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Iowa women's wrestling to host Oklahoma State in historic matchup

by: Tanner Lafever12 hours agoTannerLafever
Iowa-OKST dual
As has become customary with Iowa/Oklahoma State men's duals, could packed houses be in store for a future women's rivalry between the two wrestling giants? (Photo by: Me)

As we wait for the Iowa women’s wrestling program to officially release its schedule for the 2025-26 season, some news broke Monday regarding one of its upcoming opponents – and it just so happens to be a momentous one at that.

On Sunday, December 7th inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, historic wrestling brands Iowa and Oklahoma State will contest their first-ever women’s dual – with one small catch.

That’s right, one of the sport’s greatest rivalries is set for its inaugural matchup on the women’s side of the ledger.

This was a development I’d had my eye on after doing some ‘schedule sleuthing’ in recent days – and it’s now been confirmed publicly by one of the principal participants:

Joining the Hawkeyes and Cowgirls in Iowa City as part of the tri-dual event will be Colorado Mesa – far from a ‘third wheel’ as it pertains to women’s college wrestling.

The Mavericks have finished fifth place or better at five of their past sixth appearances at the national tournament.

Now, they’ll join two of the most recognizable names in the world’s oldest sport for an incredible (and historic) occasion.

Why is this such big news?

As women’s college wrestling (and women’s wrestling as a whole) continues its explosive growth, one of the biggest questions people often ask is when will other major universities add programs just as Iowa did back in 2021?

At present, only six out of 112 varsity NCAA women’s programs come from Division I:

  • Presbyterian (SC), Sacred Heart (CT), Lindenwood (MO), Iowa, Delaware State and Lehigh (PA)

Those latter two – Delaware State and Lehigh – are the first to be added since Iowa four years ago. Both will contest their inaugural seasons this year.

However, it seems as though more could soon be on the way.

FloWrestling’s women’s guru Kyle Klingman has written extensively about this subject – detailing strong candidates/momentum ranging from the likes of Tarleton State (TX) to the Ivy League (Brown) and beyond, including specific focus on the rise of several club programs that profile as excellent candidates to make the leap to full-fledged varsity status.

One of those such candidates is Oklahoma State.

And given the Cowgirl Wrestling Club’s activity of late, December’s dual in Iowa City may represent just the latest step towards its (hopefully) soon-to-be ascension.

So, just what sort of ‘activity’ am I referring to?

Getting on their horse

Not quite two years ago, Lehigh University started the wheels in motion toward its own women’s varsity program – tabbing a respected head women’s club coach with the intention of taking the Mountain Hawks (a school with a proud men’s wrestling history) into fully-funded D1 status.

Barely 18 months later, it officially announced the women’s wrestling program as its 26th varsity sport.

Meanwhile, during the time in between those milestones Lehigh was recruiting talented prospects from around the country (and landing them too) – presumably under the assumption that they wouldn’t be a part of merely a ‘club program’ for long.

Now, on the precipice of its inaugural NCAA season, Lehigh may well have a team trophy contender on its hands – headlined by superstar Audrey Jimenez plus two other members of the United States’ recent Under-20 World Championships team.

Turning our attention back to Stillwater, it sure seems like Oklahoma State is following a similar playbook.

Two-time NCAA All-American Izzak Olejnik leads the Cowgirls club as its head coach.

They’ve just brought in the fifth-ranked recruiting class in the country according to Flo – a group bolstered by four wrestlers ranked 10th or better at their respective weights.

The headliners include U20 World teamer Daniella Nugent (#1 at 140 pounds) and four-time Iowa state champion Molly Allen (#4 at 125).

Again, these would not appear to be the actions of a casual ‘club program.’

Further speaking to that notion are another pair of staff hires:

  • Executive Director Rebecca Roper – formerly employed by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo (and an avid supporter of the Iowa women’s program).
  • Volunteer assistant coach John Smith – whom folks may recognize as the long-time head coach of the Oklahoma State men’s program and one of the greatest American wrestlers of all time.

What it means for Iowa

There may be no bigger fans of Oklahoma State’s (potentially) impending D1 program than the Iowa wrestlers/coaches.

Why is that – you may ask – when the Hawkeyes have won back-to-back national team/dual titles and appear poised to do so again in 2025-26?

Simply put, these women yearn for competition at the highest level – not to mention the stakes/visibility that other premier Division I programs can provide.

They’ve seen firsthand the hullabaloo and spectacle of the Iowa/Oklahoma State men’s rivalry, the Cy-Hawk dual and others like them. They’ve watched three days of sold-out men’s NCAA Championships action.

And just like their male counterparts, they crave the opportunity to wrestle the very best opponents on the very biggest stage(s) the sport has to offer.

In November of 2023, Iowa drew a record-setting 8,207 fans to its first-ever women’s home dual(s) event…leaving one to wonder what might be possible if an Iowa/Oklahoma State rivalry were to exist in the near future. (Photo Credit: Joseph Cress/Think Iowa City)

Oklahoma State announcing a varsity women’s program would immediately supercharge those dreams – which is why December’s matchup in Iowa City could provide an incredible preview of things to come.

Short time

We’ll get more details as this event draws closer, not to mention when Iowa eventually releases its own official schedule.

That said, it appears we’re in store for a matinee performance inside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, December 7th – exactly one week after the Iowa men have their own highly-anticipated dual against the rival Cyclones in Ames.

And really, that’s the hope for the future of Iowa wrestling as a whole.

One week there’s a huge men’s dual between powerful, brand-name programs. The next, we’re saying the same thing about a premier women’s matchup.

That’s not to suggest the Iowa women (or women’s wrestling landscape) have lacked incredibly competitive, high-level duals/tournaments to date.

Just go back and look at the Hawkeyes’ razor-thin escapes against North Central (IL) in 2024 – at both National Duals and the national tournament.

Developments like this don’t denigrate the past in any form or fashion.

Instead, they represent the next step in the continued evolution and exposure of women’s college wrestling – a sport whose participants and product deserve all the attention they can get.

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