Led by three champions, Iowa repeats as NCWWC champions; women’s wrestling now moves on to NCAA status

CORALVILLE, Iowa – Led by three international wrestling stars who won titles tonight, the University of Iowa repeated as champions at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships at Xtream Arena.

This was the sixth annual championships for NCAA varsity women’s wrestlers. In January, the NCAA approved women’s wrestling as its 91^st national championships, making this the last year that the coalition of wrestling organizations has run this competition. The first NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships will be held at a date and location to be announced in the winter of 2026.

Iowa, ranked No. 1 all season, finished with 201.5 points, ahead of North Central College with 181 points. McKendree finished in third with 158.5 points, first-year program Grand Valley State in fourth with 129.5 points and King University in fifth with 92.5 points.

All of the champions and runners-up have been active with USA Wrestling, making numerous age-group World Teams and winning national titles and All-American honors at a variety of age-group levels.

Iowa’s three individual champions were all No. 1 seeds, Macey Kilty (145), Kennedy Blades (160) and Kylie Welker (180). Welker won her second straight NCWWC title, while Kilty and Blades won titles in their first year in college wrestling.

Blades, a 2024 Olympic silver medalist who is a junior, scored a 10-0 technical fall over No. 2 seed Kaylynn Albrecht of McKendree in the finals. Blades was dominant on her feet in a match against a highly respected opponent. Albrecht, a graduate student, was a 2023 NAIA champion for Baker University before transferring to McKendree. Blades was named Outstanding Wrestler for the tournament.

Kilty, a two-time Senior World medalist and a graduate student, won a rugged 7-2 decision over No. 3 seed Bella Mir of North Central College. The match was slowed by blood stoppages from Mir, but Kilty was able to score two takedowns and a turn for the edge. Mir, a sophomore, was an All-American for Iowa last year before transferring to North Central.

Welker was dominant in her 10-0 technical fall over freshman No. 2 seed Sabrina Nauss of Grand Valley State. Welker, a redshirt sophomore, was Iowa’s first recruit and has been with the program since its inception. Welker was a Senior World Team member and U20 World champion for USA Wrestling.

North Central claimed a pair of individual champions, both seniors, as No. 1 seed Amani Jones repeated as NCWWC champion with a victory at 124 pounds, and No. 3 seed Sydney Petzinger claimed the title at 117 pounds. North Central, which trailed by 13.5 points after the morning session, closed within a few points of Iowa, before Iowa’s hammers wrestled and closed out the win.

Jones was in control of a 5-0 decision over sophomore No. 3 seed Shelby Moore of McKendree. Jones scored the key takedowns in a bout of two top talents. Jones has been a two-time age-group World medalist for USA Wrestling.

Petzinger got the North Central crowd fired up with her 10-6 victory over No. 4 seed Clare Booe of King, a freshman talent. Petzinger was gritty in a active match where she came out strong at the end of the match.

In addition to Welker and Jones, two other past NCWWC champions were able to win a second career title, Olivia Shore of Otterbein (103) and Katerina Lange of Grand Valley State (138).

Shore, a senior who won her first NCWWC title in 2022 for Tiffin, won a tight 2-1 battle against No. 2 seed freshman Gabriele Tedesco of McKendree in the finals. Neither athlete scored an offensive point, but Shore controlled the match at the end to get the final shot clock point. Otterbein, a first-year program, has its first women’s national champion. Shore made two U.S. age-group World Teams for USA Wrestling.

Lange, who was a 2023 NCWWC champion for Augsburg, was in total control of her 10-0 technical fall over freshman No. 3 seed Haylie Jaffe of McKendree, a past age-group World medalist for USA Wrestling. Lange has been a USA Wrestling national team member.

Grand Valley State had another champion at 110 pounds, as No. 1 seed Sage Mortimer won a active 11-7 win over No. 3 seed Samara Chavez of King. They have a long history, having been teammates at King before Mortimer transferred, and also competing against each other at a number of USA Wrestling events. Mortimer, a junior, won a 2024 U23 World title for USA Wrestling, while Chavez is a senior. Mortimer was Grand Valley State’s first women’s national champion.

