Bayless Named to Allstate NACDA Good Works Team

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa women’s wrestling senior Ava Bayless has been named to the 2025-26 Allstate NACDA Good Works Team (Winter), Allstate and NACDA announced on Wednesday. 

Of 180 nominated student-athletes, Bayless is one of the 20 selected to the team. The Allstate NACDA Good Works Team was created to spotlight and reward student-athletes for their outstanding community service. Honorees include men and women from all NCAA divisions, with student-athletes recognized each season across winter, spring and fall sports. 

Bayless is an honors student currently pursuing a human physiology degree on the pre-med track. Bayless is a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten honoree, NWCA Scholastic All American, and multiple-time Dean’s List and President’s List recipient.

Beyond athletics and academics, Bayless is deeply committed to service. She completed over 40 hours of community engagement in the fall of 2025 and represented UI on both the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee -- serving on the executive committee -- and the Big Ten Student-Athlete Issues Commission. 

Last summer, Bayless traveled to Vietnam for three weeks, serving the community as part of the Coach for College program. She also took on a leadership role with Team IMPACT, organizing the university’s inaugural Team IMPACT 5K. 

The Greenville, Pennsylvania, native is also Iowa’s female campus recipient of the 2025-26 Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community Impact Award.

Bayless and the top-ranked Hawkeyes return to the mat at the NCAA Regional Championships Friday and Saturday in Indianola, Iowa.