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Iowa women's wrestling rolls into National Duals semifinal

by:Tanner Lafever•01/10/25•

TannerLafever

Brianna Gonzalez National Duals
Top-ranked Brianna Gonzalez paced the Hawkeyes on Day 1 at National Duals, earning a pair of first-period falls at 117 pounds. (Photo Credit: Iowa Women's Wrestling Twitter)

You couldn’t ask for a much better start than the one the Iowa women’s wrestling team got off to on Day 1 of the 2025 NWCA National Duals.

The top-ranked, top-seeded Hawkeyes swept a pair of duals versus ranked foes – doing so via a dominant 77-11 margin.

Clarissa Chun’s squad now waits until tomorrow morning to resume its bid for a repeat title.

As expected in our weekend preview article, Aurora (IL) and Wartburg (IA) opposed the Hawkeyes on Friday morning. Neither was able to muster much resistance.

I’ll hit the highlights of both duals below, then wrap things up with a peak ahead to tomorrow.

It’s college wrestling. It’s live from the UNI Dome. There are 34(!) mats on the floor and another two to practice on just for kicks.

Is there a better way to start a weekend? I’m dubious.

#1 Iowa – 35, Aurora – 10

The sternest test for the Hawkeyes on Day 1 unquestionably came in their opening dual.

Unseeded Aurora (ranked tenth nationally) came out ready to scrap, starting at 103 pounds.

#2 Sterling Dias continues to make her way back from an opening weekend injury, sporting a hefty shoulder brace/tape job in the process.

She led Aurora’s Genesis Ramirez, 3-0, before giving up a second period takedown and hanging on for the decision victory. That’ll be something to keep an eye on tomorrow, as Dias is the only 103-pounder on Iowa’s roster this weekend.

The Gonzalez sisters (Emilie and Brianna) would extend Iowa’s lead thanks to back-to-back bonus point wins at 110/117 pounds. They’d be followed by Aurora’s first win of the dual.

At 124 pounds, Iowa reserve Ava Rose was thrown and pinned by Bethany Regione to make the team score 12-6. But that result would be canceled out by a quick pin of Iowa’s own, thanks to 131-pounder Emily Frost.

Next up was the ‘match of the dual’ in terms of pedigree on both sides.

Both Cadence Diduch (62 kilograms) and Aurora’s Alexis Janiak (59 kilograms) were on the U.S. Under-20 World Championship team in Spain last summer. Janiak took silver – her second medal in as many years – while Diduch was eliminated after going 1-1.

On this day, the two met at 138 pounds, where Janiak (ranked #3 at 131 pounds) got the better of things via 10-0 tech. fall.

Those would be the last points of the dual for the underdog Spartans.

Iowa went tech. fall, tech. fall, pin, forfeit to claim the final four bouts and advance to the quarterfinals.

#1 Iowa – 42, #8 Wartburg – 1

A first-ever meeting between in-state programs was set the moment Iowa and Wartburg both won their opening dual(s) in Cedar Falls.

Only the Hawkeyes would turn one ‘W’ into a winning streak.

Forfeits at 103 and 110 pounds handed Iowa a 10-0 lead before a single whistle was blown.

(Not that they needed the leg up.)

At 117, Brianna Gonzalez got her second pin of the day before sophomore Cali Leng scored a decisive third-period takedown to earn herself a 6-6 criteria win at 124.

Those results preceded a five-match run of total evisceration.

After Emmily Patneaud earned a 90-second pin at 131, the Hawkeyes ran off a quartet of tech. falls by a combined score of 43-0. Among that foursome, Iowa’s murderers’ row of Macey Kilty (145), Kennedy Blades (160) and Kylie Welker (180) – all World/Olympic medalists in 2024.

#5 Alivia White capped things off at 207 pounds with another shutout (4-0), as well as Iowa’s lone ranked win of the dual – over #9 Rewa Chababo.

With the victory, the Hawkeyes punched their ticket to the National Duals semifinals for the second-consecutive year.

