Notes: Throwdown on the Yorktown, Blue Hose Challenge

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s wrestling team heads east for a pair of matchups on Nov. 15-16. Iowa takes on sixth-ranked Presbyterian in the Throwdown on the Yorktown II in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on Saturday, before heading to the Blue Hose Challenge in Clinton, South Carolina, on Sunday.

FOLLOW ALONG
Both the Throwdown on the Yorktown and the Blue Hose Challenge will be streamed live on FloWrestling. Links to the stream and live stats are available on the Iowa women’s wrestling schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.

ON THE MAT - THROWDOWN ON THE YORKTOWN II
Fourteen Hawkeyes will weigh in for the Throwdown on the Yorktown. They include: Rianne Murphy (103), Valarie Solorio (103), Nyla Valencia (110), Brianna Gonzalez (117), Harlee Hiller (117), Cali Leng (124), Karlee Brooks (131), Bella Williams (131), Skye Realin (138), Ella Schmit (138), Cadence Diduch (145), Reese Larramendy (145), Kennedy Blades (160), and Jaycee Foeller (207).

ON THE MAT - BLUE HOSE CHALLENGE
Twelve Hawkeyes will compete at the Blue Hose Challenge on Sunday. They include: Rianne Murphy (103), Valarie Solorio (103), Nyla Valencia (110), Harlee Hiller (117), Cali Leng (124), Karlee Brooks (131), Bella Williams (131), Skye Realin (138), Ella Schmit (138), Cadence Diduch (145), Reese Larramendy (145), and Jaycee Foeller (207).

WALDORF UNIVERSITY OPEN RECAP
Iowa crowned five champions at the Waldorf University Open on Nov. 8. Nine of the 10 Hawkeyes that made the trip to Forest City, Iowa, registered top-three finishes. The Hawkeyes finished the open with a 41-6 record -- three of Iowa’s six losses came in head-to-head matches. Iowa registered 13 pins and 20 technical falls.

OPEN CHAMPIONS
Eight different Hawkeyes have claimed open championships this season, while junior Cali Leng won both the Luther Hill and Waldorf University Opens. Leng is a perfect 8-0 on the season with five technical falls and a pin. Rianne Murphy (103), Ava Bayless (110), Emily Frost (131), and Syke Realin (138) notched Waldorf Open titles last weekend, while Valarie Solorio (103), Harlee Hiller (117), and Karlee Brooks (131) took home Luther Hill titles on Nov. 1.

IN THE RANKINGS
- Iowa is ranked No. 1 nationally in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll.
- The Hawkeyes have a ranked wrestler in all 10 weight classes.
- Three Hawkeyes are ranked No. 1 in their weight class. Ava Bayless is the No. 1 wrestler at 110. Kennedy Blades is the top-ranked wrestler at 160, and Kylie Welker leads the nation at 180.
- No. 4 Valarie Solorio (103), No. 4 Brianna Gonzalez (117), No. 4 Cali Leng (124), No. 3 Karlee Brooks (131), No. 4 Lilly Luft (138), No. 2 Reese Larramendy (145), and No. 2 Jaycee Foeller (207) round out the ranked Hawkeyes.

UNDEFEATED ON THE MAT
The Hawkeyes are undefeated in dual competition. In the program’s three seasons, the Hawkeyes a 37-0 in duals. In their first season, the Hawkeyes were a perfect 16-0. Last year, Iowa finished the year 19-0. This season, Iowa is 2-0 in dual competition.

THEY’RE BACK!
Redshirt junior Nyla Valencia and senior Skye Realin both returned to the mat this month after battling back from injuries.

Valencia officially made her Hawkeye debut on Nov. 2 after battling a pair of ACL injuries over last two seasons. The Morgan Hill, California, native got the technical fall (10-0) over Cornell’s Angelica Benitez in just 34-seconds.

Realin captured the 138-pound Waldorf Open Title. The Mililani, Hawai’i, native registered four technical falls and a pin on her way to the title. The senior returned to competition after being injured for a majority of the 2024-25 season.

RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
Iowa returns 11 All-Americans from the 2024-25 season, including Ava Bayless, Kennedy Blades, Sterling Dias, Jaycee Foeller, Brianna Gonzalez, Emilie Gonzalez, Reese Larramendy, Cali Leng, Rianna Murphy, Naomi Simon, and Kylie Welker.

The roster boosts one three-time All-American (Jaycee Foeller; ‘22, ‘24-25) and seven two-time All-Americans: Bayless (‘24-25), Dias (‘24-25), Brianna Gonzalez (‘24-25), Emilie Gonzalez (‘24-25), Larramendy (‘24-25), Katja Osteen (‘22-23), and Welker (‘24-25). Six Hawkeyes have earned the distinction once: Blades (‘25), Leng (‘25), Lilly Luft (‘24), Murphy (‘25), Ella Schmit (‘24), and Simon (‘25).

HOME SWEET HOME
The Hawkeyes will compete in front of their home crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena three times. Iowa opened its home slate on Nov. 2, downing Central College, 44-0, and Cornell College, 43-0, in the All-Iowa Duals. Iowa returns home on Dec. 7, hosting Oklahoma State and Colorado Mesa. The Hawkeyes round out the home schedule on Jan. 18, hosting Lehigh and Otterbein.

Iowa is a perfect 11-0 inside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena since the start of the program in 2023.

DYNAMIC DUO BLADES AND WELKER
Kennedy Blades and Kylie Welker return to the mat for the Hawkeyes after they each went undefeated last season.

At 160, Blades was 25-0 with 23 technical falls and two pins. Blades was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2025 Soldier Salute and the NCWWC National Championships. She brought home women’s wrestling’s top honor by being named the 2025 USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year award.

Welker was 28-0 at 180 pounds and did not surrender a point all season. She had 21 victories by technical fall and six pins. Welker was a finalist for USA Wrestling’s Women’s College Wrestler of the Year.

NCAA SPORT
The 2025-26 season marks the first year of women’s wrestling as an NCAA championship sport. The first NCAA women’s wrestling championship is set for March 6-7 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. It will include teams from Division I, Division II and Division III.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest on the Iowa women’s wrestling team, follow the team on Instagram (@iowawomenswrestling), Facebook (IowaWomensWrestling), and X (@IowaW_Wrestling).

UP NEXT
Iowa travels to Marshall, Missouri, for the Missouri Valley College Open on Nov. 21-22.