To everything, there is a beginning. For the NCAA and women’s wrestling, the beginning starts this weekend. For the first time ever, the NCAA will hold a sanctioned National Championship tournament, March 6-7 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
The NCAA officially sanctioned the sport in January 2025 and chose Coralville — directly adjacent to Iowa City and the University of Iowa — for its first championships. But the road to this point in history actually dates back over 30 years.
In 1993, the University of Minnesota Morris became the first NCAA member school to have a women’s wrestling program. For a decade, UM-M competed primarily against Canadian colleges before the university cut the program — along with the men’s program — in 2003.
But the sport continued to grow. On Dec. 7, 2017, Presbyterian College (Clinton, S.C.) announced it would become the 39th NCAA women’s wrestling program, and the first Division I school to have a team.
In 2020, the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships were held for the first time. McKendree University (Lebanon, Ill.) won the first of three straight titles, as the first 10 national champions were crowned.
In 2023, North Central (Naperville, Ill.) broke the Bearcats’ streak to take the National Championship, while Iowa took both the 2024 and 2025 titles. But this time around, the title of NCAA Champion will be on the line, and some of the same suspects will be gunning for those first crowns.
Coach Clarissa Chun’s Hawkeyes come into the tournament after rolling through the Regional tournament, qualifying all 10 wrestlers to nationals. The Hawkeyes will have three of the top 10 seeds in the tournament, and all three will be favored to pick up titles.
Leading the way is junior Kylie Welker at 180 lbs. A two-time national champion, Welker comes into the tournament 17-0 on the year. She was the first recruit Chun went after when Iowa added women’s wrestling in 2021. She has been an anchor for the program.
Kennedy Blades is the top seed at 160 lbs. The 2024 Olympic Silver Medalist at 76 kg, Blades transferred to Iowa from Arizona State in 2024 and won a national championship last year. She comes into the tournament with a record of 15-0. And Iowa’s 145-pounder, Reese Larramendy, was a 2024 national champion and brings a 33-0 mark in this year’s tournament.
But while the Hawkeyes will be a favorite to become the first NCAA championship team in their own backyard, it will not be easy. McKendree, a Division II school in downstate Illinois, will likely give Iowa its sternest test. Head coach Alexio Garcia — the 2026 National Coach of the Year — brings all 10 of his Bearcats into Xtream Arena, and four of them are top-seeded.
Cameron Guerin will be aiming for her fifth national title. The Bearcat 131-pounder missed last season due to injury, but taking her COVID year this season, she comes in with a record of 10-0 and is a heavy favorite to pick up that fifth crown.
“Becoming Caitlin Clark” is out now!
Howard Megdal’s newest book is here! “Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar” captures both the historic nature of Clark’s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible, including interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder (who also wrote the foreword), C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and many others.
Bearcat Tristan Kelly is the defending champion in the 207-lbs. class, and comes into this weekend’s action with a record of 10-1. In the 103-lbs. class, Heather Crull is 30-3 and widely considered — pound for pound — one of the most dominant wrestlers in the nation.
McKendree’s Yu Sakamoto is the top seed in the 117-lbs. class, and brings a 14-1 record to the tournament. The other top seeds are Audrey Jimenez of Lehigh at 110 lbs., Sara Sterner of North Central at 124 lbs., and Katerina Lange of Grand Valley State (Allendale, Mich.) at 138 lbs.
In all, 180 wrestlers from 52 Division I, II and III NCAA schools will be in action in the tournament. Unlike high school and even men’s collegiate wrestling, women’s wrestling is competed in freestyle, rather than folk-style.
First-round matches across four mats will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, with the finals slated for 7 p.m. Saturday night. All sessions will be available on ESPN+. For a complete rundown of the tournament, Kyle Klingman of Flo Wrestling handicapped each weight during the NCAA Selection Show. Below are the top seeds in each weight and Klingman’s breakdown of each weight.
103-pound class
Top 4 seeds: 1. Heather Crull (McKendree) 2. Valarie Solorio (Iowa) 3. Mia Zuniga (Colorado Mesa) 4. Rayana Sahagun (North Central)
Other contenders: Rebecca Jean-Baptiste (Simon Fraser); Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart)
Klingman: “Well, we’re talking about McKendree versus Iowa. They are the two top-ranked teams, so to have Heather Crull and Valerie Solorio on the opposite sides, you are expecting a finals match-up there and that could be big for team implications. “
110-pound class
Top 4 seeds: 1. Audrey Jimenez (Lehigh) 2. Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) 3. Kaelani Shufeldt (North Central) 4. Gabriele Tedesco (McKendree)
Other contenders: Teegan Sibble (East Stroudsburg); Chloe Dearwester (Presbyterian); Nyla Valencia (Iowa)
Klingman: “Jimenez from Lehigh is our returning senior World Team member at 50kg, and she really is the class of the field, but she’s going to have her work cut out for her.
