Iowa And McKendree In Tight Team Race Entering NCAA Finals
Iowa And McKendree In Tight Team Race Entering NCAA Finals
Iowa and McKendree will go down to the wire for the team title at the 2026 NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships.
McKendree had a monster semifinal round, sending five to the finals to take an 8.5-point lead over Iowa. The Hawkeyes are still in contention after sending four to the finals, including returning national champions Reese Larramendy (145), Kennedy Blades (160), and Kylie Welker (180). Val Solorio (103) is competing in her first national tournament after competing at 110 last season.
The Bearcats have Yu Sakamoto (117), Shelby Moore (124), Cam Guerin (131), Destiny Rodriguez (180), and Tristan Kelly (207) competing for a title. Guerin is a four-time college national champion seeking her fifth title after missing last season with an injury.
Finals Matchups
103: #3 Val Solorio, Iowa vs #4 Rayana Sahagun, Grand Valley State
This is the first meeting between Solorio and Sahagun. Solorio competed at 110 last season but moved down to 103 for her sophomore campaign. She had to defeat teammates Sterling Dias, a second- and fourth-place finisher at nationals, and Rianne Murphy, a third-place finisher at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships. Sahagun missed the podium last year but finished seventh at the 2021 NAIA Championships.
110: #1 Audrey Jimenez, Lehigh vs #2 Sage Mortimer, Grand Valley State
This is the first college meeting between Jimenez and Mortimer, but these two have a long history. Mortimer won the first meeting, 8-5, during a FloWrestling card, but Jimenez has won the last four, including a 10-6 win at the 2024 Olympic Trials. Mortimer spent most of the season at 117 before dropping down to 110 for regionals.
117: #1 Yu Sakamoto, McKendree vs #3 Riley Rayome, North Central
This is a rematch of the National Duals final, which Sakamoto won 8-2. Sakamoto is a 2024 U23 World champion for Japan who finished third at the 2025 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships for Northern Michigan. Rayome is a freshman who earned the starting spot late in the season.
124: #3 Xochitl Mota-Pettis, Quincy #4 Shelby Moore, McKendree
Moore is a two-time All-American, finishing fourth in 2024 and second in 2025. Mota-Pettis is a 2023 US Open champion who finished second at the 2025 NAIA Championships for Missouri Valley. This is their first college meeting.
131: #1 Cam Guerin, McKendree vs #3 Lexi Janiak, Aurora
These two have a history. Guerin defeated Janiak in the 2023 national college finals, 9-0, and the 2024 semis, 12-0. The McKendree star pinned Janiak during a consolation round at the 2024 Olympic Trials. Janiak secured two wins over Guerin during the 2023 college season.
Janiak, a three-time age-level World medalist, won the 131-pound college national title in 2025 while Guerin was injured. Guerin is seeking her fifth college national title after winning four from 2021-25.
138: #1 Katie Lange, Grand Valley State vs #2 Claire DiCugno, North Central
This is a showdown of returning national champions. Lange won titles in 2023 (for Augsburg) and 2025 (Grand Valley State), and DiCugno won a title in 2024 for King. Lange defeated DiCugno, 5-1, in the regional finals. DiCugno defeated Lange, 6-1, at the 2024 Olympic Trials.
145: #1 Reese Larramendy, Iowa vs #2 Bella Mir, North Central
There’s loads of drama here. Mir defeated Larramendy to reach the 2025 national college finals, and Larramendy got one back at the 2026 National Duals. Mir was teammates with Larramendy during the 2024 season before Mir transferred to North Central.
Larramendy has finished first and third at nationals. Mir has finished fifth (for Iowa) and second (for North Central).
Larramendy is from Reno, Nevada, and Mir is from Las Vegas.
This will be a good one.
160: #1 Kennedy Blades, Iowa vs #3 Tiffani Baublitz, East Stroudsburg
Blades is a 2024 Olympic silver medalist, 2025 World bronze medalist, and a 2025 college national champion. She won by 10-0 tech against Baublitz last season.
Baublitz has finished seventh, third (for King), and third (for East Stroudsburg). This is her first appearance in the college national finals.
180: #1 Kylie Welker, Iowa vs #2 Destiny Rodriguez, McKendree
Welker is a returning two-time national champion and two-time World bronze medalist. Rodriguez lost by 10-0 tech to Welker earlier this season. This is her first appearance at a college national tournament.
207: #1 Tristan Kelly, McKendree vs #2 Sabrina Nauss
Kelly is the returning 207-pound national champion after finishing third twice. Nauss finished second at 180 during the 2025 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, falling to Welker. Kelly defeated Nauss, 4-4, earlier this season.
Team Scores
1 McKendree 157.5
2 Iowa 149.0
3 North Central (IL) 117.5
4 Grand Valley St. 106.5
5 Presbyterian 83.5
6 Lehigh 48.5
7 King (TN) 45.5
8 Colorado Mesa 41.5
9 East Stroudsburg 40.0
10 Wartburg 39.5
Semifinal Results (with links to highlights)
103 Pounds
Rayana Sahagun (Grand Valley St.) 16-5 won by decision over Heather Crull (McKendree) 32-6 (Dec 7-7)
Valarie Solorio (Iowa) 34-2 won by fall over Trinity Pendergrass (Quincy) 24-13 (Fall 0:40)
110 Pounds
Audrey Jimenez (Lehigh) 21-0 won by tech fall over Nyla Valencia (Iowa) 26-4 (TF-1.5 4:45 (13-2))
Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley St.) 19-1 won by medical forfeit over Chloe Dearwester (Presbyterian) 23-3 (M. For.)
117 Pounds
Yu Sakamoto (McKendree) 17-1 won by decision over Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) 13-3 (Dec 17-10)
124 Pounds
Shelby Moore (McKendree) 19-4 won by decision over Sara Sterner (North Central (IL)) 28-2 (Dec 7-4)
Alexis Janiak (Aurora) 17-1 won by decision over Aubre Krazer (Lehigh) 26-1 (Dec 4-0)
138 Pounds
Katerina Lange (Grand Valley St.) 23-1 won by decision over Lilly Luft (Iowa) 21-8 (Dec 4-3)
160 Pounds
Kennedy Blades (Iowa) 18-0 won by decision over Stella Steigler (King (TN)) 32-3 (Dec 9-1)
180 Pounds
Kylie Welker (Iowa) 20-0 won by fall over Shenita Lawson (North Central (IL)) 22-4 (Fall 1:53)
Destiny Rodriguez (McKendree) 27-2 won by fall over Isabella Renfro (Fort Hays St.) 32-4 (Fall 2:53)