Notes: Grand View Open, For Her Duals

THIS WEEK
The top-ranked University of Iowa women’s wrestling team returns to the mat for a pair of competitions this weekend. On Saturday, Iowa travels to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Grand View Open. On Sunday, Iowa will compete at the For Her Duals at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

FOLLOW ALONG
The Grand View Open will be streamed live on FloWrestling, while the For Her Duals will be streamed on B1G+. Links to the live streams and live stats can be found on the Iowa women’s wrestling schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.

GRAND VIEW OPEN
Twenty-three Hawkeyes will make the trip to Des Moines for the Grand View Open. They include: Sterling Dias, Rianne Murphy, Valarie Solorio, Nyla Valencia, Ava Bayless, Harlee Hiller, Isabella Marie Gonzales, Cali Leng, Ava Rose, Karlee Brooks, Emily Frost, Mia Goodwin, Bella Williams, Lilly Luft, Skye Realin, Ella Schmit, Cadence Diduch, Reese Larramendy, Kylie Welker, Libby Dix, Jaycee Foeller, Katja Osteen, and Sam Calkins.

FOR HER DUALS
The Hawkeyes will face three other NCAA teams at the For Her Duals on Sunday. Iowa will take on Ursinus at 10:30 a.m. (CT). Matches against No. 17 William Jewell and No. 2 McKendree will follow. After the NCAA round robin concludes, the Hawkeyes will face either Life, William Penn, Indiana Tech, or Ottawa in the final round.

HAWKEYES CROWN 8 AT MIKE DUROE INVITE
Iowa crowned eight champions at the CK Mike Duroe Invitational on Jan. 17. Twenty Hawkeyes collected top-five finishes. Valarie Solorio (103), Nyla Valencia (110), Harlee Hiller (117), Cali Leng (124), Karlee Brooks (131), Lilly Luft (138), Reese Larramendy (145), and Katja Osteen (207) all won their brackets.

IN THE RANKINGS
- Iowa is ranked No. 1 nationally in the latest (Jan. 16) National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll.
- The Hawkeyes have a ranked wrestler in all 10 weight classes.
- Five Hawkeyes are ranked No. 1 in their weight class. They include: Valarie Solorio (103), Karlee Brooks (131), Reese Larramendy (145), Kennedy Blades (160), and Kylie Welker (180).
- No. 3 Nyla Valencia, No. 5 Brianna Gonzalez, No. 7 Cali Leng, No. 2 Skye Realin, and No. 5 Jaycee Foeller round out the rankings for the Hawkeyes.

SKYE’S THE LIMIT
Skye Realin is the No. 2 wrestler at 138 pounds. The senior is a perfect 18-0 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. She was also a perfect 2-0 at the NWCA National Duals, pinning Sacred Heart’s Elleahna Anderson (2:21), and defeating North Central’s Claire Dicugno (Dec. 6-6).

SHE’S BACK!
Kylie Welker returned to the lineup at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 9-10. The junior went 3-for-3 on the weekend, collecting wins against Sacred Heart’s Madeline Hodges (TF, 10-0), North Central’s Jael Miller (Dec. 8-2), and Grand Valley State’s Maddison Ward (TF, 10-0). Welker made her return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 18, defeating Lehigh’s Genevieve An via technical fall (10-0).

BONUS POINTS FOR BLADES
Kennedy Blades is a perfect 10-0 on the season, winning all 10 of her bouts by technical fall or pin. The senior is outscoring her opponents 75-1. Blades has registered 43 dual points for the Hawkeyes so far this season.

A FORCE AT 145
Second-ranked Reese Larramendy registered the upset victory over No. 1 Bella Mir in the National Duals semifinal on Jan. 10. This season, Larramendy is a perfect 21-0. Fifteen of her 21 victories have come via technical fall or pin. The junior is outscoring her opponents 183-12.

OSTEEN’S BIG DAY
Katja Osteen tore through the 180-pound bracket at the North Central College Invitational on Dec. 14. The senior defeated four ranked opponents on her way to the title, including No. 8 Isabella Phillips (Gannon), No. 5 Mia Gaetjens (Adrian College), No. 6 Abbie Miles (Northern Michigan), and No. 3 Shenita Lawson (North Central).

Osteen then won the 207-pound title at the CK Mike Duroe Invitational on Jan. 17. The senior did not surrender a point in her three wins to take the crown. Osteen is now a perfect 10-0 on the season.

OPEN CHAMPIONS
Thirteen different Hawkeyes have claimed a total of 26 open titles this season. Five Hawkeyes have won three titles on the year. They include: Skye Realin (Waldorf, Blue Hose, Missouri Valley Open), Valarie Solorio (Luther Hill, Blue Hose, Mike Duroe), Cali Leng (Luther Hill, Waldorf, Mike Duroe), Karlee Brooks (Luther Hill, Missouri Valley, Mike Duroe), and Reese Larramendy (Blue Hose, Missouri Valley, Mike Duroe).

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 boasts 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).

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 return to the mat on Feb. 21, traveling to Indianola, Iowa, for the NCAA Regional Championships.