Iowa Holds Off North Central For 2nd Straight NCWWC Title
Iowa Holds Off North Central For 2nd Straight NCWWC Title
Iowa won three individual titles and scored 201.5 points for its second straight national championship.
North Central and McKendree gave a strong effort, but it wasn’t enough to dethrone the University of Iowa on its home turf. The Hawkeyes used murderers' row — Macey Kilty (145), Kennedy Blades (160), and Kylie Welker (180) — to put the clamps on their second straight National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship.
Iowa’s fearsome trio — all Senior World or Olympic medalists — combined for 81.5 of Iowa’s 201.5 team points after winning individual national titles. Jaycee Foeller finished second at a college national tournament for the fourth time at three programs (McKendree, Central Methodist, and Iowa).
The Hawkeyes sent 15 wrestlers to nationals, and all 15 earned All-American honors, but Welker was the only repeat champion.
North Central finished second by 20.5 points after last year's down-to-the-wire battle with Iowa. The Cardinals were in top form all weekend, with Sydney Petzinger (117) and Amani Jones (124) winning titles. Sara Sterner (131) and Bella Mir (145) fell in the finals, but Joe Norton’s squad earned 12 All-American honors during a memorable weekend for the Division III program in Naperville, Illinois.
McKendree sent five to the finals — the most of any team — with Tristan Kelly (207) securing a 6-0 win over Foeller.
Olivia Shore of Otterbein kicked things off at 103, notching her second NCWWC title after a 101-pound championship for Tiffin in 2022. She used the activity clock to her advantage for a 3-2 win over McKendree’s Gabby Tedesco.
Sage Mortimer from Grand Valley State defeated her former teammate Samara Chavez from King, in an 11-7 shootout during the match of the night. The two were deadlocked 7-7 with 1:30 left when the Laker star countered a shot out of bounds to pull away late.
Mortimer won her first NCWWC title after finishing third and second at King. Chavez completed her college career as a four-time All-American (3rd-2nd-3rd-2nd).
Aurora’s Lexi Janiak survived a scare to notch the 131-pound title. Janiak was up 5-2 with seconds remaining when Sterner hit a desperation headlock at the buzzer. The referees awarded two, but North Central challenged that it should have been four. The call on the mat stood, with Janiak winning her first title after second and third-place finishes.
Katie Lange added another title to Grand Valley State’s haul, posting a 10-0 win over McKendree’s Haylie Jaffe. It was Lange’s second title after winning in 2023 for Augsburg.
Kilty, Blades, and Welker combined to outscore their finals opponents, 27-2.
Grand Valley State finished fourth during its inaugural season.
This was the sixth and final year for the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships. McKendree, North Central, and Iowa combined to win all six titles.
The NCAA will host its first women's freestyle national championships next season.
Click here for Trackwrestling brackets.
Top 10 Team Scores
1. Iowa (D1) — 201.5
2. North Central College (D3) — 181.0
3. McKendree University (D2) — 158.5
4. Grand Valley State (D2) — 129.5
5. King University (D2) — 92.5
6. Presbyterian (D1) — 91.0
7. Lindenwood University (D1) — 57.5
8. Colorado Mesa University (D2) — 48.0
9. Sacred Heart (D1) — 47.5
10. Elmira College (D3) — 42.5
NCWWC Team Champions
2020: McKendree (Sam Schmitz)
2021: McKendree (Sam Schmitz)
2022: McKendree (Sam Schmitz)
2023: North Central (Joe Norton)
2024: Iowa (Clarissa Chun)
2025: Iowa (Clarissa Chun)
Finals Results (with match links)
145: Macey Kilty (Iowa) 27-0 won by decision over Bella Mir (North Central College) 24-3 (Dec 7-2)
Top 10 Team Points (Individual)
1. Katie Lange, Grand Valley State, 28.0
1. Kylie Welker, Iowa, 28.0
3. Kennedy Blades, Iowa, 27.5
4. Sage Mortimer, Grand Valley State, 26.5
5. Olivia Shore, Otterbein, 26.0
5. Macey Kilty, Iowa, 26.0
7. Sydney Petzinger, North Central College, 25.0
7. Lexi Janiak, Aurora, 25.0
9. Amani Jones, North Central College, 24.5
9. Tristan Kelly, McKendree University, 24.5
Top Four Team Breakdowns
Iowa — 1st — 15 All-Americans
103: Sterling Dias (22-7) placed 4th.
