The 2026 Pan-American Championships are May 7-10 in Coralville, Iowa, with women’s freestyle action on May 8-9. Below is a schedule and overview of the U.S. women’s team with international wrestlers to watch.
Women’s Freestyle Schedule (Eastern Time)
Friday, May 8
50kg, 55kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg, 72kg
11 AM: Qualification rounds
2 PM: Semi-finals
6 PM: Finals & Awards Ceremonies
Saturday, May 9
53kg, 59kg, 65kg, 76kg
11 AM: Qualification rounds
2 PM: Semi-finals
6 PM: Finals & Awards Ceremonies
50 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Katie Gomez
Total Entries: 9
International Entries
Thalia Oliveira, BRA
Madison Parks, CAN
Dannia Figueroa Duque, COL
Greili Bencosme Carvajal, CUB
Jacqueline Mollocana Eleno, ECU
Mercedes Castillo Bernal, MEX
Nathaly Herrera Huacre, PER
Nohalis Loyo Jimenez, VEN
Overview
Gomez recently won a U.S. Open after competing in the toughest domestic women's freestyle weight class, dropping from 53, where she has spent most of her career. The 22-year-old has made four age-level World teams, winning 2021 Cadet gold and 2022 U20 bronze. She spent one season at the University of the Cumberlands, finishing second to Cristelle Rodriguez at 124 pounds during the 2025 NAIA Championships.
Maddie Parks is a Canadian mainstay, competing at four Senior and two Junior World Championships. The 33-year-old recently finished eighth at the 2025 Senior Worlds.
53 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Cristelle Rodriguez
Total Entries: 11
International Entries
Sabrina Gama Tapajos, BRA
Serena Di Benedetto, CAN
Antonia Valdes Arriagada, CHI
Maria Gonzalez, DOM
Lucia Yepez, ECU
Sofia Ocegueda Gonzalez, MEX
Yusneiry Agrazal West, PAN
Ana Alvarez Fernandez, PER
Aneishka Santos Baez, PUR
Alexa Alvarez Valenzuela, VEN
Rodriguez dropped from 55 and won the 2026 U.S. Open at 53 kg. She blitzed through the field and was leading 2024 Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt 6-2 in the finals before she injury defaulted. The Clovis, California, native completed her college career at Doane, where she won three NAIA titles. She is also a 2024 U20 World champion and 2025 Senior World Teamer at 55 kg.
A Cristelle Rodriguez vs Lucia Yepez matchup should excite wrestling fans. The Ecuadorian star is a three-time Senior World medalist, winning bronze (2023 Worlds), silver (2024 Olympics), and silver (2025 Worlds). She recently won 10-3 over American star Everest Leydecker at Real American Freestyle.
Canada’s Serena Di Benedetto is a 2023 U23 World silver medalist and was a star on the McMaster University team.
55 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Everest Leydecker
Total Entries: 3
International Entries
Amber Wiebe, CAN
Josefina Ramirez Duarte, MEX
Leydecker is a senior at Valiant College Prep in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the top pound-for-pound high school wrestler in the country. She’s looked good since winning the 2025 U20 World Championships, with golds at the Bill Farrell Memorial International and the Zagreb Open. The 18-year-old recently won her first U.S. Open and will attend the University of Iowa in the fall.
57 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Amanda Martinez
Total Entries: 11
International Entries
Camila Amarilla, ARG
Giullia Penalber, BRA
Karla Godinez, CAN
Tatiana Hurtado Lerma, COL
Yaynelis Sanz Verdecia, CUB
Yocleidy Ramirez Santana, DOM
Luisa Valverde, ECU
Bertha Rojas Chavez, MEX
Nadia Trujillano, PER
Maria Fuentes Salinas, VEN
Martinez won her second straight U.S. Open and will compete at Final X against 2025 World champion Helen Maroulis. The 27-year-old was a two-time national college finalist for North Central (2021-22) and a 2021 U23 World Teamer.
Karla Godinez of Canada should be a name familiar to women’s college wrestling fans. She won NCWWC (NCAA) titles for Simon Fraser in 2020 and 2022, and is a four-time Senior World teamer, winning bronze at 55 kg in 2022.
