It's 'Ghostbusters' time for pivotal 2027 Iowa recruiting class

Every year mid-June marks an important time for Iowa – and by extension – collegiate athletics.

That’s because for many NCAA sports June 15^th annually serves as the beginning of the recruiting contact period between college coaches and high school athletes entering their junior year.

Suddenly, coaching staffs can do more than provide prospects things like “non-recruiting questionnaires, camp brochures, non-athletic institutional publications and NCAA educational materials.”

They can also contact/converse with athletes directly about their recruitment in hopes of landing an eventual commitment.

That makes June 15^th a major milestone in each new recruiting cycle. But it’s especially notable as it pertains to Iowa women’s wrestling and the Class of 2027.

Why? Because the outgoing Hawkeye seniors it’ll be tasked with succeeding will leave almost incomprehensibly large shoes to fill.

That group – composed largely of Iowa’s inaugural 2022 recruiting class – has already achieved the following:

• 17 All-American honors
• Six individual national titles
• Two national team/dual titles (each)

Mind you, that list still has two more seasons to be added on to. It also doesn’t include another pair of athletes who’ve started for Iowa in the postseason (both Round of 12 finishers), nor has it received contributions (yet) from someone I believe to be one of the best wrestlers in the program, Nyla Valencia – who’s missed each of the past two seasons due to injury.

From a sheer volume perspective, it’s possible (pending redshirts/transfers/etc.) that Iowa may have to replace half of its 30-woman roster come 2027.

Asked about that prospect back in February, head coach Clarissa Chun half-jokingly said the thought alone was enough to bring her to tears.

Luckily for her, the Class of 2027 could potentially ease those worries if Iowa gets it right.

The question is – starting June 15^th – who you gonna call?

Projected needs

With as many as 15 roster spots available following the 2026-27 season you can probably guess my description of Iowa’s needs in the 2027 class.

“Everything.”

It’s possible the Hawkeyes could be losing wrestlers at all 10 weight classes – some of those featuring multiple athletes. Ergo, if you meet the culture/character standards of the program and demonstrate high-level talent on the mat there’s a chance you’ll get at least a look from the Iowa staff.

That wasn’t necessarily the case this past cycle, when impending roster limits meant Coach Chun & Co. had to be extremely selective with whom they recruited. The same holds true for the 2026 class, as it’s possible Iowa may only graduate two seniors next season.

2027 couldn’t be any starker contrast to those recent constraints.

So, here are some of the top names to keep tabs on over the next two years. Surely this list will change and evolve over time, but if several of these athletes should help to make up the 2027-28 Iowa roster chances are the Hawkeyes will be in pretty darn good shape.

College ready…already

As I loathe to use the term ‘can’t-miss’ to describe any high school prospect, consider this category my workaround.

The following two athletes are not only considered among the very best in their peer group but have already demonstrated an ability to compete against elite collegiate competition when presented the opportunity.

As such, they’ll likely be one of the first calls for just about every top program in the country when June 15^th arrives.

*all rankings courtesy of USA Wrestling (P4P = pound-for-pound ranking regardless of age/weight)

Taina Fernandez (Bowie, MD – Archbishop Spalding HS)

• #2 P4P, #1 at 135 pounds
• U17 World champion (2024), U17 World team member (2025)

Jaclyn Bouzakis (Shavertown, PA – Wyoming Seminary)

• #3 P4P, #1 at 100 pounds
• U17 World bronze medalist (2023), U17 World team member (2025)

I haven’t even bothered to list any high school accolades for this pairing. That’s how accomplished Taina Fernandez and Jaclyn Bouzakis already are in their young wrestling careers.

If there’s a prestigious prep event they’ve won it – probably more than once. And even as the competition increases they show little signs of slowing down.

Fernandez – who just turned 16 in late May – has only two known losses since 2022.

One came in 2023, as the then-14-year-old fell to 28-year-old Canadian Alexandria Town (a 2018 U23 World champion). The other was this January at the Warrior Open, where Fernandez lost 5-3 to 23-year-old Nigerian Olympian Esther Kolawole.

