Five NAIA Women’s Conference meets are this weekend, helping finalize field for NAIA Nationals

The NAIA women’s wrestling season is moving into its post-season this weekend, with the hosting of the five NAIA Conference Championships.

Heading into the Conference meets, the top five ranked teams are No. 1 Menlo, No. 2 Life, No. 3 Grand View, No. 4 Southern Oregon and No. 5 Providence. Southern Oregon is the returning NAIA team champions. Of the top five schools, three are in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (Menlo, Southern Oregon, Providence)

In 2024, the five Conference team champions were Southern Oregon (Cascade Collegiate), Grand View (Heart of America), Texas Wesleyan (Sooner Athletic), Hastings (Kansas Collegiate Athletic) and Life (Mid-South).

The final field for the NAIA Women’s National Championships, set for March 8-9 in Jamestown, N.D., will be announced after the conference meets. Clearly, the results from this weekend will be included in the final selection process.

We take a closer look at each of the six regions, with national team rankings, nationally ranked entries and 2023 Regional champions.

Mid South Conference at Bowling Green, Kentucky | Friday, Feb. 23

Teams Entered: Brewton-Parker (Ga.), No. 11 Campbellsville (Ky.), No. 9 Cumberlands (Ky.), No. 13 (tie) Indiana Tech (Ind.), No. 2 Life (Ga.), Lourdes (Ohio), Montreat (N.C.), Rochester (Mich.), Siena Heights (Mich.), St. Andrews (N.C.)

Top 10 ranked wrestlers: Jamilah McBryde of Life (No. 1 at 143), Stefana Jelacic (No. 2 at 101), Sarah Savidge of Life (No. 2 at 130), Emma Walker of Campbellsville (No. 2 at 143), Latifah McBryde of Life (No. 2 at 155), Zaynah McBryde of Life (No. 3 at 136), Elizabeth Dosado of the Cumberlands (No. 4 at 101), Margaret Graham of Life (No. 4 at 170), Diana Gonzalez of Life (No. 5 at 109), Anna Kresja of Life (No. 5 at 123), Madeline Welch of Life (No. 5 at 191), Gabrielle Holloway of St. Andrews (No. 6 at 170), Icart Galumette of Campbellsville (No. 7 at 116), Bo Giebe of Siena Heights (No. 7 at 170),  Makayla Young of Indiana Tech (No. 8 at 101), Tehani Soares of Indiana Tech (No. 8 at 109), Presley Anderson of the Cumberlands (No. 8 at 116), Ariana Martinez of Life (No. 9 at 116), Gabriella Perez of Campbellsville (No. 9 at 136), Micah Fisher of Cumberlands (No. 9 at 143), Chamira Cooper of Cumberlands (No. 9 at 170), Maquoia Bernabe of Cumberlands (No. 9 at 191), Devin Gomez of Life (No. 10 at 101), Jamesa Robinson of Brewton-Parker (No. 10 at 116), Angie Prado of Life (No. 10 at 136)

2023 Conference champions: Elizabeth Dosado (Cumberlands, 101), Olivia Mottley (Life, 123), Sarah Savidge (Life, 130), Emma Walker (Campbellsville, 143), Latifah McBryde (Life. 155) Univ)

Mid-South Summary: There are 10 teams in this conference meet, with four ranked programs: No. 2 Life, No. 9 Cumberlands, No. 11 Campbellsville and No. 13 Indiana Tech. Life, the defending conference champion, won the conference dual meet title this season. There is one nationally ranked No. 1 in the conference, Jamilah McBryde of Life (143), and Life has seven wrestlers ranked in the top five of their weight class in the nation. If Life wrestles to its seeds, it will be expected to repeat as champions. It could be a real close battle for second place between the Cumberlands, Campbellsville and Indiana Tech.

Sooner Athletic Conference at Central Christian | Saturday, Feb. 24

Teams Entered: Central Christian (Kan.), Jarvis Christian (Texas), No. 10 Missouri Baptist (Mo.), No. 7 Oklahoma City (Okla.), No. 6 Texas Wesleyan (Texas), Wayland Baptist (Texas)

