Projecting the lineup: 2025-26 Iowa women's wrestling

We’ve reached that time of year when the hair starts to stand up on the back of the collective necks of Iowa wrestling fans.

That’s right, folks – the latest season is just one month away.

And as such, what better time could there possibly be to take a swing at the potential lineup for the 2025-26 Hawkeyes?

We’ll begin with the Iowa women – two-time reigning team/dual national champions who are entering their inaugural sanctioned NCAA Championship season.

As if there weren’t enough competition for spots on a team that returns 11/15 All-Americans from a year ago (plus plenty of other talented newcomers/internal candidates), this year Iowa’s postseason lineup can feature a maximum of 10 wrestlers.

It’s not hyperbole to suggest that at most weight classes simply making the Iowa lineup will be proof a wrestler can challenge for an individual NCAA title.

But achieving that first critical component will be no picnic to say the least.

So, allow me to embark upon my early prediction for Iowa’s 2025-26 lineup/depth chart. And please keep in mind that a lot can change between now and March.

I’m just one wrestling writer trying to do his best here, OK?

103/110 pounds – A smorgasbord of excellent options

I’ve grouped these two weights together both for their proximity and because of the interchange that could occur between them.

Iowa has six incredible options – including four athletes who’ve never finished worse than fifth across seven combined trips to the national tournament.

That quartet of Rianne Murphy (103), Sterling Dias (103), Ava Bayless (110) and Emilie Gonzalez (110) also boasts a combined career record of 234-37. And of those 37 losses, 14 of them came against each other.

In fact, when you add in sophomore 110-pounder Val Solorio (23-9) – who just missed the postseason lineup a year ago – all five of these Hawkeyes have wins/losses against one another in either collegiate competition, Olympic/World Team Trials and/or intrasquad wrestle-offs.

The only name which doesn’t fit that criteria is the one that I would’ve written in at 110 pounds each of the past two years, were it not for injuries.

That name is Nyla Valencia, whom – if healthy – I’d expect to take 110 and run with it.

Offseason knee injuries sidelined the redshirt junior for both 2023-24 and 2024-25. But even in the interim she’s impressed with performances at U20 Trials, the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier, and the 2024 Olympic Trials – including comprehensive wins over 2024 NCWWC champions Gonzalez (101) and Bayless (109), Iowa’s two postseason starters at 110 last year.

Entering the 2025-26 season, word is that Valencia is healthy once again and looks great in the practice room.

If she locks down that spot, it wouldn’t shock me if we saw movement down to 103 from Gonzalez and/or Solorio.

Both athletes competed at 103 (or lighter) prior to last season, and to excellent results. Either could challenge Dias/Murphy for the starting job if the weight cut doesn’t prove prohibitive.

Projection:

103 pounds

• Rianne Murphy (Soph) OR Sterling Dias (RS JR) OR Emilie Gonzalez (RS JR) OR Val Solorio (Soph)

110 pounds

• Nyla Valencia (RS JR)
• Ava Bayless (RS JR)
• Emilie Gonzalez (RS JR) OR Val Solorio (Soph)

117 pounds – All eyes on Bri

A pair of heartbreaking/controversial losses last March were all that stood between Brianna Gonzalez and an undefeated, national title winning season.

The California native responded by nearly making the US Senior World Championships team this summer.

She’ll carry an 81-6 career record into her redshirt junior season and be one of the favorites to win it all at 117 pounds.

Also listed at 117 on the current roster are junior Ava Rose and true freshman Harlee Hiller.

Rose split time between 117/124 a year ago in what was an up-and-down sophomore campaign.

Meanwhile, the high-flying Hiller (ranked the #23 pound-for-pound recruit in America) arrived at Iowa fresh off a Junior Fargo title.

Projection:

• Brianna Gonzalez (RS JR)
• Ava Rose (JR) OR Harlee Hiller (FR)

124 pounds – Leng joined by talented freshman

One of the best stories of Iowa’s 2024-25 season was Cali Leng’s ascension at 124 pounds.

The Ohioan went from afterthought reserve (15-12 in 2023-24) to critical component – capping her surprising sophomore campaign with a 40-13 record and All-American honors (7^th).

Now, she may well face a stern challenge to retain her starting spot from first-year Hawkeye Isabella Gonzales.

A U17 World Championships semifinal appearance, a pair of Who’s Number One victories and three titles at the notoriously difficult California State Championships are just a few of the credentials Gonzales arrived in Iowa City with.

