‘For her:’ Iowa women’s wrestling sees sport grow to NCAA Championship level ahead of third season

IOWA CITY — Playing it forward — that’s the task for Iowa women’s wrestling.

Iowa has coined the phrase “for her” in everything it does. For the wrestlers of the past, present and future, to help grow the sport. The Hawkeyes are in their third year as an official varsity sport at the university, led by head coach Clarissa Chun — who was inducted into the Missouri Valley College Athletic Hall of Fame just before the season began.

“It really is about the people who help our women's wrestling grow,” Chun said. “It's about the ones that paved the way for us. Our women fight for that — for things bigger than themselves in that regard.”

Ahead of the 2025-26 season, women’s wrestling took a major step at the collegiate level, choosing Xtream Arena as the inaugural destination for the NCAA Championships March 6-7. The last two seasons the Hawkeyes competed in the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC) and have a combined dual record of 35-0.

With the extra pomp and circumstance of transitioning to an NCAA championship, it shows how far the sport has come since Iowa instilled its program. The organization made the announcement over the summer.

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“Last year, before they even had the vote, we wouldn't have been, we wouldn't even believe that this was even in the process,” redshirt junior Reese Larramendy said. “This is what we were hoping for when we instilled the program. That was one of our goals, is that if we can show off how good women's wrestling is for not only your school but your country, the domino effect will happen.”

There’s also some changes this season. The NCAA only allows 10 athletes per program to participate in the championships.

Iowa has 11 returning All-Americans, including two reigning national champions, on top of welcoming six freshmen making their collegiate debut.

“I think the harder thing is when it does come down to decision time,” Chun said. “The great thing about our sport is you go earn it on the mat, you show your work and earn what you get.”

Redshirt junior Kylie Welker and senior Kennedy Blades both hold national titles, and have been competting internationally since securing the collegiate titles last year. Blades participated in her first senior championship at the 2025 World Championships, taking bronze in her weight class. Welker won gold in the U23 World Champions just a week ago.

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The duo practice together, and against each other, to help strengthen each other’s skills. They aren’t competing in the same weight class, but they both bring something to their game the other wants to sharpen.

For Blades, going against Welker is about getting stronger. For Welker, he has to match Blades’ speed.

“Clearly she has amazing talent and world level talent,” Blades said. “So it's perfect for me to compete against her, train with her, stuff like that, and just be able to push each other.”

Often times, though, the Hawkeyes do compete against one another in season. It could be part of the evaluation Chun does to know who will compete at the NCAA Championships.

It heightens the competition on the practice mat, reaching the levels of competition at dual and open meets throughout the season.

“We know that at one point or another, we're gonna have to wrestle a teammate,” Larramendy said. “If you want to become a national champ, you're gonna have to beat a girl that's in your weight class in this room.”

The end of, however, despite the competition is to grow women’s wrestling. It’s why the team’s phrase is “for her.”

Chun helped share that there’s someone watching in the crowd, wanting to learn how to wrestle. Now, the Hawkeyes can welcome them on the NCAA stage.

“I'm just so excited. I say that word a lot, but I don't think there's anything else that I can really feel towards it,” Welker said. “Now make it NCAA, it's just like, so special, and I could have never dreamed of this moment.”

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