The Iowa Women’s Wrestling program had a great showing at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas.

Three former Hawks won titles: Brianna Gonzalez(53 kg), Kennedy Blades(68 kg) and Kylie Welker(76 kg).

Welker was named as Outstanding Wrestler of the U.S. Open for her great performance in winning the title at 76 kg. She was 4-0 with four tech falls and outscored her opponents 41-0.

It was a clash of reigning U23 World champions in the finals as Welker defeated longtime foe Yelena Makoyed by an 11-0 tech fall in 2:56.

Blades dominated the field at her new weight of 68 kg. Last summer Blades won silver at the Paris Olympics at 76 kg.

For the tournament Blades was 3-0 with three tech falls and outscored her opponents 33-0. Blades was named for the Most Exciting Wrestler Award.

Brianna Gonzalez defeated former teammate and #1 seed Felicity Taylor 6-5 after being behind 4-0 for the title at 53 kg.

Gonzalez may have been the surprise of the tournament by winning the title at 53 kg while not being seeded in the top eight.

Gonzalez, Blades and Welker have now qualified for the Best 2 of 3 bouts at Final X in Newark, New Jersey on June 14. Macey Kilty has already qualified for Final X at 65 kg. The winner will represent Team USA at the 2025 World Freestyle Championships in Zagreb, Croatia on September 15-18.

Marylynne Deede placed 4th at 76 kg, Emily Frost was 6th at 59 kg and Ava Bayless was 7th at 50 kg. They all qualified for the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament May 16-17 in Louisville, Kentucky.

The winner of the Challenge Tournament at each weight will qualify for Final X.

What a great performance by the Iowa at the U.S. Open.

2025 Women’s U.S. Open in Las Vegas

50 kg

Ava Bayless (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) – 7th

Emilie Gonzalez (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) – DNP

53 kg

Brianna Gonzalez – 1st

Felicity Taylor (Titan Mercury WC) – 2nd

Isabella Marie Gonzales (Titan Mercury WC) * –  DNP

57 kg – Bella Williams (USOPTC) * –  DNP

59 kg – Emily Frost (Iowa Women’s WC/Curby 3-Style WC) – 6th

62 kg – Nanea Estrella (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) – DNP

68 kg – Kennedy Blades (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) – 1st

76 kg

Kylie Welker (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) – 1st

Marylynne Deede(LWC) – 4th

* – Incoming recruit from the Class of 2025

2025 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

May 16-17

Louisville, Kentucky

2025 Final X

June 14

Newark, New Jersey

2025 World Freestyle Championships

September 15-18

Zagreb, Croatia

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The annual Hawkeye Wrestling Club Banquet will be on Saturday, May 3. The banquet will begin at 5:30 PM at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center at 7725 Kirkwood Blvd SW in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The annual banquet is always a good time and an important fundraiser for the HWC.

There will be a buffet style dinner and a great crowd of Iowa Wrestling fans. A live and silent auction provides an opportunity to support the HWC.

Current members of the HWC, coaches, and alumni of legendary Hawkeye will be speaking including Tom Brands, Terry Brands and Daniel Dennis. There will also be a highlight video of the 2025 season and the presentation of the Rob McReynolds Passion Award.

To register for the  2025 HWC Annual Banquet:

https://boom.hawkeyewrestlingclub.com/event/2025-annual-banquet/e653340/register/new/select-tickets

There are many great and unique items available to bid on online for the HWC auction:

https://live.classy.org/auction/hwc-2025-banquet/c9013915-c6c3-49d7-936d-88ba680e8b63

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Incoming Iowa Wrestling recruit Leister Bowling dominated the field to win the 77 kg/169 lbs. title at the U20 Greco-Roman U.S. Open in Las Vegas.

Bowling was 4-0 with four tech falls and outscored his opponents 35-2. 

In 2024 Bowling placed second at 77 kg at the U20 Greco-Roman U.S. Open.

Bowling has now qualified for the Best 2 out of 3 finals at the U20 Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio on May 30.

The U20 Greco-Roman World Championships are in Sophia, Bulgaria on August 18-19.