103: Rianne Murphy (32-4) placed 3rd and scored 22.5 team points.
110: Emilie Gonzalez (36-7) placed 5th.
110: Ava Bayless (33-5) placed 4th and scored 17.5 team points.
117: Brianna Gonzalez (38-2) placed 5th and scored 17.0 team points.
124: Cali Leng (40-13) placed 7th and scored 11.0 team points.
131: Emmily Patneaud (24-11) placed 6th and scored 12.5 team points.
138: Nanea Estrella (30-4) placed 3rd and scored 19.5 team points.
145: Macey Kilty (27-0) placed 1st and scored 26.0 team points.
145: Reese Larramendy (30-3) placed 3rd.
160: Kennedy Blades (23-0) placed 1st and scored 27.5 team points.
180: Kylie Welker (27-0) placed 1st and scored 28.0 team points.
180: Naomi Simon (39-4) placed 3rd.
207: Alivia White (29-10) placed 4th.
207: Jaycee Foeller (26-3) placed 2nd and scored 21.0 team points.
North Central — 2nd — 12 All-Americans
103: Madison Avila (26-10) placed 7th and scored 11.5 team points.
103: Brianne Graves (29-10) DNP
110: Kendra Ryan (22-7) placed 3rd and scored 16.5 team points.
117: Sydney Petzinger (25-3) placed 1st and scored 25.0 team points.+
124: Amani Jones (27-0) placed 1st and scored 24.5 team points.
131: Sara Sterner (26-5) placed 2nd and scored 21.0 team points.
138: Emma Grimm (26-12) DNP
138: Taylor Graveman (27-11) placed 5th and scored 13.5 team points.
145: Bella Mir (24-3) placed 2nd and scored 21.5 team points.
145: Sydney Perry (34-7) placed 8th.
160: Tiera Jimerson (25-13) placed 8th and scored 8.5 team points.
180: Brittyn Corbishley (29-9) placed 5th and scored 20.0 team points.
180: Shenita Lawson (30-7) placed 4th.
207: Traeh Haynes (17-3) placed 5th and scored 19.0 team points.
207: Dasia Yearby (30-6) DNP
McKendree — 3rd — Nine All-Americans
103: Gabriele Tedesco (25-5) placed 2nd and scored 20.5 team points.
110: Samantha Miller (27-19) DNP and scored 5.0 team points.
117: Jenna Beddow (25-14) DNP
117: Norah Swaim (23-19) DNP and scored 7.0 team points.
124: Shelby Moore (31-5) placed 2nd and scored 19.0 team points.
131: Viktorya Torres (26-12) placed 4th.
131: Alexandra Szkotnicki (43-5) placed 3rd and scored 18.5 team points.
138: Alexis Gomez (17-11) DNP
138: Haylie Jaffe (23-6) placed 2nd and scored 19.0 team points.
145: Savannah Gomez (33-10) placed 7th and scored 14.0 team points.
160: Kaylynn Albrecht (9-2) placed 2nd and scored 21.5 team points.
180: Lydia Krauss (22-8) placed 8th and scored 9.5 team points.
207: Tristan Kelly (14-1) placed 1st and scored 24.5 team points.
207: Manusiu Muti (15-16) DNP
Grand Valley State — 4th — Five All-Americans
103: Rayana Sahagun (16-4) place DNP and scored 3.0 team points.
110: Sage Mortimer (20-0) placed 1st and scored 26.5 team points.
117: Ana Malovich (16-7) DNP and scored 3.5 team points.
124: Aspen Blasko (33-9) placed 5th and scored 15.5 team points.
124: Miriam Hopson (19-16) DNP
131: Hannah Palise (25-18) DNP and scored 5.0 team points.
138: Katerina Lange (19-0) placed 1st and scored 28.0 team points.
145: Emily Medford (8-5) DNP and scored 5.5 team points.
145: Skylar Little Soldier (16-9) DNP
160: Elleni Johnson (25-9) placed 5th and scored 20.5 team points.
160: Clarissa Agostini (19-17) DNP
180: Sabrina Nauss (26-3) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.