3 Hawkeyes Secure Spots in Final X

LAS VEGAS – University of Iowa women’s wrestlers Brianna Gonzalez (53kg), Kennedy Blades (68kg) and Kylie Welker (76kg) all took first place at the 2025 US Open on Friday evening. All three wrestlers have secured a spot in Final X on June 14 to compete for a spot on Team USA.

Redshirt sophomore, and seventh-seeded Gonzalez defeated Iowa graduate and top-seeded Felicity Taylor, 6-5, in the title match. She overcame a 4-0 deficit at the break to defeat Taylor. Gonzalez went 4-0 in Las Vegas with three wins via decision and one technical fall.

Blades was seeded No. 1 and went 3-0 at the US Open picking up three tech. falls. She defeated third-seeded Solin Piearcy in the championship match, 10-0, to bring home the title.

Top-seeded Welker picked up four wins all via tech. fall. In the semifinals she defeated former Iowa wrestler, No. 5 Marlynne Deede, 10-0. In the championship bout Welker defeated familiar foe, No. 2 Yelena Makoyed of North Central, 11-0.  

Gonzalez, Blades and Welker join 2024 Senior World bronze medalist Macey Kilty who has already accepted her automatic bid to Final X at 57 kg. These four athletes will wrestle in a best-of-three series on May 14 in Newark, N.J. to determine the U.S. representative at the 2025 Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

Redshirt sophomore Ava Bayless placed seventh at 50 kg and sophomore Emily Frost took sixth at 59 kg. Iowa alumni Marlynne Deede took fourth place at 76 kg.