5 things to watch as Iowa women’s wrestling seeks another NWCA National Duals title

IOWA CITY — When Iowa women’s wrestling returns to the UNI-Dome on Friday and Saturday for NWCA National Duals, it will again be in a unique position.

The Hawkeyes remain the only Power Four women’s wrestling program in the country. (Most of the other teams competing against Iowa this weekend aren’t even Division I schools.)

Iowa Coach Clarissa Chun does not see it as such a lopsided difference, however, between those wearing Hawkeye singlets and those wearing King University singlets or North Central College singlets.

“If there were other Big Ten programs or other Power Four conferences, those athletes might be going to those institutions,” Chun said this week. “I look at North Central as our Penn State. I look at King as our Michigan. … All those teams come out with great abilities.”

After all, Iowa almost lost at this stage last year. The Hawkeyes ultimately needed a passivity point from Jaycee Foeller to edge previous champion North Central College, 21-20, and claim last year’s NWCA National Duals title.

“It was a one-point difference, and it came down to the last match,” Chun said. “And if Jaycee didn’t score her one point — this is not anything to take lightly. … We got to be ready for a fight.”

Here are five things to watch as the Hawkeyes go for their second NWCA National Duals title in as many years:

Possible quarterfinal opponent that Clarissa Chun wants on Iowa’s schedule

Chun is “really excited” to potentially face Wartburg in Friday’s quarterfinals. (Iowa would need to defeat Aurora, and Wartburg would need to defeat Adrian College.)

“They got tough competitors on their team,” Chun said. “They got world-level athletes on their team, too. … It’s a great challenge for our women at various weight classes.”

But for as much respect as Chun has for the Knights, Iowa has not faced Wartburg in a dual setting in either of its first two seasons of competition. That does not appear to be due to a lack of trying on Iowa’s side.

Chun said she “absolutely” would like to get Wartburg on Iowa’s schedule.

“I’ve talked to Coach (Brady) Kyner a couple times, two years in a row in hopes to get a dual with them,” Chun said.

So far, the only instate women’s wrestling program to come to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a dual has been Cornell College in November. The Hawkeyes won, 47-0.

“I really wanted Wartburg and another Iowa team for this year and last year,” Chun said.

Nanea Estrella’s stellar start to 2024-25 season

After an injury-derailed 2023-24 season, Nanea Estrella has been exceptional at 138 pounds in 2024-25.

The Makawao, Hawaii, native has gone 13-0 this season. That includes a 6-0 record in duals and first-place finishes at the Eagle Madness Open and North Central’s NCC Open.

“She’s a force at that weight class,” Chun said. “She’s explosive. She’s strong. She’s dynamic. She’s competed a lot. And this is her senior year, so I think for her, she wants to bring out the best that she has.”

Estrella’s success adds to what already has been a mighty back half of the Hawkeyes lineup — particularly with Macey Kilty and Reese Larramendy at 145, Kennedy Blades at 160 and Kylie Welker at 180.

Potential battle with ex-Hawkeye Bella Mir

If Iowa and North Central proceed to the National Duals championship (as they did last year), the Hawkeyes may have an especially familiar foe at 145 pounds.

Bella Mir transferred from Iowa to North Central after last season and has gone 11-1 as part of the Cardinals this season.

“I love Bella,” Chun said. “I’m sad that she’s not here. It’s going to be hard for me to coach against her in that way.”

It is “not going to be hard” at the same time, though, because Chun is “going to coach the person in front of us, whoever steps out at that weight.”

“This competition is competitive,” Chun said. “Absolutely, we want to beat her. We’re going to do whatever as far as positionally to get the outcome we want. But I’m looking forward to seeing Bella, and I wish her all the best in her other matches that we aren’t competing against her because she’s a great person.”

How Iowa will fare without its full lineup

Chun acknowledged Iowa has some “little injuries that we’re still working through.”

“We won’t have our full lineup across the board with our top women, but we will have most of them across all the weights,” Chun said.

Chun also referenced illnesses as a potential challenge.

“You’re on a college campus,” Chun said. “You’re around a whole bunch of people. No matter how much we say ‘wash your hands and wash your butts,’ there’s things that go around.”

Does anyone actually stop Iowa?

As much as Chun will praise the level of wrestling at other programs, there is no denying Iowa’s dominance in the sport.

Chun’s program has the No. 1 spot in the NWCA Coaches Poll with 120 points while second-ranked King has only 86 points. The Hawkeyes have yet to lose a dual meet in their two seasons of competition, going 16-0 in 2023-24 and 9-0 so far this year.

Iowa’s nine dual wins this season have been by a combined score of 351-34. Life University — the top-ranked NAIA program — was the only team to reach double-digits against the Hawkeyes. Even then, Iowa claimed a comfortable, 30-14, win.

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