Notes: Missouri Valley Open

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s wrestling team heads to Marshall, Missouri, for the Missouri Valley Open on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s bouts begin at 9 a.m. (CT) and will run through the quarterfinals. Semifinal matches begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday with the finals starting at 1 p.m.

FOLLOW ALONG
The Missouri Valley Open will be streamed live on FloWrestling. Links to the live stream and live stats can be found on the Iowa women’s wrestling schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.

ON THE MAT - MISSOURI VALLEY OPEN
Fifteen Hawkeyes will take the mat at the Missouri Valley Open. They include: Sterling Dias (103), Rianne Murphy (103) Valarie Solorio (103), Ava Bayless (110), Nyla Valencia (110), Harlee Hiller (117), Isabella Marie Gonzales (124), Cali Leng (124), Karlee Brooks (131), Emily Frost (131), Bella Williams (131), Skye Realin (138), Cadence Diduch (145), Reese Larramendy (145), and Jaycee Foeller (207).

THROWDOWN ON THE YORKTOWN II RECAP
Iowa defeated No. 6 Presbyterian, 35-9, at the Throwdown on the Yorktown on Nov. 15. The competition took place on the flight deck of the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

Four Hawkeyes registered wins over ranked opponents. Nyla Valencia got the win via technical fall at 110 pounds over third-ranked Chloe Dearwester. At 138, Skye Realin pinned (5:19) third-ranked Carina Giangeruso. Reese Larramendy, the second-ranked 145-pounder, won via decision over No. 10 Madline Kubicki. Second-ranked Jaycee Foeller registered the 15-2 technical fall at 207 over No. 10 Maria Aiono.

BLUE HOSE CHALLENGE RECAP
Five Hawkeyes were crowned Blue Hose Challenge Champions on Nov. 16. They include: Valarie Solorio (103), Nyla Valencia (110), Bella Williams (131), Skye Realin (138), and Reese Larramendy (145). All 11 Hawkeyes that wrestled secured top-three finishes. Iowa was a combined 39-6 on the day.

OPEN CHAMPIONS
Eleven different Hawkeyes have claimed open championships this season, while four Iowa wrestlers have won a two open titles. Cali Leng (Luther Hill, Waldorf), Skye Realin (Waldorf, Blue Hose), Valarie Solorio (Luther Hill, Blue Hose), and Harlee Hiller (Luther Hill, Blue Hose) have all won two titles this season. Ava Bayless (Waldorf), Karlee Brooks (Luther Hill), Emily Frost (Waldorf), Reese Larramendy (Blue Hose), Rianne Murphy (Waldorf), Nyla Valencia (Blue Hose), and Bella Williams (Blue Hose) round out Iowa’s open title winners.

HILLER HYPE
Freshman Harlee Hiller has impressed in her first few competitions for the Hawkeyes. Hiller opened her Hawkeye career on Nov. 1, registering three pins and a technical fall on her way to the 117-pound Luther Hill Open title. The Evanston, Illinois, native made her Carver-Hawkeye Arena debut Nov. 2, recording a pair of dual victories. At the Blue Hose Challenge on Nov. 16, Hiller took second. Her only loss came to third-ranked Karissa Turnwall of Emmanuel University. Hiller is 10-1 on the year with five falls and four technical falls.

UNDEFEATED ON THE MAT
The Hawkeyes are undefeated in dual competition. In the program’s three seasons, the Hawkeyes a 38-0 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 3-0 in dual competition.

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.

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 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena 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.

Both Valencia and Realin claimed Blue Hose Challenge titles last weekend. Valencia charged through the 110-pound bracket, outscoring her opponents, 30-0. Realin registered a fall (1:18), technical fall (10-0), and a decision (11-8) to advance to the 138-point championship. In the finals, Realin registered a 14-3 technical fall to claim the Blue Hose Challenge title.

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.

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.

UP NEXT
Iowa has a week off before returning to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 7. The Hawkeyes host Oklahoma State and No. 5 Colorado Mesa for a pair of duals. The competition is set to begin at 2 p.m. (CT). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth. They can be purchased on hawkeyesports.com.