Iowa women’s wrestling prepares for ‘surreal’ moment at Trailblazer Duals

IOWA CITY — Ella Schmit is no stranger to seeing high-level wrestling at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“Ever since I was little and ever since I can remember, I would come to the Carver meets and watch the boys wrestle,” Schmit said. “In those days, I never would have imagined being the person that was stepping on the mat.”

But come Sunday, Schmit will be doing exactly that as part of the inaugural Iowa women’s wrestling team as it hosts the Trailblazer Duals — the team’s first competition at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Trailblazer Duals will pit Iowa against Presbyterian, Lindenwood and Sacred Heart — the three other NCAA Division I intercollegiate women’s wrestling teams.

Iowa has sold more than 10,000 tickets for the four-team event, as of Friday, according to Iowa sports information.

While detailed attendance records do not exist for the emerging sport, Iowa already has sold enough tickets to dwarf the typical crowds one might see elsewhere at women’s wrestling duals or tournaments.

“I believe there was never a college women’s wrestling event to have thousands in the crowd,” Iowa Coach Clarissa Chun said.

Iowa is coming off a dominant first weekend of competition. It started with a 43-1 win against East Stroudsburg in its first dual. Then the Hawkeyes had six first-place finishes in the Princeton Open.

“It states that we’re excited to compete,” Chun said. “We’re excited to be out there and represent the University of Iowa. … This past weekend was really what our women are capable of.”

The results were especially impressive at the top of the Hawkeyes’ lineup. Emilie Gonzalez and Sterling Dias placed first and second at 101 pounds in the Princeton Open.

“I believe we have the two best 101-pounders in the country right now,” Chun said. “They prove it each time they step on the mat.”

Iowa had first-place finishes in the next three weight classes — Ava Bayless at 109, Brianna Gonzalez at 116 and Felicity Taylor wrestling up at 123.

The Hawkeyes also had first-place finishes at 170 (Haley Ward) and 191 (Alivia White).

Looking ahead to Sunday, nothing can entirely prepare a team for something that has not been seen before in collegiate women’s wrestling.

“It’s hard to replicate any situation like what we’re about to walk into on Sunday,” Chun said. “We could play fake roaring crowd music, but it’s a little different knowing that it’s not real.”

Chun did emphasize the need to talk about “energy management and self-awareness.” Iowa’s three opponents are in the “same boat,” though.

“At the end of the day, our opposing teams — they’ve never wrestled in front of thousands of people watching as well,” Chun said. “We have home-turf advantage, and I tell them, ‘Let’s protect our home.’”

Schmit, sitting in a room down a corridor from where she will be wrestling in front of thousands, certainly seemed ready for this weekend’s “surreal” moment.

“To think that this week, like seriously in a few days, I’m going to be down there doing that is just awesome,” Schmit said. “It’s amazing how far the sport has come, and it’s honestly such a big step for women’s wrestling.”

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