The 2025 Midlands Women’s Freestyle Championships on December 30 were four things. 

1. A de facto wrestle-off for No. 3 North Central (NCAA - Division III) and No. 1 Life University (NAIA).

2. A preview of the North Central vs Life dual on Thursday, January 15, LIVE on FloWrestling. 

3. A significant tournament where high school, college, and post-college stars tested themselves. 

4. The season debut for Aurora’s Lexi Janiak, a 2025 national collegiate champion, three-time All-American (2nd, 3rd, 1st), and two-time U20 World medalist. 

The Cardinals won the team title over the Running Eagles, 169.5 to 150. Still, it was hardly an indication of what can happen at the National Duals in January or the national championships in March. Both teams had most of their best wrestlers, but a few stars on both sides didn’t compete. 

North Central sent nine to the finals, crowning six champions. 

Life sent three to the finals, crowning two champions.

Final roster decisions are different for both teams. 

This is the first sanctioned season of NCAA Championship women’s wrestling, meaning North Central can send a maximum of one wrestler per weight to regionals. The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, which took place from 2020 to 2025, allowed each team to send 15 to the postseason. 

NAIA programs can send a maximum of 12 to the national championships, giving Life University two additional roster spots that North Central does not have. 

Most of the Cardinals’ decisions seem clear-cut, but head coach Joe Norton likely has tough choices at the lightest and heaviest weights.

Brianne Graves finished second at 103, outplacing 2023 national champion Maddie Avila, who finished fifth. 

Tirza Twoteeth won the 207-pound Midlands title over teammates Dasia Yearby (3rd) and Caroline Ward (4th), including a 10-2 semifinal win over Yearby. 

It was also the North Central debut for Claire DiCugno, a 2024 NCWWC champion for King. She scored four straight techs, including a 12-1 tech over teammate Grace Stem, and is the clear frontrunner for the 138-pound spot. 

“This is such an awesome event for us,” Norton said. “It’s just an hour from our campus, and the history and tradition of the Midlands Championships make it a fun event for our team. We take pride in defending our team championship against a tough field. 

“We have some difficult lineup decisions to make as we head into the National Duals, and then the championship portion of our season, so having an opportunity to see our wrestlers compete in the same bracket against quality competition helps us in splitting hairs and making those tough decisions.”

Life coach Ashley Flavin had two of the McBryde sisters in the line-up (Zaynah and Latifah), but was missing Jamilah (all three are national champions). Two-time national finalist Sara Savidge injury defaulted during her semifinal match against Janiak and forfeited to sixth. 

“Midlands was a great opportunity for us to get different looks than what we are used to,” Flavin said. “The competition, weather, and officiating all pushed us out of our comfort zones and forced us to adjust.

“This helped pick up some common opponent data, but it’s about opportunity and growth. More than performance, it’s how they adjust in the coming weeks that will tell us what happens next.”

Janiak made her season debut as she entered the final semester of her senior year. Her last competition was the U20 World Championships in August, where she won a bronze medal in the 59 kg division. 

The Aurora standout has been among the best college wrestlers in the country for three consecutive seasons and is seeking to win an NCAA title to close out her career. 

The Plainfield, Illinois, native opened with two 10-0 techs before an injury default win against Savidge in the semis. Janiak led 2-2 when the match was called. 

In the finals, she dropped a 5-1 match to Lehigh freshman Aubre Krazer, who was recently named Outstanding Wrestler at the Bill Farrell Memorial International. 

“It felt good knocking off some of the dust from being out,” Janiak said. “Coming back to wrestling has been a work in progress, and I’m still working through it even now. Midlands was a good evaluation of the different areas I need to improve. 

“Considering my mindset, I felt great as I viewed this tournament as nothing more than an evaluation, which made it more fun for me. There were no game plans — just going out and trying to get my offense off. My last competition was at the U20 Worlds. It felt better not have the same pressure. I had fun, but also learned a lot.

“I’d say pound-for-pound my weight class has to be one of the toughest this year, and I find more satisfaction in quality matches.”

Krazer added her name to the list of 131-pound title threats with a dominant run to the finals. She outscored two opponents 21-0 before notching a 10-1 win over two-time national finalist Yele Aycock of North Central. 

“Performing well at Midlands was just a part of the process,” Krazer said. “It’s a stepping stone in my journey, and I am blessed to be surrounded by amazing coaches, teammates, parents, friends, and family who are always in my corner through it all. I am learning to love the process. I am excited because I keep growing and learning from this experience.”

Nine high schoolers placed in the top six, with Kayla Batres and Janiya Johnson reaching the finals. Batres was the two-time returning Midlands champion, but fell to North Central’s Kaelani Shufeldt in the 110-pound finals. 

Click here for full brackets and results. 

