The No. 2 Iowa women’s wrestling team kicks off the season on Saturday, traveling to Indianola, Iowa, where it will compete in the 2024 Luther Hill Open.
Simpson College will play host to 28 other teams, including the Hawkeyes. Outside of Iowa, some notable ranked teams competing in this year’s invitational include No. 21 William Jewell College and No. 24 Northern Michigan University.
Iowa and William Jewell are familiar with each other after competing in last year’s Soldier Salute in Coralville, Iowa.
The Cardinals finished in sixth place in the event with second-year Alex Waitsman taking home a top finish in the 123-pound weight class.
Fourth-year Athena Willden also placed high for William Jewell, snagging a fourth-place finish after topping Iowa’s second-year wrestler Ella Schmit.
The Cardinals capped off last season’s campaign by sending two competitors to the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.
Northern Michigan was successful the previous year in the program’s third season. The Wildcats went 2-0 in dual matches and took fourth place in the NCWWC regionals — sending three athletes to the championships in the process.
The event starts at 9:00 a.m. with weight-ins starting two hours prior.
Iowa is coming off of an impressive inaugural season after going 16-0 in dual matches and winning the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship. In the NCWWC, the Hawkeyes had six champions and 12 All-Americans.
The Hawkeyes are returning a handful of talent from last year’s campaign — one of which is second-year Kylie Welker. Competing in the 170-pound weight class, Welker went 23-0 as a redshirt freshman and beat all four ranked individuals she faced. Her impressive performances were enough to earn her the 2024 Open Mat NCAA Women’s Wrestler of the Year.
Iowa will return eight other All-Americans for this year’s team.
Additionally, Iowa head coach Clarissa Chun was able to add a handful of skilled freshmen and transfers.
This will be the anticipated collegiate debut for third-year transfer Kennedy Blades. Before starting her Hawkeye career, Blades spent time in Paris, France, competing in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and earning a silver medal in the 76-kilogram freestyle.
Blades was initially recruited by Chun in 2021 but decided to attend Arizona State and compete at the club level.
Another Hawkeye making her first start is Naomi Simon. Simon was a four-time Iowa High School State Champion from Decorah. She recently competed in the 2024 U20 World Championships, where she snagged a third-place finish.
Up next
Iowa will continue its travels away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena after its trip to Indianola.
The Hawkeyes compete on Nov. 8 and 9 in Marietta, Georgia, to take on Life College. The weekend competition starts Friday with a dual against the Running Eagles. Following this will be the Eagle Madness Open on Saturday.