Bowling, from Longmont, Colorado, was a two-time state champion and three-time finalist for Mead High School.

Bowling is a member of the Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025.

U20 Greco-Roman U.S. Open

Rd of 16: Leister Bowling(Hawkeye Wrestling Club) tech fall Ryan Muslimovic (Norse RTC) 9-0 (:42)

Quarterfinals: Leister Bowling(Hawkeye Wrestling Club) tech fall Cael Miller(Knights WC) 9-1 (3:33)

Semifinals: Leister Bowling(Hawkeye Wrestling Club) tech fall Riggin Boger (Jackrabbit WC) 8-0 1:22

Finals: Leister Bowling(Hawkeye Wrestling Club) tech fall Omaury Alverez (Level Up WC)  9-1 (1:37)

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Jeff McGinness placed third at Masters Nationals in Las Vegas at 78 kg/171 lbs. in the Class C Masters Division for ages 43-50.

After a quarterfinal win by tech fall McGinness dropped his semifinals match 6-0. He then received a medical forfeit in the consolation semifinals before winning by a tech fall to place third.

This was the first competition for McGinness in over twenty years.

McGinness has been the head coach of the Simpson Women’s Wrestling program since the program began three years ago.

McGinness was recently named as the 2025 U20 Women’s World Team Coach. The U20 World Championships will be in Sophia, Bulgaria on August 20-22.

At the University of Iowa McGinness was a three-time All American and two-time NCAA National champion for Dan Gable. 

McGinness won a national title at 126 lbs. in 1995 and at 142 lbs. in 1998 and was a member of four NCAA National Champion Iowa Hawkeye teams. 

Master Nationals

Class C Masters Division

Quarterfinals: Jeff McGinness(STRT) tech fall Karras Kilivas(Oregon) 13-2 (2:29)

Semifinals: Rudy James (Minnesota Storm) dec Jeff McGinness(STRT) 6-0

Consolation Semifinals: Jeff McGinness(STRT) medical forfeit Adrian Garcia (MCWC) 

3rd Place: Jeff McGinness(STRT) tech fall Karras Kilivas(Oregon) 11-0 (1:22)

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Four incoming Iowa Wrestling recruits are registered to compete at the U20 U.S. Open in Las Vegas this weekend.

Leister Bowling(77 kg) will compete in Greco-Roman on Thursday. 

Bo Bassett(65 kg), Tyrel Miller(79 kg) and Michael Mocco(125) will compete in freestyle on Saturday and Sunday.

This will be the first step in qualifying for Team USA at the U20 World Championships in Sophia, Bulgaria in August.

Bo was a 2021 Cadet world champion and won bronze at the 2024 U20 World Championships at 65 kg.

Mocco was a 2024 U17 world champion at 110 kg.

Miller and Bowling are in the Recruiting Class of 2025. 

Bo and Mocco are in the Recruiting Class of 2026.

FloWrestling will provide full coverage of the U.S. Open on their premium service.

I will have a follow up blog with results.

Freestyle

65 kg – Bo Bassett 

79 kg – Tyrel Miller

125 kg – Michael Mocco

Greco-Roman

77 kg – Leister Bowling

Greco- Roman U20 U.S. Open

Thursday, April 24

Noon – Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals & Consolation 

6 PM – Consolation, Consolation Semifinals, Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches) & Championship Finals

Freestyle U20 U.S. Open

Saturday, April 26

Noon – Preliminaries & Consolation

6 PM – Championship Rounds & Consolation

Sunday, April 27

Noon – Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation & Consolation Semifinals

4 PM – Championship Finals & Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th, place matches)

*Times listed are CST

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Iowa Wrestling will be represented at the Senior U.S. Open at The Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.

Former Hawks Austin DeSanto and Real Woods will be competing. DeSanto is the #5 seed at 61 kg and Woods is #4 at 65 kg.

In December DeSanto won a gold medal at the Arvo Haavisto Cup in Ilmajoki, FInland and bronze at the Haparanda Cup in Haparanda, Sweden in Greco-Roman. DeSanto will be competing in Freestyle at the U.S. Open.