Individual Results

103 Pounds
1st: Brianne Graves (North Central) over Genesis Ramirez (Aurora), 4-1
3rd: Ryleigh Sturgill (Unattached-High School) over Makayla Young (Indiana Tech), 11-1
5th: Maddie Avila (North Central) over Zoey Haney (Indiana Tech), 8-2

110 Pounds
1st: Kaelani Shufeldt (North Central) over Kayla Batres (Unattached-High School), Fall 4:02
3rd: Diana Gonzalez (Life) over Riley Karwoski (Wyoming Seminary-High School), 12-2
5th: Mackenzie Smith (Indiana Tech) over Alexis Winecke (UW-Stevens Point), 12-2

117 Pounds
1st: Salyna Shotwell (Life) over Mikayla Garcia (North Central), Fall 1:00
3rd: Riley Rayome (North Central) over Taylor Whiting (Unattached-High School), 5-2
5th: Elizabeth Dollar (Indiana Tech) over Journie Rodriguez (Lock Haven), Forfeit

124 Pounds
1st: Sara Sterner (North Central) over Rose Kaplan (Indiana Tech), 11-0
3rd: Maddie Peach (Unattached-High School) over Calli Gilchrist (Brown), Fall :47
5th: Emma Engels (Aurora) over Morgan Leonhardt (Otterbein), 6-2

131 Pounds
1st: Aubre Krazer (Lehigh) over Lexi Janiak (Aurora), 5-1
3rd: Yele Aycock (North Central) over Olivia Mottley (Life), 5-2
5th: Alicia Coleman (Otterbein) over Sarah Savidge (Life), Forfeit

138 Pounds
1st: Claire DiCugno (North Central) over Grace Stem (North Central), 12-1
3rd: Zaynah McBryde (Life) over Sophia Ball (Aurora), 10-0
5th: Lynn Horn (North Central) over Kryssceah Ravenelle (Lehigh), 10-0

145 Pounds
1st: Paige Wehrmeister (Unattached) over Amelia Fawcett (Life), 13-2
3rd: Marisol Nugent (NYAC) over Riley Hanrahan (Unattached-High School), Fall 1:34
5th: Brooke Schuenemann (UW-Stevens Point) over Natalie Klavetter (North Central), 19-8

160 Pounds
1st: Latifah McBryde (Life) over Janiya Johnson (Wyoming Seminary-HS), 11-0
3rd: Bo Geibe (Indiana Tech) over Presley McCandlish (Lock Haven), 3-1
5th: Sydney Perry (North Central) over Elizabeth Rosenstiel (North Central), 8-0

180 Pounds
1st: Shenita Lawson (North Central) over Jael Miller (North Central), 12-2
3rd: Brooke Huffman (Unattached-High School) over Genevieve An (Lehigh), Fall 3:36
5th: Reka Busa (Life) over Anneliese Tavira (Aurora), Forfeit

207 Pounds
1st: Tirza Twoteeth (North Central) over Maddie Welch (Life), Fall 2:00
3rd: Dasia Yearby (North Central) over Caroline Ward (North Central), Fall 2:24
5th: Halle Spears (Unattached-High School) over Lindsay Laws (Lock Haven), 10-0

No. 3 (NCAA) North Central Placers (Top 6)

103: Brianne Graves — 1st
103: Maddie Avila — 5th
110: Kaelani Shufeldt — 1st
117: Mikayla Garcia — 2nd
124: Sara Sterner — 1st
131: Yele Aycock — 3rd
138: Claire DiCugno — 1st
138: Grace Stem — 2nd
145: Natalie Klavetter — 6th
160: Sydney Perry — 5th
160: Elizabeth Rosenstiel — 6th
180: Shenita Lawson — 1st
180: Jael Miller — 2nd
207: Tirza Twoteeth — 1st
207: Dasia Yearby — 3rd
207: Caroline Ward — 4th

No. 1 (NAIA) Life Placers (Top 6)

110: Diana Gonzalez (3rd)
117: Salyna Shotwell (1st)
131: Olivia Mottley (4th)
131: Sarah Savidge (6th)
138: Zaynah McBryde (3rd)
145: Amelia Fawcett (2nd)
160: Latifah McBryde (1st)
180: Reka Busa (6th)
207: Maddie Welch (2nd)

High School Placers (Top 6)

103: Ryleigh Sturgill — 3rd
110: Kayla Batres — 2nd
110: Riley Karwoski — 4th
117: Taylor Whiting — 4th
124: Maddie Peach — 3rd
145: Riley Hanrahan — 4th
160: Janiya Johnson — 2nd
180: Brooke Huffman — 3rd
207: Halle Spears — 5th

Team Scores

North Central — 169.5
Life — 150
Indiana Tech — 81
Aurora — 72.5
Lehigh — 57
Lock Haven — 49
Wisconsin-Stevens Point — 44.5
Wyoming Seminary (high school) — 43
Otterbein — 42.5
NYAC — 22.5
McMurray — 16.5
Brown — 15.5
Bridgeport — 4
Bulldog WC — 2.5