59 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Abby Nette
Total Entries: 4
International Entries
Mayara Ramos Pereira, BRA
Laurence Beauregard, CAN
Daniela Martinez Vargas, MEX
Nette made a 2022 Senior World Team and reached 2025 Final X, where she won the opening match against 2019 World champion Jacarra Winchester before dropping the next two. She won the last two U.S. Opens.
Beauregard won a bronze medal at the 2025 Senior World Championships and four Pan-Am golds, so a potential match against Nette will serve as a barometer entering 2026 Final X against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
62 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Adaugo Nwachukwu
Total Entries: 7
International Entries
Rebecca Williams, BAR
Lais Nunes, BRA
Annika Fines, CAN
Paula Montoya Garcia, COL
Melanie Jimenez Villalba, MEX
Astrid Montero Chirinos, VEN
Nwachukwu has ties to Iowa, winning NAIA titles for Iowa Wesleyan in 2022 and 2023, and a title for William Penn in 2024. She was the U.S. representative at 62 kg during the 2025 World Championships, and recently defeated two-time Senior World medalist Macey Kilty in the U.S. Open finals to reach Final X. The San Jose, California, native is a 2022 U20 World bronze medalist and four-time U23 National champion.
Brazil’s Lais Nunez is a 2020 Olympian who has qualified for eight Senior World Teams and has been in two bronze medal matches. Canada’s Annika Fines is a three-time age-level World Teamer.
65 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Kayla Miracle
Total Entries: 3
Miki Rowbottom, CAN
Alexis Gomez, MEX
Miracle moved up from 62 kg, where she was a 2021 and 2022 World silver medalist. She recently won the U.S. Open at her new weight, and has been a rock for the American team, making two Olympic Teams and 12 Senior and age-level World Teams. She’s won a medal at every World Championships level.
Gomez is from Carol Stream, Illinois, and was an NAIA finalist for Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, before transferring to McKendree. She represented Mexico at the past two Senior World Championships. Rowbottom finished 17th at the 2025 World Championships.
68 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Jasmine Robinson
Total Entries: 7
International Entries
Duda Rodrigues, BRA
Aleah Nickel, CAN
Virginia Jimenez Fernandez, CHI
Maria Ceballos Cuenu, COL
Ambar Garnica Flores, MEX
Nathaly Griman Herrera, VEN
Robinson finished second at the 2026 U.S. Open but recently made the U20 World Team. She is a 2023 U17 World bronze medalist, 2024 U20 World champion, and 2025 U23 World silver medalist. The Allen, Texas, native dropped from 72 to 68 for Senior competitions and is enrolled at McKendree University.
She could meet Duda Rodrigues, who is from Newport Beach, California, but won a 2025 U20 World bronze for Brazil. Canada’s Aleah Nickel is a three-time Senior World Teamer.
72 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Precious Wieser
Total Entries: 3
International Entries
Ellise Daynes, CAN
Michelle Olea Ruiz, MEX
Wieser had a successful drop from 76 kg to 72, reaching the 2026 U.S. Open finals, where she fell to Alexandria Glaude. She’s a two-time U.S. Open champion who reached Final X in 2019.
76 Kilograms
U.S. Entry: Kylie Welker
Total Entries: 10
International Entries
Meiriele Charamba, BRA
Vianne Rouleau, CAN
Tatiana Renteria, COL
Milaimy Marin Potrille, CUB
Emelyn Bautista, DOM
Genesis Reasco, ECU
Edna Jimenez Villalba, MEX
Aomi Riques Morales, PER
Neirili Banguero Martinez, VEN
This is the weight class to watch, with University of Iowa star Kylie Welker battling against a tough field. Welker is fresh off an NCAA title at Xtream Arena in Coralville on March 7. She won bronze medals at the 2024 and 2025 World Championships and automatically qualified for Final X.
Standing in her way is 2025 World champion Genesis Reasco, an opponent she teched 10-0 at last year’s Pan-Am Championships. Columbia’s Tatiana Rentería is a 2024 Olympic and 2023 World bronze medalist, and Cuba’s Milaimy Marin Potrille is a 2024 Olympic and 2025 World bronze medalist.
Whoever wins this weight has survived a gauntlet.