CORALVILLE, Iowa — On March 6-7, capping off a season that has seen a 14-1 dual record and over 30 champions crowned at various invitationals, Coralville’s Xtream Arena will host Iowa as one of 52 different programs vying for the title of NCAA National Champions.
Thursday’s press conference, held at the same arena, gave various athletes, coaches, and organizers the chance to share thoughts and information relating to the historic event, which will feature 180 participating student-athletes from six NCAA Regional Qualifiers.
“We’re very, very excited about this event,” Luke Eustice, Director of the Iowa City Area Sports Commission, said at the conference. “We are pleased, we’re proud, all those adjectives, to host this tournament. We think we’ll do a really good job. [The] NCAA has been great.”
In addition to Eustice and Iowa Associate Athletics Director for Communications Steve Roe, four student athletes and four coaches were given the opportunity to give statements and answer questions during the conference.
Cameron Guerin of McKendree, Audrey Jimenez of Lehigh, Katie Lange of Grand Valley State, and Kylie Welker of Iowa represented the student-athlete portion of the event.
“I think it’s really special,” Welker said. “I’ve been a part of a lot of firsts, and our program has been a first in a lot of different areas. I think just stepping out there knowing that we continue to make history and bring barriers down is really special.”
A redshirt junior, Welker captured the title at 180 pounds at the Regional Qualifiers in Indianola, Iowa, punching her ticket to Coralville in doing so. Now, the Franksville, Wisconsin, native is 17-0 on the season and seeded first at 180, set to face off against sophomore Genevieve An of Lehigh on Friday.
“I think my coaches do a really good job of just telling us to be present, but also taking one thing at a time, one match at a time, one opponent at a time,” Welker said. “I think that’s really big, no matter who steps across the line. Whether it’s here, whether it’s at the World Championships, wherever I am, I’m going to take every match just as seriously.”
Those coaches include program head coach Clarissa Chun, who was named to the role on Nov. 18, 2021.
“I just really want our women to go out there, enjoy these moments, have fun, and be true to who they are,” Chun said. “[If] they present themselves and their style of wrestling on the mat, then the outcome will take care of itself. It’s a great weekend to celebrate women’s wrestling.”
The first session of the inaugural NCAA National Championships will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, as 10 Hawkeye wrestlers, among 180 total participants, aim to write their names in the history books.