This Week in Women's Collegiate Wrestling (12/17/2024)

The annual North Central Invite took place over the weekend with 42 teams represented. #2 (NCAA) North Central finished in first place by team score, followed by #1 (NCAA) Iowa, #5 (NCAA) McKendree, #3 (NCAA) King, and #7 (NCAA) Lindenwood rounding out the top five. #12 (NAIA)  Southern Oregon, #4 (NCAA) Grand Valley State, #7 (NAIA) Indiana Tech and #3 (NAIA) University of Providence also had strong showings, not to mention the 10 additional ranked teams across different divisions with wrestlers competing. 

There were several notable matches to come out of this exciting tournament. At 103 lbs, the 1st place match came between two #1s, with Erin Hikiji of Providence in the top spot of NAIA wrestlers and Rianne Murphy of Iowa representing the NCAA. Hikiji showed off her veteran prowess with the 13-2 tech fall for the title. 

At 110, #3 (NCAA) Samara Chavez of King separated against #4 (NCAA) Kendra Ryan of North Central with a 10-0 tech fall. Chavez had a similar result against Ryan a few weeks ago at the Adrian Duals, winning 8-0. In both cases, the matches have been really exciting with good attacks from both, but Chavez seems to have the formula to make these wins happen against Ryan.

There were two brackets at 117, just a few notable matches to mention. While not the finals match which went to #2 ((NCAA) Sydney Petzinger of North Central, there was also a match at 3rd that surprised me. #6 (NCAA) Clare Booe of King won a 2-0 decision over 2024 National Finalist Kaelani Shufeldt who was wrestling unattached, but is on the 24-25 roster for North Central after transferring this offseason from Lock Haven.

At 124, Amani Jones continued her seemingly unstoppable ability to run through these college tournaments, taking out her opponents with two technical falls after her first-round bye, then pinning #4 (NCAA) Aspen Blasko of Grand Valley in just under 3 minutes before moving on to the finals where she won and 8-0 decision to a very talented Tiare Ikei, wrestling unattached but a notable name in the international women’s wrestling conversation who has made several age-level national and world teams. With the win, Jones became the all-time leader in career victories for North Central. There was also a bit of an upset in the consolation bracket championships with #16 (NAIA) Malia Welch of Southern Oregon winning a 7-2 decision over #3 (NAIA) Rose Kaplan of Indiana Tech.

At 131, we saw the other #1 vs #1 finals match with the NAIA wrestler again claiming victory over her NCAA counterpart. Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon won an exciting back-and-forth match against Sara Sterner of North Central with a few big moves making the score a little lopsided at 12-6 for the final. Moreno is now on a 54-match winning streak including 3 tournament titles already this season.

At 138, Iowa claimed a title with #3 (NCAA) Nanea Estrella claiming the close decision win over Skylar Hattendorf who wrestled unattached but is a dangerous freestyler with a recent silver medal at U-20 Pan Ams, and a competitive Judo background with big moves as a result. Things kept turning up for Iowa at 145 where we saw Macey Kilty in the black and gold singlet run through the tournament to eventually beat unattached Alara Boyd, former North Central wrestler and now assistant coach, who finished in third place at 143 last season.

At 160 lbs, #1 (NCAA) Cheyenne Bowman of King won a nailbiter, 4-2 decision over Sky Grote, a name that is always coming up in Team USA conversations at the national and world levels and has already qualified for 2025 World Team Trials. She is certainly not an easy opponent, but Bowman found a way here. At 180, Iowa’s #1 (NCAA) Kylie Welker blazed her path through the tournament, capping it off with a 10-0 tech fall over #2 (NCAA) Brittyn Corbishley.

Finally, at 207 lbs, #3 (NCAA) Sara Lake of Lindenwood claimed a title for her team over Alivia White of Iowa in a 3-0 decision. 

See full results below:

103

1st  – NAIA #1 Erin Hikiji (University of Providence) won by tech fall over NCAA #1 Rianne Murphy (Iowa) (TF 13-2)

3rd – NCAA #8 Avery Kibelbek (King University) won by tech fall over NCAA #6 Brianne Graves (North Central (IL)) (TF 14-3)

5th – NCAA #7  Odelia Lopez (Schreiner University) won by fall over NCAA #9 Mia Zuniga (King University) (Fall 1:46)

Consolation 1st  - Mana Chanthasone (Chadron State) won by fall over NAIA #17 Zoe Omura (Midland University) (Fall 1:49)

 110

1st– NCAA #3 Samara Chavez (King University) won by tech fall over NCAA #4 Kendra Ryan (North Central (IL)) (TF 10-0)

3rd - Valarie Solorio (Iowa) won by decision over Izabella Frezzo (New Jersey City University) (Dec 6-4)

5th – NAIA #17 Allison Hancher (Indiana Tech) won by injury default over Dianna Holmes (King University) (Inj. 0:00)

Consolation 1st  – NAIA #2 Paige Morales (University of Providence) won by tech fall over NAIA #9 Tehani Soares (Indiana Tech) (TF 12-1)

117 A

1st – NCAA #2 Sydney Petzinger (North Central (IL)) won by tech fall over NCAA #5 Caitlyn Jackson (Lindenwood University) (TF 11-0)

3rd – NCAA #6 Clare Booe (King University) won by decision over Kaelani Shufeldt (UNATTACHED) (Dec 2-0)

5th – NCAA #3  Melanie Mendoza (King University) won by injury default over Jaslynn Gallegos (UNATTACHED) (Inj. 0:00)

