The Rematch

Top-ranked Life University will face #2 Campbellsville University on Thursday, February 3 in Williamsburg, Kentucky. The dual is part of a triangular between Life, Campbellsville, and #8 University of the Cumberlands. The Running Eagles knocked off Tigers, 25-19, during a dramatic final of the NAIA division of the NWCA National Duals held on January 7. 

There will be a couple of new faces in the line-up for Life after winning three duals on January 21. The Running Eagles were missing a 101-pounder throughout the National Duals and returning national champion Julia Vidallon recently returned to competition. Both weights should play a factor in the outcome of the dual. 

Life enters the dual 9-0 while Campbellsville is currently 11-2.

Golden Girls

Americans Emma Bruntil and Helen Maroulis bagged gold medals at the prestigious Yarygin tournament this week. 

Bruntil recently left McKendree midseason for the Olympic Training Center and her new training environment looks to be paying off. She won four tight matches — including a win over American teammate Forrest Molinari in the 65-kg finals — to become the seventh U.S. woman to win the tournament. 

Maroulis won her first three matches by a 30-6 count before receiving a forfeit in the 57-kilogram finals to become the eighth U.S. woman to win the tournament. Macey Kilty won a silver medal at 62-kg. Overall, the U.S. women brought home four medals: two gold and two silver. 

Bout At The Ballpark

The U.S. women’s line-up has been set for The Bout at the Ballpark on Friday, February 12 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas — and it’s a good one. Victoria Anthony (50 kg), Jacarra Winchester (53 kg), Helen Maroulis (57 kg), Kayla Miracle (62 kg), Kennedy Blades (68 kg), and Victoria Francis (76 kg) will face off against a team from Mongolia.

The event includes a college dual between Iowa and Oklahoma State along with a men’s international dual between the United States and Iran. 

Tickets for Bout at the Ballpark start at $15 and are available at texasrangers.com/wrestling.

The event will be broadcast live by FloWrestling.

She said it

"Wrestling has played a major role in the direction of my life. People constantly talk about all the life lessons that wrestling and other sports teach and I think that is 100% true. Wrestling is a very difficult and sometimes unforgiving sport -- it toughens athletes both physically and mentally. It also teaches people how to set and pursue a goal which is an invaluable skill. 

“My goals in wrestling have helped guide many of my life choices and if it weren’t for wrestling I wouldn’t be where I am today. I think that women’s wrestling is inspiring for many people. There has been strong opposition in the past and yet many girls and women have proven to be stronger and more resilient. As time goes on, more women are wrestling and reaching new levels which opens up so many other opportunities for them and future generations."

— Dom Parrish, 2018 and 2019 WCWA champion for Simon Fraser

Explosive Growth

Wisconsin made history by crowning 12 state champions at the inaugural WIAA Girls State Wrestling Championships in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on January 29. The field included 224 participants from 105 schools. There are currently 34 states that have sanctioned girls’ high school wrestling. 

Lori Ayres of Division I Women’s Wrestling created the following graphics to show the explosive growth of women’s wrestling at the high school and college level.