Notes: #5 Colorado Mesa, Oklahoma State

THIS WEEK
The top-ranked University of Iowa women’s wrestling team returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, hosting No. 5 Colorado Mesa and Oklahoma State (club team). The visitors will face of in a dual at 2 p.m. (CT) before Iowa takes the mat against Colorado State at approximately 2:30 p.m. The Hawkeyes and Cowgirls will follow at approximately 3 p.m.

FOLLOW ALONG
The event will be streamed live on B1G+, while live stats will be available on FloWrestling. The home duals will also be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Steven Grace on the call.

SCOUTING COLORADO MESA
Colorado Mesa is currently ranked No. 5 nationally. The Mavericks are 3-0 in dual competition this season, including wins over Snow College (40-5), Texas Women’s University (38-6), and Vanguard University (45-4). Colorado Mesa has six nationally ranked wrestlers, including No. 8 Mia Zuniga (103), No. 9 Adriana Gomez (110), No. 6 Isabella Morales (117), No. 2 Lorianna Piestewa (124), No. 6 Gretchen Donally (145), and No. 4 Jayleen Sekona (207).

MISSOURI VALLEY OPEN RECAP
Iowa crowned three champions at the Missouri Valley Open on Nov. 22. Nine Hawkeyes registered top-three finishes.

Karlee Brooks claimed the 131-pound title, defeating teammate Emily Frost in a close, 2-1, decision in the championship bout. At 138 pounds, senior Skye Realin registered a 10-0 technical fall over Quincy’s Julia Chambers to win the title. Reese Larramendy outscored her opponents 49-2 en route to a the 145-pound championship.

Six Hawkeyes finished in the top three at their weights. They include: Sterling Dias (103, 3rd), Valarie Solorio (103, 2nd), Ava Bayless (110, 3rd), Nyla Valencia (110, 2nd), Emily Frost (131, 2nd), Jaycee Foeller (207, 2nd)

OPEN CHAMPIONS
Eleven different Hawkeyes have claimed a total of 17 open titles this season. Senior Skye Realin leads the team with three titles (Waldorf, Blue Hose, Missouri Valley Open).

Four Hawkeyes have two titles on the season. They include: Valarie Solorio (Luther Hill, Blue Hose), Cali Leng (Luther Hill, Waldorf), Karlee Brooks (Luther Hill, Missouri Valley), and Reese Larramendy (Blue Hose, Missouri Valley).

SKYE’S THE LIMIT
Skye Realin entered the national rankings this week. She is the No. 3 wrestler at 138 pounds. The senior is a perfect 16-0 on the season, including a win over then third-ranked Carina Giangeruso of Presbyterian. Realin has captured three open championships this season, including the Waldorf University open, the Blue Hose Challenge, and the Missouri Valley Open.

A FORCE AT 145
Reese Larramendy is the No. 2 ranked wrestler at 145 pounds. This season, Larramendy is a perfect 13-0. Nine of her 13 victories have come via technical falls. The junior is outscoring her opponents 114-3.

VALENCIA RETURNS
Nyla Valencia entered the 110-pound rankings this week. The junior is the No. 2 wrestler at 110 pounds. This season, she is 9-1 on the year with ranked wins over No. 3 Chloe Dearwester (Presbyterian), No. 1 Ava Bayless (Iowa), and No. 7 Trinity Pendergrass (Quincy). Valencia’s only loss of the season came to Gabriele Tedesco (Dec. 4-3) who is now the No. 1 ranked wrestler at 110. Valencia is outscoring her opponents 71-4.

UNDEFEATED ON THE MAT
The Hawkeyes are undefeated in dual competition. In the program’s three seasons, the Hawkeyes are 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 nine weight classes.
- Two Hawkeyes are ranked No. 1 in their weight class. Karlee Brooks is the No. 1 ranked wrestler at 131 pounds, and Kennedy Blades is the top-ranked wrestler at 160.
- No. 2 Valarie Solorio (103), No. 2 Nyla Valencia (110), No. 4 Brianna Gonzalez (117), No. 6 Cali Leng (124), No. 3 Skye Realin (138), No. 2 Reese Larramendy (145), and No. 2 Jaycee Foeller (207) round out the Hawkeye rankings.

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 this weekend, 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
The Hawkeyes travel to Waukee, Iowa, for a match up with Grand View on Dec. 11. The dual will begin at 8:15 p.m. (CT) and will air live on Iowa PBS.