If Leng can hold off the impressive Fresno native it’ll probably speak to her having reached yet another level. And if Gonzales were to supplant her then it probably means the freshman has lived up to her recruiting accolades (and then some).

Either way, the Hawkeyes would figure to have a strong 124-pound representative at NCAAs.

The final athlete listed at this weight is Virginia native Mia Goodwin – who’s coming off a rare redshirt for recent Iowa signees.

She went 7-5 competing unattached in 2024-25.

Projection:

• Cali Leng (RS JR) OR Isabella Gonzales (FR)
• Mia Goodwin (RS FR)

131 pounds – Return to health/form

Both top contenders currently listed at 131 pounds had their 2024-25 season(s) beset by injury.

For Karlee Brooks, a much-anticipated freshman debut was interrupted by various maladies. Meanwhile, a bruised spinal cord suffered at practice sidelined transfer Skye Realin from Thanksgiving onward.

Both possess varied, dynamic skillsets that make them threats to place very high at NCAAs.

Both will also be challenged daily by junior Emily Frost – who has postseason experience herself (circa 2024) and is liable to headlock her way into the starting spot if you don’t watch out.

Those three veterans are joined by California product Sam Sachs.

Ranked #4 nationally at 130 pounds, the 2024 Junior Fargo champ capped her high school career with her first state title. Unfortunately, her summer freestyle season was sidetracked by a torn labrum in her hip – though she’s subsequently had surgery, recovered and gotten back on the mat at Iowa.

Projection:

• Skye Realin (5^th YR SR) OR Karlee Brooks (Soph)
• Emily Frost (JR)
• Sam Sachs (FR)

138 pounds – Two for one

One of the more clear-cut competitions (at least based on listed weight classes) is between Lilly Luft and Bella Williams.

Luft – a junior from Charles City – was barely on the mat last season due to multiple injuries.

The year before, she stepped up in a huge way to help Iowa win national team/dual titles – finishing fifth at NCWWCs.

With all the injuries/absences in 2024-25, a 1-4 record didn’t exactly seem to portend good things to come. But after being left out of Iowa’s postseason lineup Luft was at U20 World Team Trials six weeks later – where she’d grit her way to a runner-up finish at 62 kilograms.

Two months later she’d impress once again, earning silver at the U20 Pan-American Championships in Lima, Peru.

Joining Luft at both of those tournaments was her soon-to-be primary competition (and brand-new teammate) at 138 pounds.

Out of a stellar six-woman recruiting class, Bella Williams (#8 pound-for-pound nationally) wound up as the highest-ranked incoming Hawkeye.

A past U17 World teamer, she finished runner up at April’s U20 World Team Trials – also doing so in the U23 division at 59kg.

That was before she was officially a Hawkeye though. Since her commitment, she’s ripped through a pair of Pan-Am Tournaments (U20/U23) for gold medals.

Interestingly, the two have met at least once previously – with Williams (then a high school junior) defeating Luft (a freshman at Iowa) by 7-4 decision at the 2023 Missouri Valley Open.

Stylistically very different wrestlers, either could place high on the podium next March for the Hawkeyes.

They’re joined at 138 by redshirt sophomore Danni Swihart – whose career record stands at 17-16 to date.

Projection:

• Lilly Luft (JR) OR Bella Williams (FR)
• Danni Swihart (RS Soph)

145 pounds – Larramendy leads the way

After one year as the ‘second banana’ at 145 pounds to fellow Hawkeye Macey Kilty, Reese Larramendy returns to very much headline status entering this season.

The 2024 NCWWC champ has only three career losses to collegians other than Kilty and will be one of two favorites to claim the 2026 NCAA crown (along with former Hawkeye Bella Mir – now competing for North Central).

Providing Iowa with some high-powered depth will be sophomore Cadence Diduch.

Diduch compiled a 17-5 record as a freshman with several big wins. She was excellent at the loaded North Central Open and won the Soldier Salute – both at 138 pounds.

Now, the 2024 U20 World teamer appears set to bump up in weight class. That confirms hints from earlier this summer when Diduch placed runner up at U20 Trials at 65kg (~143.3 pounds) and later steamrolled her way to U20 Pan-Am gold at the same weight.

Projection:

• Reese Larramendy (RS JR)
• Cadence Diduch (Soph)

160 pounds – Blades to beat

No surprise here.

Reigning NCWWC champion and recently minted World bronze medalist Kennedy Blades returns as the top Hawk at 160 pounds.

A year after completing an all-bonus point, 25-0 debut collegiate season, the Chicago native will be expected to repeat/exceed those marks in 2025-26.

