Iowa’s Brianna Gonzalez is the favorite to win the 117-pound title at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, but don’t overlook Northern Michigan’s Yu Sakamoto of Japan. 

Unranked. Check.

Under the radar. Check.

2024 U23 World Champion. Check.

Sakamoto blitzed through the U23 World Championships, teching Canada’s Serena Di Benedetto in the October 25, 2024 finals.

On November 9, 2024, she went 2-1 at the Adrian Duals, losing to Sacred Heart’s Nohea Moniz by fall. Sakamoto is 5-1 this season, winning three matches by 10-0 tech at the Alma Invitational on January 19, 2025. 

Northern Michigan’s region includes #3 Sydney Petzinger (North Central), Kiely Tabaldo (Grand Valley State), and Ana Malovich (Grand Valley State). Four wrestlers qualify. Will she make a run at nationals on March 7-8?

Watch Sakamoto’s U23 World finals and her match against Moniz below. 

2024 U23 World Finals vs Serena Di Benedetto

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Yu Sakamoto vs Nohea Moniz at Adrian Duals

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Surprise Entry At Grand View Open

Scroll to 131 pounds when Grand View Open brackets are released. One of the nation’s best senior-level wrestlers will compete for a national championship program. Find out who on Saturday, February 1. 

The Grand View Open includes several top high school and post-collegiate stars, too. Here are the teams scheduled to compete.

NAIA: Avila, Baker, Central Christian, Cumberlands, Dickinson State, Friends, Grand View, Jamestown, Life, Midland, Missouri Baptist, Missouri Valley, Morningside, Oklahoma City, Texas Wesleyan, Waldorf, Wayland Baptist, William Penn, William Woods, York

NCAA: Carthage, Fort Hays State, Iowa, McKendree, Minot State, Quincy, Simpson, Sioux Falls, Upper Iowa

Follow Grand View Open results here.

Iowa Making Final Roster Moves

Clarissa Chun has decisions to make. Macey Kilty (145), Kennedy Blades (160), and Kylie Welker (180) are locks, but there are 12 other post-season roster spots. The Grand View Open will provide clarity. 

The Hawkeyes are sending 21 wrestlers to Des Moines for an important end-of-season tournament. Results will likely factor into decisions at most weights — especially where Iowa sends two wrestlers to regionals.

Returning national champions Ava Bayless and Emilie Gonzalez are the front runners for the 110-pound spot but an impressive showing by Val Solorio could make the decision difficult. 

Returning All-American Lilly Luft returns from injury and will contend with returning NAIA finalist Nanea Estrella, Cadence Diduch, and Danni Swihart for the 138-pound spot. 

Sam Calkins, Katja Osteen, and Alivia White are presumably vying for the second 207-pound spot behind Jaycee Foeller, who is not competing. 

Below is Iowa’s line-up for the Grand View Open.
Key: NC: National Champ, NF: National Finalist, AA: All-American

103: Sterling Dias (NF), Rianne Murphy
110: Ava Bayless (NC), Emilie Gonzalez (NC), Val Solorio
124: Ava Rose
131: Allie Baudhuin, Karlee Brooks, Emily Frost, Emmily Patneaud
138: Cadence Diduch, Nanea Estrella (NF), Lilly Luft (AA), Danni Swihart
145: Reese Larramendy, (NC) Ella Schmit (AA)
160: Rose Cassioppi
180: Naomi Simon
207: Sam Calkins, Katja Osteen (AA), Alvia White

Women's Wrestling Weekly: The Show (Ep. 13)

Topics covered:
-- Women's Warrior Open recap.
-- William Penn adds two Olympians to the line-up.
-- Taina Fernandez vs Esther Kolawole showdown.
-- High schoolers Jaclyn Bouzakis and Morgan Turner dominate college open.
-- The youth movement isn't slowing down.
-- Will William Penn challenge Life at the NAIA Championships?
-- Scott Beck rethinks a hot take.
-- Who wins between Katie Gomez and Cristelle Rodriguez?
-- Grand Valley State defeats McKendree.
-- Should Tristan Kelly compete at 207?
-- Ryleigh Sturgill's loss lifts the boys' wrestling team to victory.

