Simon Secures U20 World Team Spot

SPOKANE, Wash. – University of Iowa women’s wrestler Naomi Simon took first place at the 2025 Women’s National Championship at 76kg. The win secures Simon’s spot on the 2025 U20 World Team for the second straight year.

The freshman pinned her way through the tournament picking up five wins via pin. In the best of three championship series Simon defeated Stella Steigler of Virginia. In the first round Simon pinned Steigler in 2:41 and then captured her title with a pin in 2:58 in the second bout.

The Decorah, Iowa, native will represent USA at the 2025 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria in August.

Sophomore Lilly Luft (62kg) and freshman Cadence Diduch (64kg) each had strong performances in their respective U20 brackets, each finishing in second place. Both wrestlers will represent USA at the 2025 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru in July.

Redshirt sophomore Ava Bayless finished in second place at 50kg in the U23 division securing her spot on the 2025 Pan American Championship team. Bayless will compete in Queretaro, Mexico April 10-11.

Other Hawkeyes that finished on the podium in Spokane include Emilie Gonzalez (50kg, 3rd), Brianna Gonzalez (53kg, 3rd), Reese Larramendy (65kg, 3^rd) and Rose Cassioppi (72kg, 6th) in the U23 division. In the U20 division Val Solorio (50kg, 4th), Cali Leng (57kg, 8th), Emily Frost (59kg, 5th), and Karlee Brooks (59kg, 6th) all found spots on the podium.