Iowa women's wrestler Nanea Estrella announces season-ending injury

Iowa women’s wrestler Nanea Estrella announces season-ending injury

The 136-pounder announced the news Thursday afternoon on Instagram.

January 11, 2024

Iowa’s No. 2 136-pound Nanea Estrella waves to the crowd during the Trailblazer Duals between No. 3 Iowa, No. 6 Sacred Heart, No. 13 Presbyterian, and No. 11 Lindenwood at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. Iowa women’s wrestling made history on Sunday, hosting the first women’s wrestling dual in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes defeated Presbyterian, 44-1, Lindenwood, 43-0, and Sacred Heart, 40-4.

Iowa women’s wrestler Nanea Estrella announced Thursday via Instagram that she suffered a season-ending leg injury.

The third-ranked 136-pounder opened the season with a tech fall over East Stroudsburg’s Zoe Gress and a fourth-place finish at the Princeton Open.

She then cruised through Iowa’s first-ever dual meet inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena with three tech falls over wrestlers from Lindenwood, Sacred Heart, and Presbyterian, earning her USA Wrestling’s Athlete of the Week.

Estrella was one of eight Hawkeyes to compete at Senior Nationals from Dec. 15-17, but her tournament was cut short when she medically forfeited her match against Lexi Basham. Estrella has not wrestled since.

“As I work through my recovery, I will continue to carry on the “for her” mindset my team has embedded into our culture and strive to be better for the future athletes of our sport, my resilient team, and for me,” Estrella wrote. “See you on the mat next season, Hawks.”

About the Contributors

Kenna Roering, Sports Editor

she/her/hers

Kenna Roering is The Daily Iowan's sports editor. She is a junior at the University of Iowa majoring in journalism with a minor in sports and recreation management. Kenna previously worked as a sports reporter for men's wrestling and volleyball and was the summer sports editor in 2023. This is her second year with the DI.

Ayrton Breckenridge, Managing Visuals Editor

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Ayrton Breckenridge is the Managing Visuals Editor at The Daily Iowan. He is a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in journalism and cinema. This is his fourth year working for the DI.