Check out whose stock rose after the 2026 USA Wrestling Women's Nationals and World Team Trials in Spokane, Washington, on April 9-12.

This year’s Women’s Nationals had a treasure trove of fascinating results. Here’s whose stock increased after the most prestigious domestic age-level women’s freestyle tournament.

Click here for a by-the-numbers breakdown.

Williams Family

Nate and Liza Williams should be feeling good because they have three daughters on the National Team.

Bella won the U20 World Team Trials at 62 kg and placed second at the U23 National Championships at 65 kg. 

Clover finished second at the U17 World Team Trials, taking the first match in the best-of-three series before dropping the next two.  

Sasha was third in the U15 National Championships at 66 kg, losing to the eventual champion in the semis. 

They also found a new way to use their stop signs. 

More than a stop sign. The Williams sisters used their hardware as coasters.

Sarissa Tucker, U20, 2nd at 50 kg

Tucker made a statement by reaching the finals in a loaded bracket. She secured three falls and two techs before falling to two-time U17 World champion Morgan Turner in the finals. Her most impressive falls were in the quarters and semis, stopping Jaclyn Bouzakis and Christina Estrada. Bouzakis and Estrada competed in the U23 National Championships and finished third, so it was a statement weekend for Tucker. 

Marlee Solomon, U20, 2nd at 55 kg and U17, 1st at 53 kg

Solomon had an impressive run to the U20 best-of-three finals, knocking off 2026 NCAA finalist Riley Rayome, 5-4, in the quarters, then defeating U17 World silver medalist Epenesa Elison, 10-5, in the semis. She fell to 2025 U20 World champion Everest Leydecker in the finals, but made the U17 World Team at 53 kg. 

Christina Estrada, U20, 3rd at 50 kg and U23, 3rd at 53 kg

Estrada made the list last year after reaching the U17 World Team Trials as an unseeded wrestler. This year, she finished third in the U20s at 50 kg and third in the U23s at 53 kg. 

Alexandra Szkotnicki, U23, 1st at 59 kg

Szkotnicki was McKendree’s ultimate utility player, competing at 131, 138, and 145 during the season. She was the late starter for the Bearcats at 145, finishing sixth at nationals after a regional title. 

Dropping down to 59 kg showed how good Szkotnick is. The Riva, Maryland, native went 6-0, with straight wins over two-time age-level World medalist Lexi Janiak in the best-of-three finals. 

LVG! LVG! LVG!

Is this the start of a new nickname? We hope so! 

There’s still confusion about Landri Von Gonten's last name. Is there a space between Von Gonten, or isn’t there (VonGonten)?

Let’s stick with what we know. Von Gonten made the U17 World Team with an impressive run to the 61 kg finals (7-0). She also gives great interviews and never backs down from a challenge.

LVG trending upward!

Landri Von Gonten (or is it VonGonten?) is known for her aggressive style and exceptional interviews

Two-Division Champions

Why win one division when you can win two? The following wrestlers won multiple brackets over four days of competition. 

Morgan Turner (13-1) won the 50 kg division at the U20 World Team Trials and the U23 National Championships. She went 7-0 in U20s and 6-1 in U23s, dropping a 14-5 match against 2024 U23 World champion Sage Mortimer before winning the next two in the best-of-three finals.

Everest Leydecker (11-1) returns to the U20 World Championships after winning the 2025 gold at 55 kg. She outscored six opponents 62-0 in the U20 division before moving up to 57 kg from 55 to compete at U23 Nationals. She reached the U23 finals, won her first match 11-0, was pinned by Sara Sterner in the second match, and secured a fall in the third, going 6-0 in U20s and 5-1 in U23s. 

Taina Fernandez (11-0) made age-level World Teams in the U17 (69 kg, 6-0) and U20 (68 kg, 5-0) divisions. The two-time U17 World champion was expected to compete at 65 kg, but moved up a weight in both divisions and proved she can win anywhere. And she’s only 16. 

Isla Silva (11-0) made the U15 Pan-Am Team at 50 kg (5-0) and the U17 World Team at 49 kg (6-0). Silva will likely compete at the U17 Worlds since the U15 Pan-Ams are a few days before, but maybe a great travel agent can figure it out. 

Taina Fernandez was the only wrestler to qualify for two age-level World Teams in Spokane, Washington

The State of Iowa

The University of Iowa had an impressive showing in the U20 division, placing 10 current or future Hawkeyes in the top eight, with four making World Teams. They also had three U23 place winners.

Iowa’s U20 Placers
Rianne Murphy (current): 6th at 50 kg
Taylor Whiting (future): 1st at 53 kg — World Team
Harlee Hiller (current): 5th at 53 kg
Isabella Marie Gonzales (current): 7th at 53 kg
Everest Leydecker (future): 1st at 55 kg — World Team
Karlee Brooks (current): 1st at 57 kg — World Team
Bella Williams (current): 1st at 62 kg — World Team
Carley Ceshker (future): 2nd at 62 kg
Nora Akpan (future): 4th at 68 kg
Naomi Simon (current): 5th at 76 kg

Iowa’s U23 Placers
Ava Bayless: 5th at 53 kg
Cali Leng: 4th at 55 kg
Everest Leydecker (future): 1st at 57 kg
Emily Frost: 6th at 59

The University of Iowa wasn’t the only school that fared well in Spokane. William Penn (Oskaloosa, Iowa) had one current (Piper Fowler, 76 kg) and one former (Adaugo Nwachukwu, 62 kg) U23 National title winner. 

Division III Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa) got in the mix, with Annie Obermark winning the 68 kg U23 title and Keeley Kehrli finishing seventh at 76 kg. 

The Cardinals

North Central is down to its final year of all-divisions competition before D3 schools host a separate national tournament during the 2027-28 season (unless head coach Joe Norton can convince the NCAA to let his team face athletic scholarship schools).

The Cardinals made the most of Women’s Nationals, placing five in the U20s and eight in the U23s — three more than the next best team. North Central sent five to the finals, with Taylor Graveman winning a title.

North Central’s U23 Placers
Kaelani Shufeldt: 6th at 50 kg
Sydney Petzinger: 2nd at 53 kg
Sara Sterner: 2nd at 57 kg
Grace Stem: 4th at 59 kg
Claire DiCugno: 2nd at 62 kg
London Houston: 3rd at 65 kg
Taylor Graveman: 1st at 72 kg
Shenita Lawson: 2nd at 76 kg