It isn’t hyperbole to suggest this Maryland phenom is on a similar track to names like current Hawkeyes Kennedy Blades and Kylie Welker – both of whom won Senior World/Olympic medals before the age of 21.

As for Bouzakis – the younger sister of current Ohio State starter Nic and Pittsburgh commit Vince – she has her own considerable resume against collegiate competition.

Iowa fans may remember watching her bonus her way to a Soldier Salute title this past December. However, it’s her Warrior Open finishes that really speak to the teenager’s talent.

In 2024, she teched three-time NAIA finalist (and 2025 champ) Erin Hikiji to reach the finals, where Bouzakis defeated two-time Iowa All-American (and #1 ranked) Sterling Dias, 7-1.

A year later, she dominated the tournament again – including a 12-4 victory over two-time NCWCC national champion Olivia Shore.

Pennsylvania Pair

These next two prospects share several commonalities aside from holding the next two highest pound-for-pound rankings on this list.

Violette Lasure (New Paris, PA – Chestnut Ridge HS)                                                                                                           

• #10 P4P, #1 at 145 pounds
• U17 World team member (2025), U17 World Team Trials third place (2024)
• 16U Fargo champ (2024)
• Two-time Super 32 champ (2023-24)

Emma Bacon (Dallas, PA – Wyoming Seminary)

• #12 P4P, #1 at 125 pounds
• U17 World team member (2025), U17 World Team Trials runner up (2024)
• 16U Fargo champ (2023)
• Super 32 runner up (2024)

Both Violette Lasure and Emma Bacon reside in the wrestling hotbed of Pennsylvania – Bacon a teammate of the aforementioned Jaclyn Bouzakis at Wyoming Seminary, which also has four alums (Ava Bayless, Kennedy Blades, Reese Larramendy, Rianne Murphy) on the current Iowa roster.

Each of these juniors-to-be has largely dominated the high school scene to this point. Now, a year after just missing out on their first age-level World team, they’ll both represent the United States at the U17 World Championships later this summer.

Lasure is a brawler with a relentless pace/demeanor.

Meanwhile, Bacon is a high-flying (or frying) threat every time she steps on the mat.

Not only did she bonus her way through the U17 World Team Trials back in April, but she scored at least one four-point move in all six of her matches.

Restocking the upper weights

We’ve established that Iowa will likely have needs across the board in its 2027 class. However, the back half of the lineup stands out as a particular area of focus.

At present, seven Hawkeyes project to fill the 160/180/207-pound weight classes next season. Of that group, five have two or fewer years of eligibility remaining – leaving a sizable hole for the coaching staff to fill soon.

Because of this, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Iowa target multiple athletes from the group below:

Ella Poalillo (Wantage, NJ – High Point Regional HS)

• #15 P4P, #1 at 155 pounds
• U17 World team member (2025), U17 World Team Trials fifth place (2024)
• 16U Fargo runner up (2024)
• Super 32 third-place finisher (2024)

Brooke Huffman (Wittenberg, WI – Wittenberg-Birnamwood HS)

• #18 P4P, #1 at 190 pounds
• Two-time 16U Fargo finalist (1^st in 2024, 2^nd in 2023)
• National High School Recruiting Showcase champion (2025)

Janiya Johnson, (Clarksville, TN – Wyoming Seminary)

• #3 at 155 pounds
• U17 World Team Trials runner up (2025)
• 16U Fargo champ (2024)

Kaili Manuel (Washington, MI – Romeo HS)

• #5 at 155 pounds
• U17 World team member (2024), U17 World Team Trials third place (2025)
• 16U Fargo champ (2024)
• Two-time Super 32 champ (2023-24)

World teams, Fargo/Super 32 titles – you name it, and this quartet has done it.

It’s also a group with contrasting styles/statures.

Brooke Huffman and Kaili Manuel each have tall, lanky frames. Meanwhile, someone like the shorter Janiya Johnson possesses explosive leg attacks you don’t often see in a young upper weight.

