Following the Region V (five) Qualifying Tournament on Feb. 20 and 21, the Wartburg Women’s Wrestling team traveled to Xtreme Arena in Coralville, Iowa for seven wrestlers to compete in the inaugural NCAA National Women’s Wrestling Championship on March 6 and 7. The national championship hosts schools from Division I, Division II and Division III.
The Knights competing in the national championship included freshman Gable Hemann (117), freshman Sophie Bowers (124), freshman Kenzie Childers (131), junior Afftynn Stusse (110), junior Kylie Rule (138), junior Aniyah Kelly (145) and senior Rewa Chababo (207).
Ending day one, Bowers went 1-2 in the tournament to end her season, Childers ended her season 0-2 in the tournament, Stusse finished the day 1-2 and Kelly ended the day 0-2 after receiving a first-round bye for the tournament.
Also in day one, Hemann lost in the first round and competed in the wrestle back bracket for the remainder of the day. After defeating Kiely Tabaldo of Grand Valley State, Nohea Moniz of Sacred Heart and Icart Galumette of Delaware State, Hemann secured her spot in the top eight, ending day one 3-1.
Rule, after receiving a first-round bye, defeated Ragan Retell of East Stroudsburg and lost to Claire DiCungo of North Central, sending her to the wrestle back bracket where she defeated Carina Gaingeruso of Presbyterian. Rule secured her spot in day two, finishing day one 2-1.
Chababo also received a first-round bye. Beginning in round two of the championship, Chababo defeated Esther Peters of Chadron State and Katja Osteen of Iowa, securing her a spot in the semi-finals on day two.
Heading into the second day of the championship tournament, Hemann, Rule and Chababo earned All-American titles, the most athletes to earn All-American status in Wartburg Women’s Wrestling program history.
On day two, Hemann lost to Carleigh Czerneski of Adrian and Abigal Cooper of Lehigh to place eighth in the national championship.
Rule defeated Ruby Julien-Newsom of King, lost to Lily Luft of Iowa and ended her day with a victory over Jacinda Espinosa of Lindenwood to place fifth at the national championship.
Chababo lost to Tristan Kelly of McKendree, sending her to the wrestle back bracket where she defeated Jayleen Sekona of Colorado Mesa. Ending out her day, as well as her collegiate wrestling career, Chababo defeated Osteen (Iowa) for the second time of the tournament to place third in the national championship tournament.
While the women’s wrestling season has come to an end, the men’s wrestling team is soon heading to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the NCAA DIII Men’s Wrestling Championship on March 13 and 14, held at the Alliant Energy Power House.
