What to know as Iowa women’s wrestling competes in 2024 NCWWC Nationals in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — Even from people who “know nothing about wrestling,” Kylie Welker has seen plenty of interest in this weekend’s National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.

“I’ve gotten a lot of text messages just saying like, ‘Hey we’re going to be there,’“ said Welker, the 170-pound Iowa wrestler. ”And I’m like, ‘No way, that’s so cool.’ Or like, ‘Hey, how do I buy tickets?’“

The high interest is not a surprise considering that the Hawkeyes will be pursuing national championships a short 30-minute drive from Iowa City at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids.

“This feels like our backyard,” Iowa Coach Clarissa Chun said in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Here is what to know ahead of NCWWC Nationals on Friday and Saturday:

Who will be competing in the NCWWC Nationals?

Twenty-four wrestlers from each weight class will be wrestling in Cedar Rapids.

Each team could take a maximum of 15 wrestlers to NCWWC Regionals — one at each weight class with the ability to double-up at five classes. All 15 Iowa wrestlers from Regionals qualified for Nationals:

The way the brackets are set up technically leaves the door open for possible Iowa-vs.-Iowa championships at 101, 116, 143 and 155 pounds. (Welker and Ward, meanwhile, would face off in the semifinals.)

What’s at stake in the NCWWC Nationals?

The obvious prize at NCWWC Nationals will be the individual national titles at each of the 10 weight classes.

Along with the magnitude of winning a national championship, a first-place finish also will serve as the penultimate qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April. (So far, Deede, Welker and Cassioppi are the only Hawkeyes who have qualified.)

The top eight finishers in each weight class will earn All-America status.

NCWWC also will crown a team national title based on who has the most team points. Iowa and North Central College will be the most likely contenders for the team title while King University could also be in the mix.

While Iowa will likely have the favorite in several weight classes — 101, 109, 116, 155 and 170 quickly come to mind — a team title is far from a foregone conclusion. The Hawkeyes narrowly defeated North Central earlier this year, 21-20, thanks in part to Jaycee Foeller’s crucial passivity point.

North Central Coach Joe Norton described the Iowa-North Central match as “crazy.”

“Even in losing it, that was so cool I think for women’s wrestling and for both teams involved,” Norton said on Thursday.

How Iowa’s trio of freshmen at 123, 130 and 136 performs could be the difference-maker in whether the Hawkeyes bring home another national title.

“They continue to grow and make each other better, push each other in the room,” Chun said of the freshmen. “This is the fun part about wrestling, right — to watch their growth and development.”

Wait, didn’t Iowa already win a team national championship?

Yes.

Women’s wrestling, which currently holds NCAA “emerging sport” status, essentially has two team national championships.

The first one was the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 5-6, which the Hawkeyes won with dual victories over Adrian College, Presbyterian, King and North Central. The second one is this weekend in Cedar Rapids.

When is NCWWC Nationals happening?

The preliminary round will begin Friday at 11 a.m., and the second session on Friday will begin at 4 p.m. Wrestling begins Saturday at 11 a.m. with the championship semifinals followed by consolation matches. The finals will begin at 7 p.m.

Single-session and all-session tickets are available at ncwwc.com.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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