Notes: Waldorf University Open

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s wrestling team travels to Forest City, Iowa, to compete in the Waldorf University Open on Saturday, Nov. 8. Bouts begin at 9 a.m. (CT).

FOLLOW ALONG
The Waldorf University Open will be streamed on FloWrestling. Links to the live stream and live stats are available on the Iowa women’s wrestling schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.

ON THE MAT
Ten Hawkeyes will make the trip to the Waldorf University Open. They include: Sterling Dias (103), No. 2 Rianne Murphy (103), No. 1 Ava Bayless (110), No. 5 Cali Leng (124), Ava Rose (124), Emily Frost (131), Mia Goodwin (131), No. 9 Skye Realin (138), Danni Swihart (138), and Libby Dix (207).

LUTHER HILL OPEN RECAP
Iowa opened the season at the Luther Hill Open on Nov. 1. Four Hawkeyes won individual titles, and eight wrestlers recorded top-three finishes.

Valarie Solorio claimed the 103-pound title, outscoring her opponents 52-5. Harlee Hiller won at 117 pounds with three pins and a technical fall. At 124, Cali Leng earned the championship with two technical falls, while Karlee Brooks captured the 131-pound crown with two technical falls and a pin.

ALL-IOWA DUALS RECAP
The Hawkeyes put on a show in their home opener, notching two wins over Central College (44-0) and Cornell College (43-0). Iowa registered five pins and 13 technical falls. Ten of Iowa’s wins were registered in under one minute.

GUESS WHO’S BACK?!
Redshirt junior Nyla Valencia officially made her Hawkeye debut on Saturday after battling injuries the last two seasons. The Morgan Hill, California, native got the technical fall (10-0) over Cornell’s Angelica Benitez in just 34-seconds.

HAWKEYE DEBUTS
Four Iowa freshmen made their Hawkeye debuts last weekend: Harlee Hiller, Isabella Marie Gonzales, Bella Williams, and Libby Dix. Hiller went a perfect 7-0 on the weekend, registering four pins and two technical falls. Williams, a native of Edmond, Oklahoma, recorded two pins and two technical falls on the weekend. Her only loss was a 4-0 decision to Iowa’s Karlee Brooks.

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. 2 Rianne Murphy (103), No. 4 Brianna Gonzalez (117), No. 5 Cali Leng (124), No. 9 Skye Realin (131), No. 5 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 its 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.

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 South Carolina for a pair of matchups on Nov. 15-16. Iowa takes on fifth-ranked Presbyterian in the Throwdown on the Yorktown in Charleston, South Carolina, on Nov. 15, before heading to the Blue Hose Challenge in Clinton, South Carolina, on Sunday.