By Eli McKown, Des Moines Register
To say that the first-ever NCAA women’s wrestling national championships was a dream for the 180 wrestlers participating in it would be a stretch.
For this group, an NCAA Tournament was far from possible when they were growing up with women’s wrestling still in its infancy. Now in 2026, one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States is the 91st NCAA-sanctioned sport. The inaugural tournament is set for March 6-7 in Coralville, Iowa.
One of those 180 wrestlers is Charles City native Lilly Luft. She’ll be the lone Iowa native representing the Hawkeyes at Xtream Arena, doing so as the No. 4 seed at 138 pounds. From growing up with brothers who wrestled, to starting wrestling full-time her freshman year of high school, to winning three state titles for Charles City and now representing the biggest wrestling brand on the largest stage, Luft and the sport have grown right alongside each other.
Lift is one of the pioneers of girls wrestling in Iowa, winning her senior state title at Xtream Arena at the first tournament sanctioned by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. She’ll now have an opportunity to compete in the first official NCAA postseason as well.
It’s not a dream realized for Luft, considering NCAA women’s wrestling wasn’t even considered a possibility to begin with when she was growing up. But it still means the world knowing how far she and the sport have come.
“It means everything,” Luft said. “We’ve been working years to have this opportunity where we can have a real NCAA Tournament just like the men. For that to come to fruition and be able to do that this year is incredible. It just goes to show all the hard work that every single female in the sport has put forth.”
Luft’s journey in Iowa City has had its ups and downs. An NCWWC All-American as a true freshman, her sophomore season was plagued by injury. As a junior, Luft had to win a fierce lineup battle to become the Hawkeyes’ postseason representative at 138 pounds.
Regardless of how she got here, the Hawkeyes are going to need everything Luft can provide. Two-time defending champion Iowa enters as the underdog to McKendree University. North Central beat both Iowa and McKendree outright at NWCA National Duals, too.
With a narrow difference making up these three programs’ lineups, the Hawkeyes need Luft to perform as she has in the past at Xtream Arena, a place where she grew into the wrestler she is today with three state titles.
“This is not a foreign place to her,” Iowa coach Clarissa Chun said. “It’s home. Go do what she does and what she has done in Xtream Arena.”
However this hotly contested team race goes, it’ll be an historic moment for women’s wrestling in the United States. As the lone Iowa native in the Hawkeyes’ 10, Luft hopes to showcase freestyle wrestling at its best to the fans in Coralville.
“To be a homegrown Iowa girl, getting to go out there and represent my state proudly, it’s awesome,” Luft said.
A quick preview of the 10 wrestlers for Iowa women’s wrestling at NCAAs
Val Solorio, No. 2 seed at 103 pounds: The team race between Iowa, McKendree and North Central will be the story of the weekend. Solorio has a big chance to determine where that winds up, with her and No. 1-seeded Heather Crull of McKendree as the top two challengers for a title. Crull won by fall at the For Her Duals, but a rematch in the finals, or at least the difference in placement between these two, will determine a lot.
Nyla Valencia, No. 5 seed at 110 pounds: After years of injuries, Valencia will finally get her chance. She’ll likely be tested right away in the quarterfinals vs. No. 4 Gabriele Tedesco, who she lost to in a 4-3 decision at the Missouri Valley Open. Tedesco, Lehigh’s Audrey Jimenez, Grand Valley State’s Sage Mortimer all are elite talents in this weight, but a healthy Valencia is right there with them.
Brianna Gonzalez, No. 5 seed at 117 pounds: Gonzalez enters the tournament battling injury. If she gets through the first round, she’ll likely need to avenge a loss vs. William Jewell’s Alexandra Waitsman, who Gonzalez lost to at the For Her Duals in a 10-7 decision. If she does that, a likely semifinal would be vs. McKendree’s Yu Sakamoto, who she lost to in the consolations of nationals last season in a 6-5 decision.
Cali Leng, unseeded at 124 pounds: Leng gets a tough draw being unseeded, facing No. 4 Shelby Moore in the first round. This will set the tone in the team race right away, as Leng looks to replicate her All-American season from one year ago.
Karlee Brooks, No. 4 seed at 131 pounds: Brooks spent time as the No. 1-ranked wrestler at this weight. As the No. 4 seed, her potential semifinal matchup vs. No. 1 Cameron Guerin of McKendree is worthy of a championship bout. Brooks lost to the four-time national champion at the For Her Duals in a 3-1 decision.
Lilly Luft, No. 4 seed at 138 pounds: Luft will be looking to replicate her All-American performance from 2024 after missing most of last season due to injury. If she reaches the semifinals as seeds project, a rematch with Katerina Lange of Grand Valley State is likely. Luft lost to Lange in a 10-0 technical fall at NWCA National Duals.
Reese Larramendy, No. 1 seed at 145 pounds: Larramendy is a favorite to reach the finals. Assuming she does, a rematch with North Central and former Hawkeye Bella Mir is likely. Mir won in last season’s matchup at the national tournament, but Larramendy defeated Mir at NWCA National Duals earlier this season. All matchups have been tightly contested, so this could be another tipping point in the team race.
Kennedy Blades, No. 1 seed at 160 pounds: The 2024 Olympic silver medalist is the heavy favorite at 160 pounds. Whatever the Hawkeyes accomplish will be behind her effort, as her team points earned via technical fall and falls will be the foundation of Iowa’s points total.
Kylie Welker, No 1 seed at 180 pounds: The same goes for Welker at 180. She rested the first half of the season after a busy international calendar leading up to the college season, but is 17-0 on the year with all but one match decided by technical fall, fall or forfeit.
Katja Osteen, No. 5 seed at 207 pounds: Osteen rose in a big way this season at 22-1. She was unbeaten at 180 and 207 pounds until she suffered a 4-1 loss by decision to Wartburg’s Reba Chababo in the NCAA regional finals. If she advances from the first round as projected, she’ll likely have a rematch with Chababo in the quarterfinals. Avenge that loss, and a potential bout with No. 1 Tristan Kelly of McKendree in the semifinals would be pivotal in the team race.
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