Iowa’s Brianna Gonzalez ‘showed her character’ in improbable comeback at National Duals

CEDAR FALLS — As Brianna Gonzalez wrestled in the NWCA National Duals finals, Kennedy Blades told her “you have that dog in you.”

“I don’t even think she heard me, but I think she knew,” Blades said. “Her subconscious definitely was like, ‘I have the dog in me.’”

Gonzalez proved Blades’ theory as Iowa’s 117-pound wrestler improbably came back from a 7-1 deficit at the end of the first period to pull off a 10-7 win.

“I told myself, ‘One point at a time,’” Gonzalez said. “And that’s what I did.”

Gonzalez’s nine unanswered points came against formidable competition, too. North Central’s Sydney Petzinger was the second-ranked wrestler in the country at 117.

“She knows that she’s never out of a match,” Iowa Coach Clarissa Chun said. “She just keeps adjusting and working toward what she wants to get to. So proud of her. So resilient.”

The bout “pumped us so much,” Blades said, as the Hawkeyes proceeded to win all but two of the remaining bouts against women’s wrestling powerhouse North Central. The persistence in that bout also is no surprise to those in the Iowa wrestling room.

“It’s just her as a person,” Iowa’s Kylie Welker said. “She’s going to fight for every point. She’s not going to, once she gets scored on, give up. So it really showed her character.”

Gonzalez’s mentality has suited her well in 2024-25, as she has gone 25-0. Eighteen of those 25 wins were either pins or technical falls. Her second-round pin at last month’s Soldier Salute took a mere 29 seconds.

“I feel very confident, especially with the team I have behind me,” Gonzalez said. “They work so hard in the wrestling room. … Having them behind me — it makes me want to keep working hard every day so I could get on top on that podium at Nationals.”

Gonzalez came just short of the top NCWWC podium spot in 2024, losing to teammate Felicity Taylor in the final round of national tournament. Her only other loss of the 2023-24 season was at the UNI-Dome against North Central’s Petzinger in 2024 NWCA National Duals.

After the way she redeemed herself against Petzinger in 2025, she appears to be far from an enviable matchup for opponents on the way to NCWWC Nationals farther south at Coralville’s Xtream Arena.

“Coach, I am so happy I’m not at that weight,” the 160-pound Blades said, emembering what she told Chun on Saturday. “Because that’s a bulldog.”

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