Sage Mortimer on that bottom half is the returning national champion — she’s one of the most exciting wrestlers in the country.
Nyla Valencia against Gabby Tedesco, we’re talking about team points again; Valencia from Iowa, Tedesco from McKendree. Valencia was actually leading at the Missouri Valley Open earlier this season and Tedesco came back and won. That’s one you want to circle.”
117-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Yu Sakamoto (McKendree) 2. Karissa Turnwall (Emmanuel) 3. Riley Rayome (North Central) 4. Alexandra Waitsman (William Jewell)
Other contenders: Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa), Abbi Cooper (Lehigh)
Klingman: “Yu Sakamoto has the opportunity to really help her team in this bracket, being the one seed, but this is a volatile bracket; it’s hard to predict who’s going to win here.
You have Karissa Turnwall at the bottom [of the bracket], where she’s undefeated right now as the two seed. Waitsman against Gonzalez; that could be interesting in the quarterfinals.”
124-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Sara Sterner (North Central) 2. Virginia Foard (King) 3. Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Quincy) 4. Shelby Moore (McKendree)
Other contenders: Lorianna Piestewa (Colorado Mesa)
Klingman: “Sara Sterner was a national finalist at 131 last year, went down to 124 for her senior year. She’s a three-time All-American, has an incredible headlock and she is dangerous. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if she makes the national finals.
Xochitl Mota-Pettis was an NAIA finalist last year. She’s actually a U.S. Open champion, and she said that she doesn’t like to prepare for anyone; she just likes to live in the moment and that makes her dangerous.”
131-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Cameron Guerin (McKendree) 2. Aubre Krazer (Lehigh) 3. Alexis Janiak (Aurora) 4. Karlee Brooks (Iowa)
Other contenders: Agnia Krakovska (Simon Fraser); Janida Garcia (Emmanuel)
Klingman: “Cam Guerin is a four-time national champion. She was injured last year, coming back for her COVID season, and she wants to be an NCAA champion, so that would be history if she were able to be a five-time national champion.
And then you look on the bottom side, there’s Karlee Brooks from Iowa. You would expect that they’re going to be in the semifinals, so you’re talking about team points, that’s big.
And then on the opposite side, Lexi Janiak from Aurora is the returning national champion at this weight class. She lost to Aubre Krazer earlier this season at the Midlands Championships.”
138-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Katerina Lange (Grand Valley State) 2. Claire DiCugno (North Central) 3. Haylie Jaffe (McKendree) 4. Lilly Luft (Iowa)
Other contenders: Jaclyn Dehney (New England College)
Klingman: “Katie Lang is a two-time national champion. She is the favorite, but she took a loss earlier this season to Haylie Jaffe, who is on the opposite side; she is the three seed from McKendree.
Claire DiCugno was a national champion two years ago for King University. She transferred to North Central and she’s going to be big for North Central — if they have any chance of winning a championship, Claire DiCugno is vital to that. Jaclyn Dehney is a returning all-American, and when she gets a takedown, she is absolutely nasty on top, has a great bar arm series. So if you’re looking for entertainment, if you’re looking for pins, Jaclyn Dehney is one you want to look out for.
And then Lilly Luft of Iowa. She was a late starter was going back and forth between two wrestlers; lately, Luft got the nod late in the season. All-American two years ago reached the U20 World Team trial finals in 2025. She is a goer, she has a motor, and she’s from Charles City, Iowa, so you know that the hometown crowd is going to be behind her.”
145-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Reese Larramendy (Iowa) 2. Isabella Mir (North Central) 3. Zoey Lints (Elmira) 4. Alissa Caltagirone (Northern Michigan)
Other contenders: Alexandra Szkotnicki (McKendree)
Klingman: “It just feels like it’s Reese Larramendy of Iowa on a collision course with Bella Mir of North Central. Mir is a returning national finalist. Reese Larramendy won the national championships in 2024. They were teammates who started at Iowa, then Mir transferred to North Central. They have history, they’re friends. Mir won in the semifinals at the end of the match last year, and then Larramendy got one back at the National Duals this year, so they’re 1-1 in college. That is fascinating to see if that plays out. Bella Mir is the daughter of Frank Mir, who is a two-time UFC world heavyweight champion. Bella Mir has aspirations to be in the UFC, and I think this is a fun match to look up.