No. 1 seed Alexis Janiak of Aurora survived a late scare to edge No. 2 seed Sara Sterner of North Central College, 6-4, Janiak led 5-2 when Sterner scored an exposure late in the final seconds. The officials gave two points to Sterner, but North Central challenged, seeking a four-point throw that would give the bout to Sterner. The jury said the move was only two points, sealing Janiak’s victory. Janiak has been an age-group World medalist for USA Wrestling.

No. 2 seed Tristan Kelly of McKendree scored a clutch takedown and turn in the first period and went on to defeat No. 1 seed Jaycee Foeller of Iowa in the 207 pound finals, 6-0. A junior, Kelly has been an age-group World medalist for USA Wrestling, and is a Military World Team member. Foeller, a senior, was NCWWC runner-up for the second straight year. Kelly went up a weight class to help the McKendree team have its best lineup for the post-season.

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Coralville, Iowa, March 8, 2025

Championship finals results (with seeds listed)

103 - No. 4 Olivia Shore (Otterbein) dec. No. 2 Gabriele Tedesco (McKendree University), 2-1

110 - No. 1 Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) dec. No. 3 Samara Chavez (King University), 11-7

117 - No. 3 Sydney Petzinger (North Central College) dec. No. 4 Clare Booe (King University), 10-6

124 - No. 1 Amani Jones (North Central College) dec. No. 3 Shelby Moore (McKendree University), 5-0

131 - No. 1 Alexis Janiak (Aurora) dec No. 2 Sara Sterner (North Central College), 6-4

138 - No. 1 Katerina Lange (Grand Valley State) tech fall No. 3 Haylie Jaffe (McKendree University), 10-0

145 - No. 1 Macey Kilty (Iowa) dec. No. 3 Bella Mir (North Central College), 7-2

160 - No. 1 Kennedy Blades (Iowa) tech fall No. 2 Kaylynn Albrecht (McKendree University), 10-0

180 - No. 1 Kylie Welker (Iowa) tech fall No. 2 Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State), 10-0

207 - No. 2 Tristan Kelly (McKendree University) dec. No. 1 Jaycee Foeller (Iowa), 6-0

NCWWC Team Standings

1            Iowa      201.5

2            North Central College        181.0

3            McKendree University      158.5

4            Grand Valley State             129.5

5            King University   92.5

6            Presbyterian         91.0

7            Lindenwood University     57.5

8            Colorado Mesa University               48.0

9            Sacred Heart        47.5

10          Elmira College    42.5

11           Otterbein              36.0

12          Emmanuel University        33.5

13          Aurora   32.5

14          Gannon University             30.0

15          Northern Michigan University         29.5

16          East Stroudsburg University            28.0

17          William Jewell College      26.5

18          Dubuque              25.5

19          Lock Haven University      21.5

20          Fort Hays State    21.0

Other Medal round results

103

1^st - No. 2 Gabriele Tedesco (McKendree University) vs. No. 4 Olivia Shore (Otterbein)

3^rd – No. 1 Rianne Murphy (Iowa) pin No. 3 Sterling Dias (Iowa), 4:57

5^th – No. 7 Odelia Lopez (Schreiner) dec. No. 8 Avery Kibelbek (King), 6-4

7^th – No. 9 Madison Avila (North Central) dec. No. 12 Mia Zuniga (King), 12-4

110

1^st - No. 1 Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) vs. No. 3 Samara Chavez (King University)

3^rd – No. 4 Kendra Ryan (North Central College) dec No. 2 Ava Bayless (Iowa), 4-2

5^th -No. 5  Emilie Gonzalez (Iowa) dec. No. 12 Izabella Frezzo (New Jersey City), 8-2

7^th – unseeded Trinity Pendergrass (Quincy) med. forfeit No. 8 Dianna Holmes (King)

