Bearcats Claim History: McKendree Wins First-Ever NCAA Women’s Wrestling Team Title Over Iowa

McKendree outlasted Iowa for the first NCAA Women’s team title 171-166. Both teams had three champs. (Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestler Are Warriors). 

When the dust settled Saturday night, March 7, at the inaugural 2026 NCAA Women’s Wrestling
Championships, team-champion McKendree and runner-up and host Iowa both finished with
three national champs. And, third-place North Central had one of the other four.
McKendree rolled up big team points putting all 10 on the All-American stand after Friday night’s
evening session, and led by eight and half points going into the finals. They had five finalists
and all three Bearcats who were favored won, Yu Sakamoto (117 pounds), Cameron Guerin
(131) and Tristan Kelly. The now five-time national champ Guerin survived a 5-5 criteria decision
against Alexis Janiak of Aurora.
The Hawkeyes went three for four in the finals, with Valarie Solorio (103), Kennedy Blades (160)
and Kylie Welker (180) all taking home championship belts from the historic event.
North Central got their title in dramatic fashion, as second-seeded Bella Mir pinned Iowa’s No. 1
Reese Larramendy, her former teammate, in 2:26. It was Larramendy’s (39-0) first loss of the
season, and Mir’s opportunity to avenge a season-opening loss to the Hawkeye in the All-Star
match.
“I don’t think it’s settled in yet,” McKendree coach Alexio Garcia said of winning the historic team
title. “In January, we lost the National Duals (to North Central in the finals). It wasn’t our time yet.
We knew where we were at in the season. All the little things had to become a lot more
significant. We had to lock in, that included the nine assistant coaches we have, and the 32 girls
in the room. It’s was 24/7 and it paid off.”
He added that winning the 10 All-American honors was just an indicator of what a complete
team the Bearcats had. “I was proud of all 10 of them. They came out and wrestled well. You
take one out, and it doesn’t happen”
Iowa coach Clarrisa Chun said the team was disappointed they didn’t achieve their ultimate goal
of winning the title, but said she was especially proud of the type of young ladies on the
Hawkeye team.
“We didn’t get the outcome we were striving for. McKendree put up a (heck) of a fight. Cheers to
them. That’s sport. I hope our women can win with grace and lose with grace. It’s about their
individual character and our team collective character. It’s about what our program represents
and the type of people we’re trying to build,” she said. “They’re are a special group. They’re a lot
of fun. They know how to get to work but they also know how to enjoy each other.”
North Central coach Joe Norton was pleased that the non-scholarship Division III team
competed well with schools like Iowa and McKendree, and finished with seven All-Americans.
“They did a good job. We’re going toe to toe with two teams that have 10 full rides and we have
zero full rides. We do more with less better than anybody else. We want to win. But our girls
come, and they’re the best “team” here, and that’s what we want them to be. And we’re happy
with that,” he said.
Norton said finalists Mir and Riley Rayome’s performances on the weekend were impressive.
“Bella (Mir) was awesome and rose to the occasion (winning the title by fall at 145). For Riley
Rayome as a freshman to do that, to wrestle (McKendree’s) Yu Sakamoto as a world champ in
that position that way was incredible,” he said.

2026 NCAA NATIONAL COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Coralville, Iowa, March 7, 2026
Attendance
Fourth session attendance – 2,383
Third session attendance – 2,166
Second session attendance – 2,047
First session attendance – 1,991
Total attendance, all four sessions  – 8,587

NCAA Season Awards
Most Technical Falls – 21 technical falls in 56:59 – Reese Larramendy, Iowa
Most Falls – 24 falls in 38:55 – Zoey Haines, Eastern
Most Dominant – Audrey Jimenez, Lehigh

Placement Matches, Finals started at 138
138 pounds
138 – Katerina Lange (Grand Valley St.)  dec. Claire DiCugno (North Central, IL), 4-1
3rd – Haylie Jaffe (McKendree) dec. Lilly Luft (Iowa), 5-3
5th – Kylie Rule (Wartburg) dec. Jacinda Espinosa (Lindenwood), 7-2
7th – Aine Moffit (Augustana, IL) dec. Ruby Julien-Newsom (King, TN), 8-1

145 pounds
1st – Bella Mir (North Central, IL) fall Reese Larramendy (Iowa), 2:26
3rd – Liv Wieber (Simon Fraser) fall Madeline Kubicki (Presbyterian), 1:45
5th – Annelise Obermark (Simpson) dec. Alexandra Szkotnicki (McKendree), 11-10
7th – Margaret Buurma (Grand Valley St.) dec. Zoey Haines (Eastern), 15-7

160 pounds
1st – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) fall Tiffani Baublitz (East Stroudsburg), 1:19
3rd – Stella Steigler (King, TN) dec. Savannah Gomez (McKendree), 5-0
5th – May Cuyler (Presbyterian) fall Love Daley (Sacred Heart), 4:09)
7th – Keeley Kehrli (Simpson) fall Noelle Gaffney (Grand Valley St.), 2:44

