CORALVILLE, IA — Iowa women’s wrestling advanced nine athletes to the quarterfinals of the inaugural NCAA National Championships at Xtream Arena. The four falls and five technical falls registered by the Hawkeyes were good for 24.5 team points earned throughout Session I.
Sophomore Valarie Solorio, wrestling for Iowa at 103 pounds, raced out to an early lead over freshman Rebekah Jean-Baptiste of Emmanuel. With 36 seconds left in the first period, Solorio widened the gap to 11-0, securing a win by technical fall to advance.
At 110 pounds, redshirt junior Nyla Valencia squared off against sophomore Kellie Kennedy of Otterbein, Iowa’s first matchup of the day. Entering the tournament 23-3 on the season, Valencia added another win to her tally with a 30-second technical fall.
Redshirt junior Brianna Gonzalez kept Iowa’s momentum rolling at 117 pounds, grabbing an 8-0 lead over Eastern junior Josey Wehr with just 15 seconds to go in the first period. Gonzalez added four more points to her total just as the clock ran out, extending her lead to 12-0 to snag the Hawkeyes’ third technical fall of the day.
At 124 pounds, junior Cali Leng, sporting a 34-7 record on the season, fell to No. 4-seeded Shelby Moore, a junior wrestling for McKendree. Leng took a 1-0 lead to end the first period, but Moore picked up the 1-1 criteria win after evening the score 58 seconds into the second period.
“Cali had a tough first round against Shelby Moore, and she brought the fight,” head coach Clarissa Chun said. “We’ve got to continue bringing the fight for everyone, each match. I think they look good. [We just need] to keep it rolling.”
Redshirt sophomore Karlee Brooks nabbed Iowa’s fourth win of the day, besting freshman Makayla Paclib of Pitt-Johnstown with a 12-2 technical fall in just over five minutes. The Kaneohe, Hawaii, native’s win at 131 pounds was the session’s fourth technical fall for the Hawkeyes.
Wrestling at 138 pounds, junior Lilly Luft closed the deal against freshman Kalyse Hill of Mount Olive with a 2:45 fall, Iowa’s first of the session. Despite neither wrestler scoring for the first 1:39, Luft picked up her last eight points within 10 seconds to secure the 12-0 victory.
“I think every match is an opportunity to go out there and show that you’re dominant,” Luft said. “I don’t think rankings matter. I don’t think it means anything. I think the best one out there is going to win.”
Redshirt junior Reese Larramendy picked up Iowa’s fifth technical fall of the day, besting graduate Nichole Moore of Fort Hays State at 145 pounds in 5:35 to punch her ticket to the quarterfinals.
Senior Kennedy Blades delivered at 160 pounds, pinning her opponent, junior Vida Beckel of Emmanuel, in 2:03, much to the approval of the crowd. Blades’ performance was Iowa’s second and fall in Session I.
At 180 pounds, redshirt junior Kylie Welker grabbed the Hawkeyes their third fall of the session, pinning sophomore Genevieve An of Lehigh in 35 seconds, Iowa’s fastest victory in Session I.
“I’ve been practicing that, so it felt good to be able to execute something I’ve been working on,” Welker said. “I didn’t get my cradle the first time, but [went] back right to it and ended up getting it the second time.”
Iowa’s final wrestler of the session, redshirt senior Katja Osteen, advanced to the quarterfinals at 207 pounds, picking up a 1:13 pin over Felician junior Talisha Lewis to give the Hawkeyes their fourth fall of Session I.
Up next
Iowa’s advancing wrestlers will compete in Session II, set to start later today at Xtream Arena at 4 p.m.