117

1^st - No. 3 Sydney Petzinger (North Central College) vs. No. 4 Clare Booe (King University)

3^rd – No. 2 Yu Sakamoto (Northern Michigan) tech fall No. 7 Karissa Turnwall (Emmanuel University), 13-0

5^th – No. 1 Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) pin No. 5 Caitlyn Jackson (Lindenwood), 3:44

7^th – No. 8 Alexandra Waitsman (William Jewell) pin No. 9 Shea Reisel (Dubuque), 0:42

124

1^st - No. 1 Amani Jones (North Central College) vs. No. 3 Shelby Moore (McKendree University)

3^rd – No. 8 Lorianna Piestewa (Colorado Mesa) dec.No. 2  Montana Delawder (King), 7-4

5^th – No. 5 Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley State) dec. No. 10 Alexandra Fitzgerald (Sacred Heart), 9-7

7^th – No. 4 Cali Leng (Iowa) tech. fall No. 6 Alyssa Mahan (Presbyterian), 10-0

131

1^st - No. 1 Alexis Janiak (Aurora) vs. No. 2 Sara Sterner (North Central College)

3^rd – No. 3 Alexandra Szkotnicki (McKendree University) pin No. 5 Viktorya Torres (McKendree University), 4:18

5^th – No. 9 Cayden Condit (Lindenwood) tech fall No. 6 Emmily Patnaude (Iowa), 10-0

7^th – No. 4 Jaclyn Dehey (New England College) pin unseeded Ragan Retell (Elmira), 3:34

138

1^st - No. 1 Katerina Lange (Grand Valley State) vs. No. 3 Haylie Jaffe (McKendree University)

3^rd – No. 5 Nanea Estrella (Iowa) won by tech fall over No. 2 Carina Giangeruso (Presbyterian), 11-0

5^th – No. 7 Taylor Graveman (North Central College) dec. No. 4 Paige Wehrmeister (Presbyterian), 12-8

7^th – No. 9 Nina Makem (Augsburg) dec. unseeded Alissa Caltagirone (Northern Michigan), 14-10

145

1^st - No. 1 Macey Kilty (Iowa) vs. No. 3 Bella Mir (North Central College)

3^rd – No. 2 Reese Larramendy (Iowa) dec. No. 7  Zoey Lints (Elmira), 10-3

5^th – No. 4 Aine Drury (King University) dec. No. 5 Madeline Kubicki (Presbyterian), 1:23

7^th – No. 6 Savannah Gomez (McKendree) tech fall No. 8 Sydney Perry (North Central), 10-0

160

1^st - No. 1 Kennedy Blades (Iowa) vs. No. 2 Kaylynn Albrecht (McKendree University)

3^rd – No. 4 Tiffany Baublitz (East Stroudsburg) dec. No. 12 Nyla Burgess (Gannon), 9-0

5^th – No. 5 Elleni Johnson (Grand Valley State) pin No. 3 May Cuyler (Presbyterian), 4:04

7^th – No. 11 Alexandra Hofrichter (Dubuque) pin No. 6 Tiera Jimerson (North Central), 4:34

180

1^st - No. 1 Kylie Welker (Iowa) vs. No. 2 Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State)

3^rd – No. 4 Naomi Simon (Iowa) dec. No. 3 Shenita Lawson (North Central College), 9-0

5^th – No. 5 Brittyn Corbishley (North Central) pin No. 12 Azariah Moore (Lock Haven), 0:58

7^th – No. 6 Madison Sandquist (Sacred Heart) pin No. 9 Lydia Krauss (McKendree), 1:13

207

1^st - No. 1 Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) vs. No. 2 Tristan Kelly (McKendree University)

3^rd – No. 3 Sara Lake (Lindenwood) dec. No. 7 Alyvia White (Iowa)

5^th – No. 4 Traeh Haynes (North Central) pin unseeded Maria Aiono (Presbyterian), 1:46

7^th – No. 11 Esther Peters (Chadron) tech fall unseeded Destiny Vaughans (Greensboro), 10-0