Just weeks after a fourth-place finish in her national tournament debut, Iowa women’s  wrestling redshirt junior Nyla Valencia announced she would step away from the sport via an Instagram post on Monday. 

Having missed two consecutive seasons due to injury, the Morgan Hill, California, native ended the 2025-26 campaign with a 26-5 overall record, culminating in a 12-1 technical fall over East Stroudsburg, before a loss to McKendree due to a medical forfeit.

“Shortly after the tournament, I learned I had torn my ACL for the third time in three years — a reality that forced a decision I never expected,” Valencia wrote in the post’s caption. “For now, I’m stepping away from competition to prioritize my health and the life ahead beyond the mat.”

The post has since gained over 1,000 likes and 100 comments from friends, fans, and supporters of the wrestler, among them teammates such as redshirt junior Kylie Welker and sophomore Valarie Solorio, both of whom claimed national titles to end their 2025-26 runs. 

Other teammates included redshirt juniors Reese Larramendy, Sterling Dias, and Ella Schmit.

“Sometimes life asks you to let go of one dream to chase another,” the caption concluded. “So I’ll keep fighting — just on a different stage now. For every athlete who’s been told their body is the limit. For every girl who refuses to quit. For the future of women in sport. For her.”