While fans and spectators were excited to watch the Hawkeye women’s wrestling team return to action, all eyes were glued on Kennedy Blades as she stepped on the mat for the first time in her collegiate career.
In her first competition since the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, in which she won a silver medal, Blades established herself quickly as one of the most dominant presences in women’s wrestling.
The silver medalist needed just 78 seconds to secure victories in the first two rounds.
Blades notched her first win as a Hawkeye over Cornell College’s Emma Stevenson 40 seconds into the first period via fall.
She didn’t slow down against Alexa Valdez from Quincy University. After a quick takedown from Blades, she used the two-point leg lace to rack up points, earning a technical fall victory and advancing to the semifinals.
Off the mat and between sessions, Blades has a bubbly and happy-go-lucky personality with everyone, taking pictures with fans and cheering on her teammates. But once she starts her warm-up process for the next competition, Blades increases her intensity and starts “going for the kill” on her opponents.
“It’s just that super competitive part I have,” Blades said. “Off the mat, it is such an easy switch, and I just love that I am like that.”
Blades continued that competitive drive in her first semifinal appearance as a Hawkeye. Even with the increase of talent in which she would face Northern Michigan’s Sophia Bassino, Blades continued to make easy work.
A fast takedown and constant pressure on the ground gave Blades another 10-0 technical fall win and stamped herself into the 160-pound championship.
In the final round of the event, Blades would take on a familiar foe in first-year Rose Cassioppi of the Hawkeyes for a chance to earn her first collegiate tournament win.
It’s hard for anyone to face their teammate in competition, but Blades took it as another form of team practice. She and Cassioppi are frequent sparring partners when training in Iowa City. So when the opening whistle started, Blades took it as an opportunity for both athletes to improve.
“Me and Rose, we practice with each other so much in the wrestling room,” Blades said. “When we shook hands, I said to myself that it’s just like practice. Just keep working on what you are working on and go have fun.”
Blades capped off her impressive debut by edging Cassioppi in a first-period technical fall victory.
Despite the immediate success Blades has seen since coming to Iowa, she is always trying to improve her craft. Being under the guidance of head coach Clarissa Chun has given Blades more opportunities to fine-tune her skills and grow in aspects of the game she never expected to.
“We work on things that I don’t even think about,” Blades said. “The one thing that surprised me, but in a very good way, was that we actually work on getting off our back. I don’t remember the last time I did that. The fact that we are practicing small things, thinking about being a huge impact, is what makes it really special.”