Day 1 results

#1 Iowa 35, Aurora 10
103 – #2 Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Genesis Ramirez, Dec. 3-2
110 – #5 Emilie Gonzalez (Iowa) over Mia Moore (Aurora) TF 10-0
117 – #1 Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Sharon Moore (Aurora), Fall 1:17
124 – Bethany Regione (Aurora) over Ava Rose (Iowa) Fall 1:32
131 – Emily Frost (Iowa) over Natasha Markoutsis (Aurora), Fall 2:22
138 – #3 Alexis Janiak* (Aurora) over Cadence Diduch (Iowa) TF 10-0
145 – #1 Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Olga Turiy (Aurora), TF 11-0
160 – #2 Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Antonia Phillips (Aurora) TF 12-0
180 – #7 Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Mackenzie Konanz (Aurora) Fall 2:39
207 – Samantha Calkins (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

*Janiak (Aurora) is ranked #3 at 131 pounds

#1 Iowa 42, #8 Wartburg 1
103 – #2 Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
110 – #2 Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
117 – #1 Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Danielle Silva (Wartburg),, Fall 1:17
124 – Cali Leng (Iowa) over Liannette Ortiz (Wartburg),  Dec. 6-6
131 – Emmily Patneaud (Iowa) over Khylie Wainwright (Wartburg), Fall 1:41
138 – #3 Nanea Estrella (Iowa) over Alli Russler (Wartburg),, TF 12-0
145 – #3 Macey Kilty (Iowa) over Dana Cleveland (Wartburg),, TF 10-0
160 – #2 Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Rachel Schauer (Wartburg),, TF 11-0
180 – #1 Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Kami Senlycki (Wartburg), TF 10-0
207 – #5 Alivia White (Iowa) over #9 Rewa Chababo (Wartburg), Dec. 4-0

Saturday preview

Thus far, seeds have held firm across the women’s NCAA division here in Cedar Falls. That means Iowa will face #4 seed McKendree (IL) in Saturday’s semis at 10:30 a.m. CT.

McKendree defeated Emmanuel University and #5 seed Presbyterian on Friday by scores of 35-12 and 24-20 respectively.

In the latter matchup – a quarterfinal – McKendree trailed 16-20 before registering a pair of tech. falls to close/win the dual.

The Bearcats do possess high-level talent at several weights, but barring disaster, Iowa figures to win in a comfortable manner to reach the final.

That’ll set the stage for a championship matchup with either #2 North Central (IL) or #3 King (TN).

(Based on some absences in King’s lineup today, I’d expect North Central to prevail in the opposite semi.)

I wrote more about both talented squads in my weekend preview article. Notably, a rematch with North Central would run back the crazy final between the two programs a year ago – won 21-20 by the Hawkeyes in dramatic fashion.

Bottom line, tomorrow is shaping up to be an awesome day of wrestling at the UNI-Dome.

Foeller out

One final bit of news to mention before I wrap things up: Iowa will be without its top-ranked 207-pounder, Jaycee Foeller, this weekend. Foeller, a three-time national runner up, was a late scratch from the travel roster just before the team departed Iowa City.

Fortunately for the Hawkeyes, such depth (and star power) exists in its upper weights that the senior’s absence may be negligible.

If necessary, look for Coach Chun to potentially bump #1 Welker from 180 to 207.

That could open up 180 for #7 freshman Naomi Simon – a 2024 U20 World bronze medalist. Or it could be part of a domino effect that sees Kilty and Blades bump up as well – in which case defending NCWWC champ Reese Larramendy could ‘step in’ at 145.

These are the ‘problems’ you deal with as head coach of the Iowa women’s wrestling program.

(Must be nice.)

Short time

That’s going to do it for me here today.

A reminder that all this weekend’s action is streaming live on FloWrestling (subscription required).

If Iowa prevails in its semifinal against McKendree at 10:30 a.m. (CT), it’ll wrestle for the 2025 National Duals title at 1:30 p.m. (CT).

The full tournament bracket is available HERE as well.

Thanks as always for following along and be sure to tune back in tomorrow for (Championship) Day 2.

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