180 pounds
1 st  – Kylie Welker (Iowa) tech. fall Destiny Rodriguez (McKendree), 11-0, 3:00
3rd – Shenita Lawson (North Central, IL) dec. Isabella Renfro (Fort Hays St.), 7-2
5th – Isabella Phillips (Gannon) dec. Azariah Moore (Lock Haven), 7-2
7th – Paige Maher (Simon Fraser) fall Mia Gaetjens (Adrian) 34-11, 1:24

207 pounds
1st – Tristan Kelly (McKendree) tech fall Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley St.), 11-0, 3:43
3rd – Rewa Chababo (Wartburg) dec. Katja Osteen (Iowa), 2-1
5th – Jayleen Sekona (Colorado Mesa) fall Caroline Ward (North Central, IL), 2:52
7th – Maria Aiono (Presbyterian) dec. Josephine Larson (Sacred Heart), 4-1

103 pounds
1st – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) tech fall Rayana Sahagun (Grand Valley St.), 13-1, 5:06
3rd – Genesis Ramirez (Aurora) 36-9 won by decision over Madison Avila (North Central (IL))
29-12 (Dec 6-5)

5th – Trinity Pendergrass (Quincy) 24-13 won by decision over Heather Crull (McKendree) 32-6
(Dec 11-10)
7th – Alexis Winecke (Wis.-Stevens Point) 42-12 won by decision over Mia Zuniga (Colorado
Mesa) 23-9 (Dec 11-9)

110 pounds
1st – Audrey Jimenez (Lehigh) fall Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley St.), 1:50
3rd – Gabriele Tedesco (McKendree) medical forfeit Nyla Valencia (Iowa)
5th – Teegan Sibble (East Stroudsburg) inj dft. Chloe Dearwester (Presbyterian), 0:00
7th – Avery Kibelbek (King, TN) tech fall Adriana Gomez (Colorado Mesa), 10-0, 3:38

117 pounds
1st – Yu Sakamoto (McKendree) dec. Riley Rayome (North Central, IL), 14-3
3rd – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) dec. Karissa Turnwall (Emmanuel, GA), 4-2
5th – Carleigh Czerneski (Adrian) dec. Jenna Anderson (Presbyterian), 7-4
7th – Abigail Cooper (Lehigh) dec. Gable Hemann (Wartburg), 7-1

124 pounds
1st – Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Quincy) tech fall Shelby Moore (McKendree), 10-0, 5:49
3rd – Sara Sterner (North Central, IL) dec. Lorianna Piestewa (Colorado Mesa), 10-5
5th – Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley St.) tech fall Virginia Foard (King, TN), 10-0, 2:29
7th – Savannah Witt (Eastern) dec. Alyssa Mahan (Presbyterian), 11-4

131 pounds
1st – Cameron Guerin (McKendree) dec. Alexis Janiak (Aurora), 5-5
3rd – Aubre Krazer (Lehigh) fall Cassia Zammit (West Liberty), 2:48
5th – Abigail Mozden (Mount Union) tech fall Janida Garcia (Emmanuel, GA), 0:19
7th – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) tech fall Makayla Paclib (Pitt.-Johnstown), 10-0, 3:28

Team Standings
1            McKendree       171.0
2            Iowa     166.0
3            North Central (IL)           123.5
4            Grand Valley St.             110.5
5            Presbyterian     83.5
6            Lehigh 54.5
7            King (TN)            45.5
8            Colorado Mesa               41.5
9            Quincy 41.0
10          East Stroudsburg           40.0
11          Wartburg           39.5
12          Simon Fraser    37.5
13          Aurora 33.5
14          Emmanuel (GA)              29.5
15          Sacred Heart    21.5
16          Adrian 21.0
17          Simpson            20.5
18          Eastern              20.0
19          Fort Hays St.     19.5
20          West Liberty     18.0
21          Mount Union     15.0

22          Lock Haven       14.5
23          Gannon              13.5
24          Augustana (IL) 10.5
25          Lindenwood      10.0
26          Western New Eng.         9.0
27          Delaware St.     8.5
28          Wis.-Stevens Point        7.0
29          York      5.5
30          Felician              5.0
31          William Jewell 4.5
32          Chadron St.      4.0
32          Pitt.-Johnstown              4.0
34          Dubuque           3.5
35          Bridgeport         3.0
35          Mount Olive      3.0
35          Norwich             3.0
35          Tiffin     3.0
39          Frostburg St      2.5
39          New England Col.          2.5
39          Northern Mich.               2.5
39          Ursinus              2.5
43          Ill. Wesleyan     1.0
44          D`Youville         0.5
44          Elmira 0.5