Providence didn’t have its best performance at the 2024 NAIA Championships. The Argos finished seventh with a promising young team. 

That could change as head coach Matt Atwood enters the 2025 campaign. Six All-Americans returned and Esther Han transferred from Iowa. Han had an injury-plagued freshman season but is a legitimate title contender. She won the prestigious Missouri Valley Open and can go with anyone in the field. 

Erin Hikiji, a two-time national finalist, is the 103-pound favorite when Stefana Jelacic (Lourdes) moved up to 110. 

Paige Morales (110) finished fourth at the NAIA Championships and was up 8-0 in the consolation finals before getting pinned late in the match. 

Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp (138) is a three-time All-American and 2021 national champion. 

Alyssa Randles finished sixth as a freshman with room to improve. Isabelle Asuncion (117), Alicia Frank (124), and Katelyn Lewis (180) are returning national qualifiers. 

Here’s what will keep Atwood up at night. Senior All-Americans Paige Respicio and Sadie Antoque might not return for the second semester unless he can talk them into starting their master's degrees. 

Life University is still the favorite, but this team can compete if everything aligns. 

“This might be the most ecstatic I’ve been about a team in my career,” Atwood said. “This group is close, goal-oriented, self-motivated, and wants to win. We’re just getting rolling with our first week of practice, but it has been one of the best weeks I’ve had out of a team. I think we’re going to surprise some people this year. 

“Last year’s team was young, with 10 of 12 freshmen or sophomores at the national tournament. We had a lot of ‘deer in the headlights moments’ that I don’t foresee happening this year. We have some athletes that are tired of being on the fringe. They worked their butts off this summer and I’m excited to watch them break through this season.”

Here’s a snapshot of the Providence line-up and an interview with Paige Morales (top of story). Placings at the NAIA Championships are in parenthesis. 

Projected Line-up

103: Erin Hikiji, JR (2nd-2nd)
110: Paige Morales, SO (4th)
117: Isabelle Asuncion, SO
124: Alicia Frank, JR
124: Victoriana Kim, SO
131: Alyssa Randles, SO (6th)
138: Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp, JR (1st-4th-3rd)
138: Paige Respicio, SR (4th-7th)
145: Esther Han, SO
160: Sadie Antoque, SR (4th-7th)
180: Katelyn Lewis, JR
207: Jasmine Adiniwin, SO