2026 USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals: Midland Wins Three, McKendree Claims Men’s Raw

New Orleans, Louisiana — April 9–12, 2026

Midland University won three Divisions at 2026 USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals, while McKendree University won Men’s Raw.

The 2026 USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals ran April 9–12 at the Pontchartrain Convention & Civic Center in Louisiana, and came down to roster depth across all four Divisions. Midland University controlled most of the meet, winning Men’s Equipped (78 points), Women’s Raw (72 points), and Women’s Equipped (84 points), while finishing second in Men’s Raw. The only Division that slipped away was Men’s Raw, where McKendree took the title with 60 points to Midland’s 51 despite trailing in total Dots (3193 to 3307). Across the weekend, team standings consistently reflected how many scoring lifters each program could push into placing positions rather than a single standout performance deciding outcomes.

USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals Midland University Men's Equipped Winners — Midland University wins USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals Men’s Equipped Title

Men’s Equipped
Men’s Equipped was more decisive at the team level, with Midland taking first at 78 points over University of Louisiana at Lafayette (62 points) and Texas A&M University (57 points). The top individual performances came from Texas A&M lifters, with Jaxon Mabile totaling 907.5 at 601.57 Dots and Will Eckford posting 821 with 598.09 Dots. Even with those high totals, Midland’s spread of scoring lifters secured the Division title.

Esteban Mallory deadlifts 275 kg to secure 67.5 kg Champion at the USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals for McKendree University

Chase Lorbiecki of McKendree Univeristy Squats 325 kg at the USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals to secure 110 kg National Champion Title — Chase Lorbiecki of McKendree Univeristy Squats 325 kg at the USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals to win 110 kg National Champion Title

Men’s Raw
Men’s Raw was a tight team contest. McKendree University won with 60 points, followed by Midland University with 51 points and Davenport University with 33 points. The scoring shows how close it was—Midland actually led in cumulative Dots, but McKendree secured more point-earning placements. McKendree’s win was built on first-place finishes from Esteban Mallory and Chase Lorbiecki, which offset Midland’s three class wins.

Jennifer Benavidez of Midland University Deadlifts 213 kg to secure the All American Record in the women's equipped collegiate 70 kilo class — Jennifer Benavidez of Midland University Deadlifts 213 kg to secure the All American Record in the women’s equipped collegiate 70 kilo class

Women’s Equipped
Women’s Equipped was Midland’s most dominant Division, finishing with 84 points over Northeastern University (57 points) and University of Texas at Austin (54 points). Jennifer Benavidez (Midland) led the Division with a 576 total and 587.71 Dots. As with the other Divisions Midland won, the margin came from consistent scoring across multiple lifters.

Madison Rock's 179 kg Squat at the USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals — Madison Rock’s 179 kg Squat at the USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals

Jessica Haggerty of Midland University pulls 177.5 kg tfor Midland University at the 2026 USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals — Jessica Haggerty of Midland University pulls 177.5 kg for Midland University at the 2026 USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals

Women’s Raw
Midland won Women’s Raw with 72 points, ahead of Davenport University (53 points) and McKendree University (31 points). The top Dots race came down to Midland teammates, with Madison Rock leading at 513.17 and Jessica Haggerty just behind at 512.50.

The 2026 USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals showed how team depth drives outcomes at the highest level of collegiate competition, with USA Powerlifting’s national stage rewarding programs that could score across every Division.