Ashley Flavin of Life University made history twice at the NWCA Multidivisional National Duals in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 8.

Somewhere south of Chicago at a truck stop Saturday, Wisconsin-La Crosse head coach Dave Malecek was cradling a trophy.

It was a weekend full of what wrestling fans wanted—upsets, excitement, and high drama with national team titles on the line inside the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. In the end, it was Life University winning the NAIA with a dual that came down to the final match, a match we’ll be talking about for years. And it was King winning the NCAA, taking down a McKendree program that had been on top for the last three years.Here’s a look at what transpired Thursday and Friday in both divisions:

Note: Simon Fraser and Colorado Mesa withdrew from the tournament after this story was originally published

Get ready for fireworks!

Next week in Louisville, Kentucky is like a two-day extension of the holiday season for National Wrestling Coaches Association Executive Director Mike Moyer.

Though COVID-19 prevented much of the major domestic and international wrestling events in 2020, 2021 was chock-full of women’s wrestling at the highest level. In addition to having both the Olympic Games and the World Championships in the same year, wrestling fans were treated to some amazing age-level competitions and thrilling domestic events. Here are 21 of the women’s freestyle highlights from 2021:

It started with a conversation at a 30-year high school reunion in 2001.

It was an eventful week with Iowa naming a head women’s wrestling coach and the Missouri Valley Open taking place on November 19-20. We have all of that and more in this edition of Women’s Wrestling Weekly.

Iowa’s historic women’s wrestling program now has a face of the franchise.

Ukraine won its first World team title in Belgrade and did so in spectacular fashion. Of its nine athletes, seven picked up medals, five reached the finals and three earned gold. The team was led by Olympic Team member Alina Akobiia, who unfortunately had to miss the Games after damaging ligaments in her elbow. She proved here that she’s a tier above everyone on the U23 level, pinning each of her opponents prior to the finals (where she controlled Russia’s Kristina Mikhneva). Other highlights included Solomiia Vynnyk defeating talented Olympian Anastasia Nichita of Moldova in a contentious 4-4 criteria bout and Anastasiia Lavrenchuk and Anastasiya Alpyeyeva commandingly taking titles at 65 kg and 72 kg respectively. This bodes well for Ukraine’s Senior-level future. None of the five women that represented Ukraine at the Olympics — where it picked up two bronze medals and a fifth-place finisher — were in attendance in Serbia, showing the serious depth and wide range of stars that are entering their Senior-level lineups. Ukraine will, without a doubt, be entering the upper echelon of international women’s wrestling over the next quad as its young stars compete for World Team spots with its talented veterans.

We have two wrestlers in contention for a medal. Anthony Cassioppi (125 kg) is in the gold medal match at 125 kg while Chris Cannon (61 kg) is fighting his way through the repechage.

Wrestling has finished in women’s freestyle at the U23 world championships in Belgrade, Serbia. The team race was tight throughout between Team USA, Russia, Ukraine, and India. Take a look below to see the final standings and how every representative for Team USA performed.

Day four in Belgrade: Alyvia Fiske will be in the morning repechage session and the second half of the women's team (Ronna Heaton, Amanda Martinez, Emma Bruntil, Ashlynn Ortega, Kayla Marano) start their tournament. Later this afternoon Kylie Welker will wrestle for bronze and Emily Shilson for gold. Should be a tremendous day!

Day three in Belgrade: 3 Greco athletes remain alive in repechage (Dylan Gregerson, Nate Moore, and Nicholas Boykin) and the first half of the women's team (Emily Shilson, Alex Hedrick, Michaela Beck, Alyiva Fiske, Kylie Welker)kick things off. Should be a tremendous day!