Both Huffman and Johnson competed amongst Iowa wrestlers at the Soldier Salute last December, finishing third at 180/160 pounds respectively.

Two more to watch

Riley Hanrahan (Black River Falls, WI – Black River Falls HS)

• #22 P4P, #2 at 140 pounds
• U17 World Team Trials runner up (2025)
• Super 32 champ (2024)
• 16U Fargo 6^th place (2024)

Kayla Batres (Millford, CT – homeschooled)

• #7 at 110 pounds
• U17 World Team Trials third place (2023-24)
• Two-time Midlands champ (2023-24)
• Two-time 16U Fargo runner up (2023-24)
• Super 32 champ (2024)

Wisconsin is a state on the come up in girls high school wrestling and one of its fastest rising prospects is Riley Hanrahan.

Located roughly four hours from Iowa City, the recent U17 World Team Trials runner up has jumped up the national rankings over the past year. Hawkeye stars Kylie Welker and Macey Kilty are both Wisconsin natives, so perhaps Coach Chun looks toward the Badger State for another future pupil.

As for Kayla Batres, she hails from the remote wrestling outpost of Connecticut.

Despite her home locale, Batres has consistently finished at/near the top of her highest-profile competitions – including back-to-back Midlands titles amidst college open fields.

Iowa already has a trio of New York/New Jersey natives on its roster, so targeting a talented prospect from Connecticut would be far from a stretch.

In-state options

In each of its first three recruiting classes Iowa signed the top-ranked ranked prospect from within its state borders.

That changed in 2025, when in fact, Iowa didn’t sign an in-state prospect at all.

In part, that was likely due to the size constraints of the class. However, the state also doesn’t (yet) annually produce the volume/level of talent to make it must-hit territory for the Iowa program.

If that’s going to change in 2027, here are some of the early candidates:

Violet Diaz (Waverly, IA – Denver HS)

• #25 at 110 pounds
• 16U Fargo 5^th place (2024)
• IGHSAU state = 3^rd in 2024, 1^st in 2025

Camille Schult (Waverly, IA – Waverly-Shell Rock HS)

• Not ranked at 125 pounds
• IGHSAU state = 1^st in 2024, 4^th in 2025

Isabella Miller (Dubuque, IA – Dubuque Hempstead HS)

• #13 at 135 pounds
• U17 World Team Trials = 5^th in 2025
• 16U Fargo 5^th place (2024)
• IGHSAU state = 1^st in 2024, 3^rd in 2025

Eve Skrocki (Dubuque, IA – Dubuque Wahlert HS)

• #4 at 145lbs
• U17 World Team Trials = 8^th in 2025
• 2025 National High School Recruiting Showcase champion
• IGHSAU state = 6^th in 2024, 1^st in 2025

Miller and Schult both jumped onto my radar after winning state titles as true freshmen. Despite being upset in the state semifinals this February, both still bear watching moving forward.

As for Diaz and Skrocki, they won their first state titles as sophomores.

Skrocki has been on a huge upswing of late and now owns a top-four national ranking. Over the past few months, she’s gone from state champion to U17 World Team Trials placer to National High School Recruiting Showcase winner – bonus’ing her way to a title at the prestigious tournament in Las Vegas.

Eve Skrocki of Big Game Wrestling Club went head hunting in the USA Wrestling Girls High School Recruiting Showcase finals. pic.twitter.com/eYH51jwPAT

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) May 1, 2025

Short time

Due to the unique nature of Iowa’s 2027 recruiting class this could very well be the lengthiest article of this sort that I’ll ever write.

That said, here’s hoping I’ve cast a wide enough net to cover most of the main characters.

It’ll be a while before any of these athletes (and likely some others not listed) sign on the dotted line as Hawkeyes. But now you know some of the key names to look out for.

I’ll certainly be doing the same and will keep you guys posted throughout the process as this crucial class comes together for the Iowa women’s program.