Top 10 ranked wrestlers: Avery Ashley of Oklahoma City (No. 1 at 116), Juliana Diaz of Missouri Baptist (No. 2 at 116), Sophia Smith of Oklahoma City (No. 3 at 123), Jasmine Howard of Texas Wesleyan (No. 4 at 109), Mea Mohler of Texas Wesleyan (No. 4 at 143), Taydem Khamjoi of Texas Wesleyan (No. 4 at 155), Camille Fournier of Texas Wesleyan (No. 5 at 116), Elizabeth Duvall of Texas Wesleyan (No. 5 at 130), Alyssa Quezaire of Missouri Baptist (No. 6 at 101), Eliana Martinez of Oklahoma City (No. 6 at 109), Janiah Jones of Missouri Baptist (No. 6 at 130), Mattison Parker of Texas Wesleyan (No. 6 at 136), Samyra Thomas of Jarvis Christian (No. 6 at 191), Audelie Cruz (No. 7 at 101), Tiyahna Askew of Missouri Baptist (No. 8 at 136), Josette Partney of Missouri Baptist (No. 8 at 155), Sofia Abramson of Oklahoma City (No. 9 at 101), Ellyana Kuzma of Indiana Tech (No. 10 at 130)

2023 Conference champions: Alyssa Quezaire (Missouri Baptist, 101), Juliana Diaz (Missouri Baptist, 116), Karoline Ortiz (Missouri Baptist, 123) University), Mea Mohler (Texas Wesleyan, 136), Josette Partney (Missouri Baptist, 143), Alexandria Hernandez (Wayland Baptist, 155) Samyra Thomas (Jarvis Christian, 191)

Sooner AC Summary: There are six teams in this conference with three of them ranked: No. 6 Texas Wesleyan, No. 7 Oklahoma City and No. 10 Missouri Baptist. Texas Wesleyan is the returning team champions, and the top three teams placed within 7.5 points of each other last year. There is one No. 1 ranked wrestler in the nation from this conference, Avery Ashley of Oklahoma City (116). For such a small conference, the number of nationally ranked individuals in the top 10 is impressive. The team race in this conference could be very close, and could be determined by which squad gets on a roll.

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference at Doane | Saturday, Feb. 24

Teams Entered: Avila (Mo.), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), No. 19 Doane (Neb.), Friends (Kan.), No. 17 Hastings (Neb.), Health Sciences & Pharmacy (Mo.), Jamestown (N.D.), No. 18 Midland (Neb.), Morningside (Iowa), No. 20 (tie) Ottawa (Kan.), No. 16 St. Mary (Kan.), York (Neb.)

Top 10 ranked wrestlers: Cristelle Rodriguez of Doane (No. 1 at 123), Alexsys Jacquez of St. Mary (No. 2 at 109), Agatha Andrews of Jamestown (No. 3 at 191), Emily Paulino of Midland (No. 4 at 123), Lessly Sandoval of St. Mary (No. 4 at 191), Esther Walker of Midland (No. 5 at 101), Marissa Patterson of Hastings (No. 7 at 191), Allysa Johnson of Jamestown (No. 9 at 155), Reagen Galloway of Hastings (No. 10 at 143)

2023 Conference champions: Esther Walker (Midland, 101), Markayla Lottie (Avila, 109), Cristelle Rodriguez (Doane, 130), Tabitha Wood (Hastings, 136), Kaydince Turner (Hastings, 136), Randie Scoon (Ottawa, 155), Gracie Goldsmith-Ding (York, 191) College)

KCAC Summary: The largest NAIA women’s conference with 12 teams, there are five KCAC teams in the national rankings: No. 16 Saint Mary’s, No. 17 Hastings, No. 18 Midland, No. 19 Doane and No. 20 Ottawa. Hastings is the defending conference team champions. The difference could be which team has the most depth across the board. Doane boasts the only No. 1 ranked wrestler in the nation from the KCAC, Cristelle Rodriguez at 123. Freshman Alexsys Jacquez of St. Mary is No. 2 ranked at 109 nationally. With seven 2023 conference champions on team rosters, it will be interesting to see if the newcomers can make an impact in the standings.

Heart of America Conference at William Penn | Saturday, Feb. 24

Teams Entered: No. 15 Baker (Kan.), Central Methodist (Mo.), Dickinson State (N.D.), No. 3 Grand View (Iowa), No. 13 (tie) Missouri Valley (Mo.), Waldorf (Iowa), No. 8 William Penn (Iowa), William Woods (Mo.)

