McKendree Claims First NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championship

Coralville, Iowa, hosted the historic first National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships on March 6-7, 2026, at Xtream Arena. McKendree University emerged as the inaugural team champion, solidifying its position as a powerhouse in the rapidly growing sport.

McKendree Secures the Title

McKendree finished with 171 points, narrowly edging out the University of Iowa with 166 points. North Central College (Illinois) secured third place with 123.5 points, followed by Grand Valley State University with 110.5 points. The victory marks another national title for the McKendree program, which previously won women’s wrestling titles from 2020-2022 before the NCAA sanctioned the sport.

Individual Champions Crowned

The championships saw the crowning of ten individual champions across various weight classes:

• 103 pounds: Valarie Solorio, Iowa
• 110 pounds: Audrey Jimenez, Lehigh
• 117 pounds: Yu Sakamoto, McKendree
• 124 pounds: Xochitl Mota-Pettis, Quincy
• 131 pounds: Cameron Guerin, McKendree
• 138 pounds: Katerina Lange, Grand Valley State
• 145 pounds: Bella Mir, North Central (Illinois)
• 160 pounds: Kennedy Blades, Iowa
• 180 pounds: Kylie Welker, Iowa
• 207 pounds: Tristan Kelly, McKendree

Growth Driven by Division II and III Programs

The expansion of women’s wrestling has been largely fueled by programs at the Division II and Division III levels. These institutions were early adopters of the sport, offering crucial opportunities for competition and growth. As of 2025-26, the divisional breakdown of women’s wrestling programs is as follows:

• Division III: 59%
• Division II: 35%
• Division I: 5%

In January 2026, the NCAA membership voted to establish a separate Division III women’s wrestling championship, beginning in 2028.

Why Division II and III Lead the Way

Anthony Francis, McKendree Athletics Director, highlighted the strong return on investment for institutions adding women’s wrestling. He stated that McKendree recognized the opportunity to lead in the sport’s growth and provide novel athletic and academic opportunities for women. Gretchen Miron, director of education and external engagement at the NCAA, explained that the NCAA’s Emerging Sports for Women program provides a strong opportunity for Division II and III schools due to lower barriers to entry and high athlete interest.

Jake Short, coach of Grand Valley State women’s wrestling, noted that the sport is experiencing rapid growth in college athletics, with many Division II and III schools investing in programs to attract student-athletes and increase enrollment.

Olympic Pipeline

The NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships are also serving as a crucial pipeline for Olympic hopefuls. The freestyle wrestling format used in both the NCAA championships and the Olympics provides valuable preparation for the world stage. Kennedy Blades of Iowa, a 2024 Olympic silver medalist, noted that half of the members of the U.S. National team are current college athletes.

Sarah Hildebrandt, a former King (Tennessee) wrestler and Olympic medalist, emphasized the importance of college wrestling in athlete development, stating it will become a natural pipeline from high school to the Olympic level. Sage Mortimer of Grand Valley State echoed this sentiment, highlighting the positive impact on both international and domestic competition.

Elite Scholar-Athlete

Megan Edwards of Elmira College was awarded the Elite Scholar-Athlete honor, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the championships.