The Gazette’s 2025-26 All-Area girls wrestling team

Vinton-Shellsburg’s Chloe Sanders pretty much did it all this season. She became the state’s all-time wins leader and was the first female wrestler to get over 200 career wins. She won her and her school’s first state title in girls wrestling.

But for her, this season was about something greater — growth.

“This season was honestly humbling more than anything,” Sanders said. “I’m proud of the accomplishments, but more than that, I’m grateful for the growth. I’ve learned that success is built quietly and long before anyone sees it. I truly believe God was shaping me through every high and low — that perspective means more to me than the medals.”

Getting to the mountaintop of her wrestling career was a journey. Coming into her high school wrestling finale, Sanders was willing to give it everything she had.

When it came time to toe the line in her finals match against West Delaware’s Anna O’Rear, she was ready and fully believed in herself. It took time and a lot of consistent hard work to get there.

“To finish undefeated, win a state title, and set the wins record feels like the result of years of steady work and not just one good season,” Sanders said. “What stuck out to me the most was how locked in I felt.

“There wasn’t a lot of emotional ups and downs this season, just steady preparation and trust in the process. I focused on wrestling to compete at my best.”

This season, her best was good enough with numerous accolades and honors recognizing her achievements on the wrestling mat. For her, it’s about continuing a winning legacy inside Vinton-Shellsburg’s wrestling room and among her family.

Her brother, Gabe, won Vinton-Shellsburg’s first and only boys state wrestling title in 2022. It was seeing him go through his wrestling career and winning a state title for the Vikings that inspired Chloe to dream big.

“Watching my brother set that standard showed me what was possible,” Chloe said. “To now be part of that history in our community is something I don’t take lightly. But, more than anything, I hope it shows younger girls that they belong here and they can accomplish big things, too.”

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Mount Vernon’s Trende Named Coach of the Year

Trevor Trende has been involved with wrestling in the area for quite some time, having wrestled collegiately for Cornell College and now coaching Mount Vernon’s girls wrestling team.

It was his father, Larry, who helped get a girls wrestling program started in Cresco that inspired him to do the same at Mount Vernon.

“Watching him [Larry] build that program from the ground up had a major influence on me,” Trende said. “Seeing the confidence, opportunities, and growth that girls wrestling created truly inspired me to start the girls wrestling program at Mount Vernon.”

This season, Trende and the Mustangs continued a winning streak of having a state champion at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) State Tournament. The past two seasons now-University of Iowa wrestler, Libby Dix, won back-to-back titles and this season, senior Gracie Pinckney found her way to the top of the podium.

As a coach, there’s no better feeling than seeing your wrestlers achieve their dreams of being a state champion.

“Seeing athletes like Libby and Gracie win state titles is incredibly emotional and rewarding,” Trende said. “Those moments represent years of dedication, sacrifice, and belief. As a coach, it’s special knowing you played a small role in helping them reach a lifelong goal, but it’s even more meaningful knowing the work they put in has shaped them beyond the sport of wrestling.”

While it’s amazing to see members of his team achieve success, Trende is more concerned about the development of his wrestlers each season.

It’s something he’s truly proud of as the leader of Mount Vernon’s girls wrestling program.

“What I’m most proud of is seeing each individual continue to develop — not just as a wrestler, but as a teammate and person,” Trende said. “Watching our athletes grow in confidence, support one another, and fully invest in our team culture has been incredibly rewarding.”

2025 All-Area Girls Wrestling Team

100 — Elli Casey, so., Western Dubuque — Finished in fifth place in Class 2A and ends the year with a 35-4 record.

105 — Kate Martin, so., Mount Vernon — Earned a fourth-place finish in Class 1A and finished the year with a 55-4 record. Of her 55 victories, 42 were by fall.

110 — Kiersten Swart, sr., Mount Vernon — Capped off her high school wrestling career with a fourth-place finish in Class 1A and a record of 50-6.

115 — Kate Seery, sr., Linn-Mar — Ended her high school wrestling career with a Class 2A runner-up finish and a 43-5 record.

120 — Chloe Adamson, jr., Linn-Mar — Came in third place in Class 2A with a 46-6 record.

125 — Aileen Aragon, so., West Liberty — Earned a Class 1A runner-up finish and ended the year with a 47-2 record.

130 — Brielle Parke, jr., Linn-Mar — Finished in third place in Class 2A with a 45-5 record.

135 — Chloe Sanders, sr., Vinton-Shellsburg — Capped off her high school career with an undefeated record at 58-0 and a state title in Class 1A. Of her 58 wins, 45 were by fall.

140 — Evelyn Eggleston, sr., Iowa City Liberty — Earned a third-place finish in Class 2A with a season record of 39-5.

145 — Tayla Stiefel, sr., East Buchanan — Claimed a Class 1A state title and was one of three finalists (two champs) for the Buccaneers. Ended the year with a 54-4 mark.

155 — Shaona Emmanuel, sr., Iowa City High — Finished her high school career with a third-place finish in Class 2A and a 31-3 record. Of her 31 wins, 28 were by fall.

170 — Autumn Elsbury, sr., South Tama — Busted one of the toughest brackets throughout the tournament in Class 2A, defeating the top two seeds en route to her second IGHSAU state title. Finishes the year with a 40-4 record.

190 — Brooklyn Graham, sr., East Buchanan — Won her second state title in Class 1A with an undefeated season at 43-0.

235 — Emelia Reyes, jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie — Finished the season at the top of the podium in Class 2A with a season record of 43-1 and going undefeated against in-state competition.