The Open Mat presents awards annually in three categories for each division of college wrestling at the conclusion of the season. Awards are presented for Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year and Wrestler of the Year.

Sabrina Nauss was one of the nation's top high school wrestling recruits in the Class of 2024.

The five-time Fargo champion and four-time Michigan state titlist made an immediate impact in her first season at Grand Valley State, reaching the national finals at 180 pounds.

On Thursday, Nauss was honored as the 2025 NCAA Women's Freshman of the Year by the Open Mat.

Nauss showed that she is among the nation's best college wrestlers at 180 pounds in her very first college wrestling tournament. She captured a title at the Missouri Valley Open in November. Nauss won by technical fall over returning All-American Madison Sandquist of Sacred Heart in the quarterfinals, pinned U23 world silver medalist Vianne Rouleau of Alberta in the semifinals and then closed out her tournament with an 8-4 victory over U20 world bronze medalist Naomi Simon of Iowa.

She was dominant at her first regional tournament, winning the title at 180 pounds with three technical falls. Nauss outscored her opponents 32-2, which included a 12-2 finals victory over North Central's Shenita Lawson, one of only three wrestlers to defeat the GVSU freshman this season.

Nauss earned the No. 2 seed at the 2025 NCWWC National Championships at 180 pounds. She pinned her first three opponents to secure a spot in the semifinals. In the semifinals, she faced a familiar opponent, Lawson, for the fourth time this season. Nauss topped her North Central rival in a high scoring affair, 17-14, to earn a spot in the national finals. In the finals, Nauss lost by technical fall to Iowa's Kylie Welker, a senior world bronze medalist and U23 world champion.

She finished the season with a 26-3 record. Of her 26 wins, 15 came by fall and eight by technical fall.