At the top, you have Zoe Lintz, who is a thrower. She has one loss on the season. She is dominant, and she’s going to go for those throws. She’s not shy about that, so that will be a fun one to watch.
And then Alex Szkotnicki from McKendree. She started the season at 131, moved up to 138, and the only competition she had at 145 pounds was at regionals. She’s filling the gap there. Alex Szkotnicki is not a picnic that is going to be a tough one to get by, and she’s going to be crucial for McKendree if they have a chance of winning the National Championship.”
Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women’s Sports Daily
We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women’s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women’s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!
160-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Kennedy Blades (Iowa) 2. Savannah Gomez (McKendree) 3. Tiffani Baublitz (East Stroudsburg) 4. Stella Steigler (King University)
Other contenders: Love Daley (Sacred Heart); Alexandra Hofrichter (Dubuque)
Klingman: Kennedy Blades, Olympic silver medalist. She is non-stop action and everyone waits for the big five-point throws. She is so fun to watch, and she’s one of those who, wherever she is in the arena, you will find her and you will move your seat to go watch her. She has that type of charisma, that type of personality, and she has the on the mat presence to back it up.
Just a couple to point out here: Love Daley against Stella Steigler — those are two returning All-Americans. Love Daley is not seeded, but that is going to be a tough match for Steigler in the first round. and then Alexandra Hofrichter from Dubuque. She is a thrower, and she is dangerous. So whoever faces her at any time, you have to be ready for those throws. Her coach is an Olympic silver medalist and world champion in Greco-Roman, Dennis Hall, so you understand why she is good in those positions. That will be one to circle.
Watch out for Tiffani Baublitz, a three-time All-American, who placed seventh, third and third. I know she would love to make it to the finals, but really, the class of the field is Kennedy Blades.”
180-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Kylie Welker (Iowa) 2. Destiny Rodriguez (McKendree) 3. Isabella Renfro (Fort Hays State) 4. Shenita Lawson (North Central)
Klingman: “Kylie Welker. She’s a returning two-time national champion. When Clarissa Chun in Iowa worked to build the program that they had have, Kylie Walker was the centerpiece of that. She was her first recruit and it’s a big one. She reached the 2020 Olympic trials finals as a teenager and she has proven every bit of why she is the best recruit in the country. Two-time senior world bronze medalist, and she is the overwhelming favorite at this weight class.
Shenita Lawson, at the fourth seed from North Central, was the hero of the National Duals. She bumped up to 207 and won a big match for North Central to win its first National Duals title in January. She is the fourth seed, so expected to hit Kylie Welker if the seeds hold, so you might have a North Central versus Iowa in the semifinals.
And Isabella Renfro and Destiny Rodriguez have some history. It was Rodriguez getting a fall in the regional to get the two-seed, but Renfro has a fall against Rodriguez earlier this season, so they are 1-1; that could go either way if they meet up in the semifinals. So, it’s some big team implications, especially for McKendree. They need to reach the finals here; they need those points and they need to wrestle Kylie Welker in the finals in order to stay competitive.”
207-Pound Class
Top four seeds: 1. Tristan Kelly (McKendree) 2. Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State) 3. Caroline Ward (North Central) 4. Rewa Chababo (Wartburg)
Other contenders: Katja Osteen (Iowa); Josephine Larson (Sacred Heart); Jayleen Sekona (Colorado Mesa)
Klingman: “Tristan Kelly is the returning national champion here at 207 pounds. Expect her to reach the finals, but Rewa Chababo at the four seed will have something to say about that. She could meet Katja Osteen; they met in the regional finals. Osteen was the late addition; she pulled away at 207. She’s been a bright spot for the University of Iowa, but I know she would like to get that one back if they meet in the quarterfinals.
Sabrina Nauss from Grand Valley State is a returning national finalist. She was at 180 last year and bumped up to 207. She actually lost a 4-4 criteria match against Tristan Kelly in a dual earlier this year. So, if they were to meet in finals, that could be big for both those teams, because Grand Valley State has a solid trophy team, they’re going to be in contention. They have a lot of firepower.
And then you see that third seed, Caroline Ward from North Central. North Central had a lot of 207-pounders, and Joe Norton made the decision to go with Caroline Ward. She’s at the three seed; Josephine Larson at the seventh seed for Sacred Heart. She’s solid, so that’s not going to be easy for Sabrina and us to get past that one and then Jayleen Sekona is a returning three-time All-American for Colorado Mesa who would like to make the finals in her senior year.”
