Iowa Women’s Wrestling Claims 2025 NWCA National Duals Title in Dominant Fashion (Full Video)

Hawkeyes Take Down North Central to Secure NWCA National Duals Championship

The Iowa Hawkeyes have officially cemented their dominance in women’s college wrestling. In the 2025 NWCA National Duals Finals, Iowa overpowered North Central with a commanding 28-13 victory, securing their first-ever National Duals title.

The final was packed with intensity, big moves, and comebacks, showcasing the talent of both programs. Let’s take a deep dive into how the Hawkeyes captured the championship.

103 lbs – Sterling Diaz (Iowa) def. Matti Ail (North Central), 3-2

The championship dual kicked off with a tactical battle at 103 lbs, featuring Iowa’s Sterling Diaz, a national runner-up last season, against North Central’s Matti Ail, a top-10-ranked wrestler.

Both wrestlers pushed the pace early, but neither could find an opening in the first period. Passivity points gave Diaz a slim 2-0 lead going into the final minute.

With 20 seconds left, Ail capitalized on a late shot clock call, scoring on a takedown and taking the lead on criteria. But Diaz wasn’t done—she countered with a clutch single-leg finish in the final seconds, securing a 3-2 victory to give Iowa the early 3-1 lead.

110 lbs – Ava Bayless (Iowa) def. Kendra Ryan (North Central), 5-2

Ava Bayless continued Iowa’s momentum at 110 lbs, outlasting Kendra Ryan in a hard-fought battle.

Bayless used her superior hand-fighting and positional control to take an early 3-2 lead. In the closing moments, she capitalized on Ryan’s aggressive push, countering with a perfectly timed takedown to seal the 5-2 victory.

With back-to-back wins, Iowa extended its lead to 6-2.

116 lbs – Bria Gonzalez (Iowa) def. Lily Petzinger (North Central), 10-7

One of the most electrifying matches of the night took place at 116 lbs.

North Central’s Petzinger came out on fire, opening up a 6-0 lead in the first period. But Iowa’s Gonzalez refused to go away.

Down 7-1 entering the second period, Gonzalez turned up the pace, scoring pushouts, re-attacks, and relentless offense to cut the lead to 7-6. With just 20 seconds left, Gonzalez scored another pushout, followed by a caution point, taking a 9-7 lead.

In the final seconds, she sealed the deal with one last pushout, completing the incredible comeback to win 10-7.

With that massive victory, Iowa pulled ahead 9-3.

123 lbs – Cali Lang (Iowa) def. Juliana George (North Central), 3-0

Cali Lang kept Iowa’s streak alive with a technical and methodical victory over Juliana George.

Lang dominated the hand-fighting and controlled center mat position throughout the match. She scored a passivity point in the first period and later added a textbook front headlock takedown to secure a 3-0 shutout win.

At this point, Iowa led 12-3.

131 lbs – Amani Jones (North Central) def. Emily Frost (Iowa), 15-3 (Tech Fall)

North Central finally got on the board in a big way.

Amani Jones, a highly ranked star for North Central, put on a clinic in offensive wrestling, hitting multiple takedowns and big throws to rack up a 15-3 technical fall over Iowa’s Emily Frost.

With the win, North Central cut Iowa’s lead to 13-7, keeping them in the fight.

136 lbs – Ana Estrada (Iowa) def. Skyler Sterrett (North Central), 13-8

At 136 lbs, two of the nation’s best went to war.

North Central’s Sterrett, a returning All-American, looked sharp early, using a big headlock to jump out to an 8-7 lead at the break.

But in the second period, Iowa’s Estrada took over, scoring a double-leg takedown and a pair of step-out points to complete the comeback 13-8.

With that crucial victory, Iowa extended its lead to 16-8.

143 lbs – Macy Kilty (Iowa) def. Ashley Belair (North Central), 11-2

Next up, Macy Kilty, a multi-time World Medalist, wasted no time making a statement.

She dominated from start to finish, using powerful single-leg takedowns and textbook gut wrenches to rack up an 11-2 technical fall.

With Kilty’s victory, Iowa took firm control of the dual, leading 19-9.

155 lbs – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) def. Kayla Jimmerson (North Central), 11-0 (Tech Fall)

If Macy Kilty set the tone, Kennedy Blades finished the job.

The national champion and senior world bronze medalist put on a wrestling masterclass, hitting a big four-point takedown, multiple step-outs, and a powerful gut wrench to cruise to an 11-0 tech fall.

With Blades’ dominance, Iowa extended its lead to 23-9, one match away from sealing the title.

170 lbs – Kylie Welker (Iowa) def. Annalise Lawson (North Central), Fall

And then, Kylie Welker shut the door.

The former World Team member wasted no time, hitting a snap-down, running the corner, and locking in a tight pinning combination to secure the fall in under a minute.

With the pin, Iowa officially clinched the NWCA National Duals Championship, extending their lead to 28-9.

191 lbs – Treya Haynes (North Central) def. Olivia White (Iowa), 10-0 (Tech Fall)

In the final match of the dual, North Central’s Treya Haynes ended the event on a high note for the Cardinals.

She dominated Olivia White with powerful upper-body throws, scoring multiple four-point moves before securing a 10-0 technical fall.

With that, the final team score stood at Iowa 28, North Central 13.

Final Score: Iowa 28, North Central 13

🏆 The Iowa Hawkeyes are your 2025 NWCA National Duals Champions! 🏆

What’s Next for Iowa?

With their historic championship victory, the Hawkeyes officially establish themselves as a powerhouse in women’s collegiate wrestling.

The win solidifies their place at the top of the rankings, and as they head into the national tournament, all eyes will be on them to see if they can add another title to their growing legacy.

For now, one thing is clear—Iowa Wrestling is here to stay. 🏆💪🔥