Top 10 ranked wrestlers: Mia Palumbo of William Penn (No. 1 at 109), Adaugo Nwachukwu of William Penn (No. 1 at 136), Ashley Lekas of William Penn (No. 1 at 170), Maya Davis of Grand View (No. 2 at 123), Andrea Schlabach of Grand View (No. 2 at 136), Abby McIntyre of Grand View (No. 2 at 170), Joanna Hendricks of Waldorf (No. 2 at 191), Katherine Heath of Baker (No. 3 at 116), Serenity De La Garza of Missouri Valley (No. 4 at 143), Krista Warren of Grand View (No. 6 at 143), Catherine Campbell of Grand View (No. 7 at 123), Devin Patton of William Penn (No. 7 at 130), Jannell Avila of Baker (No. 8 at 191), Tristan Nitta of Grand View (No. 9 at 109), Joanna Vanderwood of William Penn (No. 9 at 123), Judy Sandoval of Grand View (No. 10 at 109), Brook-Lynn Rush of Missouri Valley (No. 10 at 155), Andjela Prijovic of Grand View (No. 10 at 191)

2023 Conference champions: Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan, now at William Penn, 109), Catharine Campbell (Grand View, 123), Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan, now at William Penn, 136), Abby McIntyre (Grand View, 170)

Heart of America Summary: This eight-team conference has four ranked teams: No. 3 Grand View, No. 8 William Penn, No. 13 Missouri Valley and No. 15 Baker. Grand View is the defending conference champions. William Penn brings the most hammers, with all three of the conference’s nationally ranked No. 1 athletes, Mia Palumbo (109), Adaugo Nwachukwu (136) and Ashley Lekas (170). Palumbo and Nwachukwu won conference titles for Iowa Wesleyan, which closed down and forced them to transfer. Nwachukwu is a two-time NAIA national champion. Grand View features three wrestlers with No. 2 national rankings, and has eight wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of their weights.

Cascade Collegiate Conference at Menlo College | Sunday, Feb. 25

Teams Entered: No. 20 (tie) Eastern Oregon (Ore.), Evergreen (Wash.), No. 1 Menlo (Calif.), No. 5 Providence (Mont.), Simpson (Calif.), No. 4 Southern Oregon (Ore.), No. 12 Vanguard (Calif.), Westcliff (Calif.)

Top 10 ranked wrestlers: Erin Hikiji of Providence (No. 1 at 101), Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon (No. 1 at 130), Caitlyn Davis of Southern Oregon (No. 1 at 155), Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson of Menlo (No. 1 at 191), Kayla McKinely-Johnson of Menlo (No. 3 at 101), Emma Baertlein of Southern Oregon (No. 3 at 109), Louisa Schwab of Menlo (No. 3 at 130), Bella Amaro of Southern Oregon (No. 3 at 143), Shannon Workinger of Menlo (No. 3 at 155), Kalila Shrive of Menlo (No. 3 at 170), Alejandra Corral of Menlo (No. 4 at 116), Alyssa Randles of Providence (No. 4 at 130), Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp of Providence (No. 4 at 136), Stephanie Chavez of Menlo (No. 5 at 136),  Sadie Antoque of Providence (No. 5 at 155), Lily El-Masry of Menlo (No. 5 at 170), Ajayzee Zaballos of Menlo (No. 6 at 116), Alaina Vivas of Menlo (No. 6 at 123), Flor Parker Borrero of Evergreen State (No. 6 at 155), Paige Morales of Providence (No. 7 at 109), River Todd of Vanguard (No. 7 at 136), Desiree Jones of Menlo (No. 7 at 143),, Alexandra Lopez of Menlo (No. 7 at 143), Liv Wieber of Eastern Oregon (No. 7 at 155), Fernanda Lopez of Southern Oregon (No. 8 at 123), Lillian Avalos of Vanguard (No. 8 at 130), Shenita Lawson of Southern Oregon (No. 8 at 170), Haley Narahara of Menlo (No. 9 at 123), Paige Respicio of Providence (No. 9 at 130), Katelyn Lewis of Providence (No. 10 at 170)

2023 Conference champions: Carolina Moreno (Southern Oregon, 123), Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp (Providence, 130) Sadie Antoque (Providence, 155), Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson (Menlo, 191)

Cascade Collegiate Summary: This eight-team conference boasts five nationally ranked programs: No. 1 Menlo, No. 4 Southern Oregon, No. 5 Providence, No. 12 Vanguard and No. 20 Eastern Oregon. Southern Oregon is the defending conference champions, as well as the defending NAIA national champions. This conference has the most No. 1 ranked wrestlers with four: Erin Hikiji of Providence (101), Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon (130), Caitlyn Davis of Southern Oregon (155) and Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson of Menlo (191). Moreno is a two-time NAIA national champion. This conference also has the most athletes with top 10 rankings in their weight class with 29. Menlo comes off a strong season with 13 wrestlers who are ranked in the top 10, which bodes well for their team score at the conference and national level.