Can William Penn Compete For The NAIA Crown?

William Penn is making a late-season surge. 

The Statesmen added Nigerian Olympians Christianah Ogunsanya (117) and Esther Kolawole (138) to their line-up for the second semester, along with 2024 NAIA champion Caitlyn Davis (160).

Ogunsanya and Kolawole won their brackets at the Warrior Women’s Open on January 25, and are favorites to win the NAIA Championships on March 14-15. Returning national champion Mia Palumbo, a three-time national finalist and 2024 NAIA champion, is questionable to return but hasn't been ruled out for the season. 

Head coach Jake Kadel has four potential national champions if that line-up takes form. Is it enough to chase down Life, Grand View, Cumberlands, Southern Oregon, and Providence?

Warrior Women’s Open Was Loaded

Two high schoolers and two Olympians headlined the Women’s Warrior Open. Jaclyn Bouzakis (103) and Morgan Turner (110) won titles, as did the above mentioned Olympians, Ogunsanya (117) and Kolawole (138). 

US Open champion Katie Gomez (Cumberlands) took the 124-pound title and Sarah Savidge (Life) is making a late-season surge, avenging a National Duals loss to Paige Respicio of Providence in the semis before downing William Penn’s Devin Patton in the finals. 

North Central’s Larissa Gallo competed unattached at 180, but had one of the tournament’s best runs. She pinned NAIA champion Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley) in the semis and India Page (Lindsey Wilson) in the finals. 

Every Point Counts

Baylor School’s Ryleigh Sturgill is making national news for forfeiting her Tennessee girls season to compete in a boys’ regional dual. Her 11-8 loss led her team to a one-point win over McCallie. Click here to learn more about the dual and hear from Sturgill.

Grand Valley State Tops McKendree

Don’t read too much into Grand Valley State’s 28-15 win over McKendree at the Bearcat Duals, but it was an important barometer for both teams as the race for second at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships begins. 

Neither team had its best line-up, but most notable was a possible 103-pound rematch between #3 Rayana Sahagun (GVSU) and #2 Gabrielle Tedesco (McKendree). Sahagun led 4-4 in the third-place match at the Missouri Valley Open before she was headlocked and pinned. Neither competed in the dual. 

McKendree was also missing All-Americans Shelby Moore (124), Kaylynn Albrecht (160), and Tristan Kelly (180/207). 

103: Double Forfeit
110: Sage Mortimer (GVSU) over Samantha Miller (McKendree) Fall 2:55
117: Ana Malovich (GVSU) over Norah Swaim (McKendree) Fall 2:34
124: Aspen Blasko (GVSU) over Mariah Smith (McKendree) Fall 2:31
131: Alexandra Szkotnicki (McKendree) over Hannah Palise (GVSU) Fall 1:51
138: Katerina Lange (GVSU) over Haylie Jaffe (McKendree) Dec 9-4
145: Savannah Gomez (McKendree) over Emily Medford (GVSU) TF 10-0
160: Ruby Rios (McKendree) over Elleni Johnson (GVSU) Fall 1:30
180: Sabrina Nauss (GVSU) over Lydia Krauss (McKendree) Fall 0:43
207: Aaliyah Grandberry (GVSU) Forfeit

Women's Spotlight: Rayana Sahagun (Grand Valley State)

Rayana Sahagun thrives at Grand Valley State thanks to high-level coaches and invested teammates.

Women's Spotlight: Juliet Alt (Chestnut Ridge)

Freshman Juliet Alt of Chestnut Ridge continues to build on national success as she seeks her first Pennsylvania state title.

Upcoming Tournaments

Friday, January 31
Spire Classic

Saturday February 1
Bobcat Open
RMAC Championships
Grand View Open
Lindsey Wilson Open

Sunday, February 2
Oaks Open

College Open Results

Friday, January 24
Warrior Duals

Saturday, January 25
Warrior Open
Collegiate Duals
A-R-C Tournament
MPSF Championships
Cerritos Open

Sunday, January 26
Pennsylvania State Championships
McKendree Duals
CCIW Championships