The Open Mat

xtreamfeature
Photo: Joseph Cress/Think Iowa City

NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships returning to Coralville

Coralville, Iowa, is keeping women's college wrestling's biggest weekend. The 2027 NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships will return to Xtream Arena on March 5-6.

More

Recent Articles

Featured Content

perez1200

NAIA All-American Perez signs with Iowa State

Iowa State women's wrestling has added a proven NAIA commodity to its growing roster, signing 110-pound transfer Avy Perez out of William Penn. She joins what head coach Alli St. John has quietly assembled into one of the most credential-laden inaugural rosters in women's college wrestling history.
castrofeature

Waynesburg names Castro head women's wrestling coach

Waynesburg University has named Leilah Castro as head women's wrestling coach, director of athletics Tim Fusina announced. Castro comes to Waynesburg after two seasons as an assistant at Otterbein, where she helped build the women's wrestling program from the ground up in its first two years of existence.
ncaamat2025

NCAA approves five-year eligibility model

The NCAA Division I Cabinet unanimously approved a sweeping eligibility overhaul Tuesday, granting all D-I athletes five years of competition while eliminating redshirt seasons and injury waivers under the new framework.

Recent Content

xtreamfeature

NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships returning to Coralville

Coralville, Iowa, is keeping women's college wrestling's biggest weekend. The 2027 NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships will return to Xtream Arena on March 5-6.
perez1200

NAIA All-American Perez signs with Iowa State

Iowa State women's wrestling has added a proven NAIA commodity to its growing roster, signing 110-pound transfer Avy Perez out of William Penn. She joins what head coach Alli St. John has quietly assembled into one of the most credential-laden inaugural rosters in women's college wrestling history.
edwards

Concord University names Edwards first head women's wrestling coach

Concord University has named Bill Edwards as its first head women's wrestling coach, athletic director Luke Duffy announced Tuesday. Edwards comes to Concord after serving as head wrestling coach at Abingdon High School in Abingdon, Virginia, since 2019.
castrofeature

Waynesburg names Castro head women's wrestling coach

Waynesburg University has named Leilah Castro as head women's wrestling coach, director of athletics Tim Fusina announced. Castro comes to Waynesburg after two seasons as an assistant at Otterbein, where she helped build the women's wrestling program from the ground up in its first two years of existence.
ncaamat2025

NCAA approves five-year eligibility model

The NCAA Division I Cabinet unanimously approved a sweeping eligibility overhaul Tuesday, granting all D-I athletes five years of competition while eliminating redshirt seasons and injury waivers under the new framework.
phillipsfeature

Bellevue University signs NJCAA national champs Phillips and Rubio

Bellevue University's inaugural women's wrestling recruiting class is taking shape. The Bruins have signed a pair of NJCAA national champions in Keyahna Phillips and Rosalia Rubio.
mcenelly1200

NCAA champ McEnelly takes on UFC fighter, PSU great Nickal at RAF 12

2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly will face Bo Nickal in a light heavyweight freestyle bout at Real American Freestyle Wrestling's RAF 12 on Aug. 22 in Cleveland, Ohio.
workingerfeature

Workinger named head women's wrestling coach at Big Bend

Big Bend Community College has named Shannon Workinger as head coach of its women's wrestling program. Workinger is an NAIA national finalist and three-time All-American, competing for Menlo and Evergreen State.
kirk

Mission College names Kirk head coach for inaugural wrestling season

Mission College has named Dustin Kirk as head coach of its inaugural wrestling program, the school announced. Kirk will lead both the men's and women's programs when they begin competing in the 2026-27 season.
poalillofeature

Iowa State secures commitment from U17 world medalist Poalillo

Iowa State women's wrestling has secured a commitment from one of the nation's top high school wrestlers, landing New Jersey standout Ella Poalillo. Poalillo, a U17 world medalist, enters her senior season as one of the premier recruits in the Class of 2027.
jumokefeature

Two-time NAIA national champ Adekoye transfers to Iowa State

Iowa State women's wrestling has added another proven collegiate champion, securing a commitment from two-time NAIA national champion Jumoke Adekoye of Dickinson State.
prescottfeature

Prescott resigns as Central Methodist head women's wrestling coach

Tim Prescott has resigned as head women's wrestling coach at Central Methodist University after two seasons leading the Eagles program, he announced Monday.
wisconsincoaches

Wisconsin announces coaching staff changes

Wisconsin wrestling head coach Chris Bono has announced staffing changes within the program, promoting Tony Cassioppi to associate head coach, elevating Garrett Model to assistant coach and adding recent graduate Joe Zargo as a coaching assistant.
kolawolefeature

Iowa State lands Olympian, two-time NAIA national champ Kolawole

The Iowa State women's wrestling program added another major piece to its rapidly growing roster, securing a commitment from Olympian and two-time NAIA national champion Esther Kolawole. Kolawole transfers to Iowa State from William Penn, where she established herself as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in NAIA women's wrestling.
gomez

Iowa State adds McKendree transfer Persaeus Gomez

Iowa State women's wrestling has added its second McKendree transfer, securing a commitment from Persaeus Gomez, head coach Alli St. John announced. She was ranked as a top-20 recruit in the Class of 2024.
174feature

TCNJ's Mays vacates 174-pound NCAA Division III national title

Hunter Mays' 174-pound championship at the 2026 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships has been erased from the record books. TCNJ Athletics confirmed Tuesday that the NCAA has declared Mays ineligible due to a violation of NCAA policy, resulting in the vacation of his individual championship.
gabriellagomezfeature

Gabriella Gomez transfers to Iowa State after one season at McKendree

Iowa State women's wrestling continues to build one of the most impressive inaugural rosters in the sport. Gabriella Gomez, a three-time Illinois state champion and 2022 U17 world silver medalist, has transferred from national champion McKendree to join head coach Alli St. John's program as it builds toward its first NCAA season in 2027-28.
columbiafeature

Columbia adds women's wrestling as varsity sport

Columbia University will add women's wrestling as its 32nd varsity sport beginning with the 2027-28 academic year, the school announced Wednesday. The Lions will become the first Ivy League institution to sponsor the sport at the varsity level.
garciafeature

Life University adds NCAA All-American Garcia

Life University women's wrestling has added NCAA All-American Janida Garcia to its roster. Garcia placed sixth at 131 pounds at the inaugural NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships in March at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, competing for Emmanuel University.
P S A C

PSAC adds women's wrestling as 24th championship sport

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has announced that women's wrestling will become its 24th championship sport beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. The PSAC Board of Directors approved the addition during its annual meeting in May.
allenfeature

Iowa State signs four-time undefeated state champ Allen

Iowa State women's wrestling has landed one of the most decorated young wrestlers in the country. Molly Allen, a highly ranked recruit from the Class of 2025, has signed with the Cyclones. Allen spent the 2025-26 season competing with the Oklahoma State Cowgirls Wrestling Club.
booe

Northland names Booe head men's wrestling coach

Northland Community & Technical College has named Storm Booe as head men's wrestling coach. Booe brings a diverse coaching background to the Pioneers program.
bladesfeature

Blades ends Iowa career to focus on RAF, Olympic gold pursuit

Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades announced Friday that she is ending her college wrestling career at Iowa and will join Real American Freestyle (RAF) full-time, shifting her focus toward pursuing Olympic gold.