Iowa women

I know it’s hard to follow up on winning a national championship, but the Hawkeye women have done that already. The program started in 2023 and has been dominant from the start, winning back-to-back national championships.

Beginning this season, women’s wrestling is now an NCAA Championship sport. The competition might not seem great when Iowa is facing small schools like Colorado Mesa or North Central, but the talent is still there. 

I believe with full confidence the Hawkeyes will be hoisting the national championship trophy at Xtream Arena in Coralville again this year. Head coach Clarissa Chun is bringing back plenty of talent, with 11 of 15 2024-25 All-Americans returning this year. 

Iowa returns two undefeated national champions from last year, too. Olympic and World medalist Kennedy Blades and two-time national champion Kylie Welker provide a lethal one-two punch at 160 and 180 pounds, respectively.

The Hawkeyes also have plenty of talent waiting to climb the ranks to a starting position. Second-years Rianne Murphy and Val Solorio provide a huge advantage after solid first-year seasons last year. Murphy finished with a 32-4 record and was an All-American after finishing third in the NCWWC National Championships at 103 pounds, and Solorio posted a 23-9 record last season.

The combination of returning veterans and young talent climbing the depth chart will likely lead to another national championship for
the Hawkeyes.

Iowa men

Men’s wrestling will have a better season this year. The Hawkeyes look to build on an impressive 14-1 run last season, with new and returning talent stepping up to lead the charge.

Returning to action are program veterans like Drake Ayala, last year’s Big Ten and NCAA runner-up at 133, who also boasted a 12-3 record against ranked opponents. 

Ayala is joined by 5-foot-8 powerhouse Michael Caliendo who, at 165 pounds, is 52-9 overall in just two seasons with Iowa. The best part? These are just two members of the Hawkeyes’ 32-man roster. Iowa has four first-years rounding out a promising group of newcomers
this year. 

Leister Bowling IV joins the program with two state titles from a monumental high school career in Longmont, Colorado, while Ty Miller contributes a state champion and state runner-up title from his final two seasons in North
Olmstead, Ohio.

Iowa women’s wrestling obviously had a more successful season last year, sporting a perfect 19-0 record and capturing a national title within five years of its conception, but that doesn’t guarantee immediate success this year. 

In fact, with men’s wrestling facing a gauntlet of tougher opponents, such as Penn State and Nebraska — the latter now in possession of AJ Ferrari — the Hawkeye men have more chances to make a bigger name
for themselves. 

I cannot overstate how dangerous it is to rely on last season’s results when making a decision between these two teams. In fact, the graduation of program veterans Nanea Estrella and Macey Kilty actually makes this season more of an uphill battle for women’s wrestling, while the men’s program returns the aforementioned Ayala, Caliendo, and many others.

Any slight improvement on last season could easily pave the way to a men’s national title and even more postseason accolades. The women are working with more from last season, but the men have more room for growth and the right team to do it. Expect them to make a massive run.