Girls’ wrestling continues to grow, expand across Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS — The 2025-2026 Iowa high school girls’ wrestling season continues to show what the sport does best — grow.

This season, schools will still be split into two classes; however, Class 2A has expanded from 64 teams last season to 80 this year. The remaining schools complete the Class 1A field.

This growth has led to some co-ops being dissolved with schools. North Linn previously competed with West Delaware as a co-op school, but the Lynx will field their own team this year, led by Brad Bridgewater. Their team includes just one upper classman — junior Allison Arnold.

Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union wrestling administrator, Kylee Walker, is thrilled about the growth of this sport.

“Girls’ wrestling in Iowa continues to experience growth in participation among athletes and programs across the state,” Walker said. “It’s an exciting time for girls’ wrestling, and we’re looking forward to another season on the mat.”

Teams to Watch

East Buchanan — The Buccaneers are coming off their Class 1A girls’ wrestling state title, the first in school history. East Buchanan will be led by four seniors in Kara Knipper, Tayla Stiefel, Miley Walz and Brooklyn Graham. Graham is the defending Class 1A state champion at 170 pounds, with Stiefel and Walz joining her as returning state place-winners, finishing in third at 145 and fourth at 155, respectively.

Mount Vernon — The Mustangs are coming off a team runner-up finish in Class 1A, led by state champion and now University of Iowa wrestler, Libby Dix. Mount Vernon returns four state place-winners from a year ago in Kate Martin (4th at 105), Kiersten Swart (2nd at 110), Addi Whisner (6th at 145), and Gracie Pinckney (5th at 170), as well as state qualifier Kaylee Kintzel.

Mount Vernon head coach Trevor Trende said his team knows that while it is coming off a state runner-up finish, it also will need to rebuild, focusing on a new year, new team.

“This group is building its own identity,” Trende said. “Our motto has been about building and developing our own house — every rep, every practice, every grade, every assignment, every match is a brick in what we are putting together. Brick by brick, this team is creating something special.”

Linn-Mar — The Lions will be led by a duo of returning state place-winners in Kate Seery (3rd at 110, 2A) and Brielle Parke (5th at 130). Both were active in the off-season, with Seery competing at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals and Parke winning an Iowa AAU state championship in March. Aurora Lloyd also could be a key wrestler for the Lions at 190 pounds. She won a title at the National Corncob Classic earlier this fall and had 27 wins last season.

Cedar Rapids Prairie — The Hawks tied for ninth place in the Class 2A team race last season. Prairie will be led by state qualifiers Elizabeth Burns, Marie Burns, Luisa Meade, Addison Bowman, and Emelia Reyes. The Hawks came in second place to Cedar Falls in the Mississippi Valley Conference tournament last year and will remain a top contender in the conference.

Iowa City Liberty — Liberty returns three wrestlers with state tournament experience in Peyten Van Dyke (finished in 8th last season), Taylor Cavanh and Evelyn Eggleston. Liberty’s team has eclipsed 40 wrestlers this season.

Liberty Head Coach Derek Coorough said the Lightning will use their youth and expertise in the lower weight classes to fuel their team.

“We are a competitive team from 100-155 and have several freshmen athletes coming in that will be impact wrestlers,” Coorough said. “Liberty is looking to have a strong dual team season and compete for the conference title this year.”

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Wrestlers to Watch

Autumn Elsbury, senior, South Tama — Won the Class 2A state title at 170 pounds last year with a 45-0 record. Looks to become South Tama’s first two-time state champion and was also named Iowa/USA Wrestling’s 2025 Junior Women’s Wrestler of the Year during the off-season.

Chloe Sanders, senior, Vinton-Shellsburg — Earned a third-place finish at 140 pounds in Class 1A with a 54-3 record. Sanders finished in third in the USA Folkstyle Nationals in March and also won an Iowa freestyle state championship this May, winning by pin or tech fall in all of her matches en route to the title.

Anna O’Rear, senior, West Delaware — Enters her senior season coming off a runner-up finish in Class 2A at 125 pounds. O’Rear was the Hawks’ first girls’ wrestling state finalist with a season record of 33-4. This year, West Delaware has moved to Class 1A.

Lizzy Wolf, senior, Benton Community — Coming off a third-place finish in 1A at 155 pounds last season, Wolf ended her junior season with a 33-2 record. Of her 33 wins, 22 were by fall.

Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez, junior, West Liberty — Finished in third place in the Class 1A 190-pound bracket with a 31-2 record. The top two finishers last year at 190, state champ Dix and Leah Stewart from Charles City, have graduated, leaving this weight class wide open.

Key Dates

All roads will lead to Coralville in February for the girls who toe the line and compete in high school girls’ wrestling this year. Regionals will take place at schools throughout the state on Jan. 30, with site assignments being announced at a later date.

The IGHSAU state championships will be held at Xtream Arena, Feb. 5-6.