Val Solorio had an 18th birthday she will always remember. September 30, 2023, is the day she got the call from Iowa coach Clarissa Chun inviting Solorio to be a Hawkeye.

Val Solorio is going back to her roots. Solorio, currently ranked #24 in the national pound-for-pound rankings, started wrestling in Western Pennsylvania before moving to Panama City, Florida, to compete for Mosely High School.

There’s nothing like a rematch, and Gabriella Gomez and Valarie Solorio certainly have history. The two met in the best-of-three finals at the 2022 U17 Nationals in Forth Worth, Texas, on May 8 and in the 2021 16U National finals in Fargo on July 18.

Female participation at USA Wrestling 16u and Junior National Championships has been on the steady rise for over a decade. But these days it's not just quantity, but an abundance of quality girls wrestlers that are showing up in Fargo looking for stop signs.

All the ranked wrestlers registered to compete at Women's Nationals in Fort Worth, TX.

As one of the crown jewels of the high school wrestling season, it's no surprise to see the women's brackets at the 2021 Super 32 Challenge featuring some of the most decorated young athletes in the sport.