the No. 6 seed • Wrestled to a 14-10 season record • Five bonus-point victories (one fall, two tech falls, two major decisions) on the season • Best win of the season was a 14-3 major decision over Wisconsin’s No. 6 Eric Barnett • Defeated Northern Colorado’s No. 7 Stevo Poulin, 3-2, at the Big 12 Championship • Had nine results decided by a takedown or less, going 5-4 in those matches • Finished the year with a 9-4 dual record
2022-23 (Iowa State): Went 3-2 before his season was ended early due to injury • Defeated No. 6 Eric Barnett (WIS), 9-7, in sudden victory on the first weekend of the season • Accepted an invitation to wrestle at the NWCA All-Star Classic in Austin, Texas • Lost by fall to No. 3 Patrick McKee (MINN) in the All-Star match
2021-22 (Iowa State): 2022 NCAA Qualifier • Finished eighth at 125-pounds at the Big 12 Championship • The only 2022 NCAA Qualifier from the state of Hawaii • Compiled a 15-8 overall record, including 8-3 in dual meets • Finished year with two major decisions and a fall • Had three wins over top 20 ranked wrestlers, including back-to-back wins over No. 6 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State) and No. 5 Killian Cardinale (West Virginia) • Won titles at the Grand View Open and Warren Williamson Daktronics Open • Started season 11-0
2020-21 (Iowa State): 2021 NCAA Qualifier • Finished sixth at 125-pounds at the Big 12 Championship • The only 2021 NCAA Qualifier from the state of Hawaii • Finished his freshman campaign with an 8-7 record • Won the starting 125-pound spot early in the season • Posted a 4-2 dual record • Tallied 11 takedowns in duals on the year • Earned three wins by major decision
Prep/Personal: Kysen Terukina is the son of Darryl and Raina Terukina • Has four older siblings • Wrestled at Kamenamena High School during prep career • A four-time Hawaii High School state champion • Became the sixth wrestler in Hawaii high school history to win four state titles • Rated as the No. 1 recruit out of Hawaii in the class of 2020
| Year | Overall | Dual | ACC | MD | TF | Fall |
| 20-21 | 8-7 | 4-2 | - | 2 | - | 1 |
| 21-22 | 15-8 | 8-3 | - | 2 | - | 1 |
| 22-23 | 3-2 | 3-1 | - | 1 | - | - |
| 23-24 | 14-10 | 9-4 | - | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 24-25 | 11-3 | 4-1 | - | - | 2 | - |
| 25-26 | 13-6 | 7-3 | 1-3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Career | 64-36 | 35-14 | 1-3 | 9 | 5 | 3 |
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