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#1 Iowa women trek south for unique wrestling experience

by: Tanner Lafever11 hours agoTannerLafever
Cali Leng
Fourth-ranked Iowa junior Cali Leng is among several Hawkeyes who could face multiple highly ranked foes while competing in South Carolina this weekend. (Photo Credit: Dennis Scheidt - @webcentrick on social media)

Do you enjoy Iowa women’s wrestling?

How about watching the #1 Hawkeyes dual against a high-caliber opponent?

Now, what if I said you could have both of those things collide – and atop a World War II aircraft carrier to boot?

Well, brace yourselves, folks, because that’s exactly what’s on tap (first) for the Hawkeyes during a weekend trek to South Carolina.

This Saturday, the flight deck of the USS Yorktown CV-10 will play host to a dual between #1 Iowa and #6 Presbyterian (SC) as part of the second ever Throwdown on the Yorktown.

Wrestling venues simply don’t get much cooler than this. (Photo Credit: Throwdown on the Yorktown social media)

The latest dual between these two historic programs – the first Power Five (Iowa) and first-ever NCAA Division I women’s wrestling program (Presbyterian) respectively – will mark their fourth meeting in a little over two years. And all of them will have occurred at wildly different locations.

  • November 12, 2023 – Iowa defeats Presbyterian (44-1) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena as part of the first ever home dual(s) in program history
  • January 5, 2024 – Iowa defeats Presbyterian (39-4) at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls during the quarterfinals of the NWCA National Duals
  • January 25, 2025 – Iowa defeats Presbyterian (27-15) inside The Washington Street Armory in Albany, New York at the Journeymen Duals

And that’s just the first half of a weekend doubleheader in the Palmetto State.

**I wrote more about the history of this event and the USS Yorktown back in May.**

On Sunday, the Hawkeyes will compete roughly three hours to the northwest as part of host Presbyterian’s ‘Blue Hose Challenge.’

There, an open tournament field featuring NAIA’s top-ranked Life University (GA) and #5 Indiana Tech (among others) awaits.

All of it should make for a one-of-a-kind experience for both the #1 Hawkeyes and this here writer.

That’s right, I’ll be in attendance for Saturday’s festivities!

Why? Because it’s wrestling – on a boat(!) – and I wouldn’t want to miss it.

How to watch

**All times Central Standard**

November 15 (Sat) – @ Throwdown on the Yorktown (vs #6 Presbyterian)

  • Location: Mount Pleasant, SC (USS Yorktown CV-10)
  • Time: 1:00 p.m.
  • TV/streaming: live on FloWrestling (Mat 2)

November 16 (Sun) – @ Blue Hose Challenge

  • Location: Clinton, SC (Ross E. Templeton Physical Education Center)
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. start
  • TV/streaming: live on FloWrestling

A top-six matchup in an unparalleled setting

I referenced the history between Iowa and Presbyterian in my introduction.

The Hawkeyes have dualled no single opponent more times in program history (three) than the Blue Hose.

And while only one of those duals was close-ish in team score (Iowa’s 27-15 win with a skeleton crew in January), #6 Presbyterian is one of 7-10 NCAA/NAIA teams in the country with enough depth and firepower to at least make the Hawkeyes work for a win.

That’s most certainly the case again this weekend.

#1 Iowa and #6 Presbyterian will stage their dual on Mat 2 of this one-of-a-kind setting for wrestling. (Photo Credit: Throwdown on the Yorktown social media)

Six Presbyterian athletes are ranked in the top 10 at their respective weight classes in the latest NCAA Coaches Poll:

  • (110) – #3 Chloe Dearwester
  • (124) – #5 Alyssa Mahan
  • (138) – #3 Carina Giangeruso
  • (145) – #10 Maddie Kubicki
  • (160) – #6 May Cuyler
  • (207) – #10 Maria Aiono

And that list doesn’t include several other talented veterans and freshmen who’ve either been ranked previously or could easily ascend into the top 10 at some point this season.

Iowa counters with 10 different athletes ranked fourth or higher:

We don’t yet know which Hawkeyes will travel this weekend, so previewing individual matchups is a bit of a crapshoot.

However, keep a close eye on each of 110 and 138 pounds.

#3 Chloe Dearwester is a talented young lightweight who just won a tough bracket at last week’s Adrian Open. She won’t be an easy out for either #1 Ava Bayless or Nyla Valencia at 110.

Meanwhile, at 138, Carina Giangeruso is another gifted, third-ranked sophomore.

She also won last week’s Adrian Open in convincing fashion – following up a freshmen campaign that saw her finish fourth at the national tournament.

One of Giangeruso’s wins during her 33-5 season came against Iowa – when she defeated 2024 U20 World team member Cadence Diduch via 4-1 decision.

Ready for the (Blue Hose) Challenge

Among the teams entered for Sunday’s Blue Hose Challenge, a total of 33 of their wrestlers are ranked in the top 10 of either the latest NCAA or NAIA poll(s).

25 of them currently rank fifth or higher at their respective weight class(es) – including a half-dozen who are number one.

Will they all compete on Sunday? Almost certainly not.

But the raw numbers illustrate what a competitive field this will likely be – and those don’t even include the potential entries who are only without a national ranking because someone else on their team sits higher in the pecking order.

Off the top of my head, Iowa has upwards of 13 such wrestlers on its roster.

Meanwhile, NAIA’s top-ranked Life University (GA) has plenty of depth itself – and the familiar foe will bump into the Hawkeyes for the first time in 2025-26.

At most weight classes, everything from the semifinals onward could be top-10-caliber matchups. It’ll be interesting to see how the Hawkeyes rise to the occasion against the toughest competition they’ve faced so far this season.

As Iowa fans, you’ll want to watch out for some of the following names – plus the aforementioned Presbyterian athletes – should they meet up with a Hawkeye on Sunday:

  • 117 – #3 Karissa Turnwall (Emmanuel), NAIA #2 Salyna Shotwell (Life)
  • 124 – NAIA #4 Rose Kaplan (Indiana Tech), NAIA #10 Anna Krejsa (Life)
  • 131 – NAIA #2 Sarah Savidge (Life), NAIA #3 Olivia Mottley (Life)
  • 138 – NAIA #1 Zaynah McBryde (Life)
  • 160 – NAIA #1 Latifah McBryde (Life)
  • 180 – NAIA #2 Reka Busa (Life)
  • 207 – NAIA #1 Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech)

Short time

That’ll do it from me for the preview(s) portion of the weekend ahead for Iowa wrestling.

I’m not exactly sure what’s in store for me given the unique setting I’ll be entering atop the USS Yorktown. But I do know that I can’t wait to find out.

For up-to-date coverage of the Hawkeye women over the next few days – and the men competing at the highly-anticipated National Duals Invitational – you can follow me HERE on social media.

I’ll be doing my very best to keep all the plates spinning – including several recap articles that will publish throughout the weekend.

Thanks to everyone as always for reading, and I’ll see you on the other side of as wild a wrestling weekend as I’ve ever been a part of covering.

Should be fun!

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