The two teammates listed with Blades at 160 are either new to the weight or new to the team.

2024 NCWWC All-American Ella Schmit was another Hawkeye who faced a choppy, absence-riddled season a year ago.

She’s now listed at 160 (up from 145), and assuming the transition goes well she’ll give Iowa an All-American-caliber option behind their returning superstar.

The other name to know is freshman Adriana Palumbo – a New York native who missed both her senior season and the summer circuit while recovering from a torn labrum in her shoulder.

That absence hindered her final recruiting ranking (#13 at 155 pounds). But just prior to that, she peaked at #3 at 155 following a pair of wins over age-level World medalists.

Projection:

• Kennedy Blades (RS JR)
• Ella Schmit (RS JR)
• Adriana Palumbo (FR)

180 pounds – A dynamic duo, headlined by Queen Kylie

If you told me Iowa has the two best 180-pounders in the country, I’d believe you.

We certainly know that number one is a Hawkeye – redshirt junior Kylie Welker.

The back-to-back NCWWC champ has yet to lose a match against collegiate competition. And with back-to-back World bronze medals to her name as of two weeks ago she’s only continuing to get better.

Meanwhile, Welker’s partner in crime – Naomi Simon – had her own incredible 2024-25 season.

The true freshman tied for the team lead in pins (20) while registering bonus points in 37/39 victories. Of her four losses, three were to Welker – the other was to NCWWC runner up Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State).

But with the new NCAA postseason rules there’s a real chance Simon could be without a spot next March.

(Not that she’s ready to concede that prospect to anyone – even Welker.)

Projection:

• Kylie Welker (RS JR)
• Naomi Simon (Soph)

207 pounds – Foeller’s final chance

When we broke the news of Jaycee Foeller’s return for the 2025-26 season the picture for Iowa at 207 pounds suddenly became much clearer.

With a 94-16 career record and four – count ‘em, four(!) – runner up finishes at either the NCWWC or NAIA national championships, Foeller is as consistent of a performer as one could hope for to close out a lineup.

She’ll be joined by fellow senior Katja Osteen – a two-time All-American herself – to give Iowa unparalleled depth at 207.

That also doesn’t include redshirt junior Sam Calkins (18-11 in 2024-25), nor Iowa’s last-minute Class of 2025 addition – multi-sport star Libby Dix.

Dix, from just down the road in Mount Vernon, finished as the fifth-ranked 190-pound prospect in America. Just days after her commitment to the Hawkeyes she’d earn fourth-place honors at Fargo in what was quite literally her first-ever major freestyle competition.

And one more option to at least consider – might Naomi Simon test her mettle at 207 if she’s A) hellbent on getting into the postseason line this year, and B) feels as though bumping up would give her the best opportunity to do so?

She could very well present the biggest challenge to Foeller out of all the names I’ve mentioned.

Projection:

• Jaycee Foeller (5^th YR SR)
• Katja Osteen (RS SR)
• Sam Calkins (RS JR)
• Libby Dix (FR)

Redshirt ruminations

As I attempt to tie a bow around this projected lineup there is one other element I want to mention:

The possibility of redshirts.

That may sound strange to general college sports fans, and especially those familiar with men’s wrestling at the Division I level. However, redshirting is in fact a far less common – even rare – occurrence in the women’s wrestling space.

I can’t speak with authority on the exact reasoning behind that reality, but I’d imagine the previous allotment of (up to) 15 postseason qualifiers per team played at least some role in the practice (or lack thereof).

(Another element was apparently more stringent redshirt qualifications than we see in other sports – but that’s a whole other subject.)

The point is, in Iowa’s two official seasons of competition to date only three Hawkeyes have utilized a ‘traditional’ redshirt. And of that trio, only one could’ve realistically competed for a spot in the lineup.

I’m wondering if that approach will now change, especially with the recently imposed 30-person roster limit for Iowa – the only revenue-sharing school with a varsity women’s wrestling program.

Does head coach Clarissa Chun get more liberal with redshirts going forward? Does she consider redshirting some second or third-year athletes who may not have taken one in their first year with the program?

We won’t know that answer for certain until competition begins next month. But it is a new element for fans to keep in mind as the Hawkeyes embark on their 2025-26 season.

Short time

Alright I promise, this really is a wrap.

Thank you guys as always for checking out this latest piece of Iowa wrestling content. I will have a similar lineup projection article published tomorrow for the Hawkeye men – and plenty more to come between now and the season that’s drawing tantalizingly closer with each passing day.

‘Till next time.