Consolation 1st  - Mikayla Garcia (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Carleigh Czerneski (UNATTACHED) (Dec 2-2)

117 B

1st - Nadia Thomas (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Miyah Palacios (William Jewell College) (Fall 3:47)

3rd - Lyric Hetzer (UNATTACHED) won by tech fall over Eliana Paramo (North Central (IL)) (TF 12-2)

5th - Ava Miller (Indiana Tech) won by decision over Makayla Murray (Missouri Baptist University) (Dec 8-4)

Consolation 1st - Caitlin Reiter (Lindenwood University) won by fall over Brenna Mccarley (Gannon) (Fall 2:08)

124 A

1st – NCAA #1 Amani Jones (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Tiare Ikei (UNATTACHED) (Dec 8-4)

3rd – NCAA #3 Shelby Moore (McKendree University) won by decision over NCAA #4 Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley State) (Dec 6-2)

5th - Janessa George (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Cali Leng (Iowa) (Fall 2:16)

Consolation 1st – NAIA #16 Malia Welch (Southern Oregon University) won by decision over NAIA #3 Rose Kaplan (Indiana Tech) (Dec 7-2)

131 A

1st – NAIA #1 Carolina Moreno (Southern Oregon University) won by decision over NCAA #1 Sara Sterner (North Central (IL)) (Dec 12-6)

3rd – NCAA #2 Alexandra Szkotnicki (McKendree University) won by decision over Bella Williams (UNATTACHED) (Dec 3-0)

5th – NCAA #7 Anna Dicugno (King University) won by injury default over Emmily Patneaud (Iowa) (Inj. 0:00)

Consolation 1st – NCAA #8 Cayden Condit (Lindenwood University) won by fall over Hannah Palise (Grand Valley State) (Fall 0:45)

138 A

1st  – NCAA #3 Nanea Estrella (Iowa) won by decision over Skylar Hattendorf (UNATTACHED) (Dec 3-0)

3rd – NCAA #5 Marisol Nugent (Aurora ) won by fall over Haylie Jaffe (UNATTACHED) (Fall 2:52)

5th - Alexis Gomez (McKendree University) won by decision over Alexis Lazar (UNATTACHED) (Dec 7-0)

Consolation 1st - Cadence Diduch (Iowa) won by tech fall over NAIA #1 Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp (University of Providence) (TF 14-3)

145 A

1st - Macey Kilty (Iowa) won by decision over Alara Boyd (UNATTACHED), 8-0

3rd – NAIA #3 Liv Wieber (Eastern Oregon University) won by decision over NCAA #8 Savannah Gomez (McKendree University) (Dec 4-4)

5th - Valerie Hamilton (UNATTACHED) won by injury default over Ana Luciano (UNATTACHED) (Inj. 0:00)

Consolation 1st - Sydney Perry (North Central (IL)) won by fall over NCAA #8 Rebecca Strong (Lindenwood University) (Fall 4:39)

160 A

1st – NCAA #1 Cheyenne Bowman (King University) won by decision over Skylar Grote (UNATTACHED) (Dec 4-2)

3rd - Destiny Rodriguez (UNATTACHED) won by fall over Lizzie Raleigh (North Central (IL)) (Fall 2:51)

5th – NCAA #8 Tiera Jimerson (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Bo Geibe (UNATTACHED) (Dec 8-0)

Consolation 1st - Noelle Gaffney (UNATTACHED) won by decision over Allex Alli (UNATTACHED) (Dec 5-1)

 180

1st – NCAA #1 Kylie Welker (Iowa) won by tech fall over NCAA #2 Brittyn Corbishley (North Central (IL)) (TF 10-0)

3rd  – NCAA #3 Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State) won by tech fall over NCAA #6 Shenita Lawson (North Central (IL)) (TF 10-0)

5th - Fiona McConnell (North Central (IL)) won by forfeit over NCAA #4 Madison Sandquist (Sacred Heart) (FF)

Consolation 1st - Makayla Rivera (Lindenwood University) won by decision over Tatum Heikkila (North Central (IL)) (Dec 5-0)

207

1st  – NCAA #3 Sara Lake (Lindenwood University) won by decision over Alivia White (Iowa) (Dec 3-0)

3rd - Dasia Yearby (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Kathryn Hingano (Southern Oregon University) (Dec 8-5)

5th – NCAA #5 Katja Osteen (Iowa) won by decision over NAIA #5 Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech) (Dec 9-0)

Consolation 1st – NCAA #8 Caroline Ward (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Samantha Calkins (Iowa) (Dec 6-4)

Team Standings

1. NCAA #2 North Central, 251.0

2. NCAA #1 Iowa, 148.5

3. NCAA #5 McKendree University, 148.0

4. NCAA #3 King University, 97.0

5. NCAA #7 Lindenwood University, 93.5

6. NAIA #12 Southern Oregon University, 87.0

7. NCAA #4 Grand Valley State, 65.5

8. Quincy, 64.0

9. NCAA #25 William Jewell College, 61.5

10. NCAA #9 Aurora, 61.0

Results this week in major NCAA, NCWA, and NAIA competitions

Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of all collegiate women’s competitions.

WASP Open VIEW RESULTS

North Central Invite VIEW RESULTS

Upcoming events for next week

Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of all collegiate women’s competitions.

Wednesday, December 18

King vs Lock Haven

Aurora vs Eureka

Saturday, December 21

Desert Duals