Massoma Endene is seeded #3 at 97 kg. On Monday Endene announced that he was transferring to Iowa from Wartburg for his final year of eligibility at 197.

Endene was a 2024 and 2025 U23 Pan American gold medalist at 97 kg for Team USA and placed seventh at the 2024 U23 World Championships 

FloWrestling will provide full coverage of the U.S. Open on their premium service.

I will have a follow up blog with results.

61 kg – #5 Austin DeSanto (Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg – #4 Real Woods (Cliff Keen WC)

97 kg – #3 Massoma Endene (Burg Training Center)

Senior U.S. Open in Las Vegas

Friday, April 25

Noon – Preliminaries, Quarterfinals & Consolation

6 PM – Semifinals & Consolation

Saturday, April 26

Noon – Consolation, Consolation Semifinals & Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches)

8 PM – Championship Finals

*Times listed are CST

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Six Hawkeyes and one incoming recruit will be competing at the U20 U.S. Open at The Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday.

The winner of each weight at the U20 U.S. Open will automatically qualify for the Best 2 out of 3 Finals at the U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio on May 31- June 1.

The 2025 U20 World Freestyle Championships will be in Sophia, Bulgaria in August.

Elite recruit Bo Bassett will be competing at 65 kg.

Bo won the U20 U.S. Open at 65 kg last year and won a bronze medal at the 2024 U20 World Championships in Spain. 

Bo is the #1 overall recruit in the Class of 2026 and ranked #1 at 145 and the biggest recruit in the country to come out of high school since Spencer Lee in the Class of 2017.

FloWrestling will provide full coverage of the U.S. Open on their premium service.

I will have a follow up blog with results.

57 kg – Dru Ayala

57 kg – Anthony Lavezzola

65 kg – Bo Bassett *

70 kg – Koye Grebel

74 kg – Joey Kennedy

86 kg – Jake Howell

92 kg – Brody Sampson

* – Incoming recruit from the Class of 2026

U20 U.S. Open in Las Vegas

Saturday, April 26

Noon – Preliminaries & Consolation

6 PM – Championship Rounds & Consolation

Sunday, April 27

Noon – Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation & Consolation Semifinals

4 PM – Championship Finals & Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th, place matches)

*Times listed are CST

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The Iowa Women’s Wrestling program will be well represented at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday.

We will have past, current and future Hawks competing at The Expo at World Market Center.

This will be the first step to earn a spot on Team USA for the 2025 Senior World Freestyle Championships in Zagreb, Croatia in September.

Macey Kilty has already accepted a bid at 65 kg to Final X for the World Team Finals in June.

2024 Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades in the #1 seed at 68 kg after competing at 76 kg in the Olympics. 

Kylie Welker is the #1 seed at 76 kg. She won a bronze at 72 kg at the 2024 World Championships.

2024 NCWWC national champion Felicity Taylor is the #1 seed at 53 kg.

Incoming recruits Isabella Marie Gonzales is #8 at 53 kg and Bella Williams is #8 at 57 kg.

FloWrestling will provide full coverage of the U.S. Open on their premium service.

I will have a follow up blog with results.

Iowa Hawkeyes competing and their pre-seed:

50 kg

7. Ava Bayless (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

8. Emilie Gonzalez (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

53 kg

1. Felicity Taylor (Titan Mercury WC)

8. Isabella Marie Gonzales (Titan Mercury WC) *

Brianna Gonzalez

57 kg

8. Bella Williams (USOPTC) *

59 kg

6. Emily Frost (Iowa Women’s WC/Curby 3-Style WC)

62 kg

7. Nanea Estrella (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg

2. Reese Larramendy (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

68 kg

1. Kennedy Blades (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

76 kg

1. Kylie Welker (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

* – Incoming recruit from the Class of 2025

Senior Women’s U.S. Open in Las Vegas

Thursday, April 24

Noon – Senior Women Freestyle – Preliminaries, Quarterfinals & Consolation

6 PM – Senior Women Freestyle – Semifinals & Consolation

Friday, April 25

Noon – Senior Women Freestyle – Consolation, Consolation Semifinals & Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches)

6 PM – Senior Women Freestyle – Championship Finals

*Times listed are CST

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Former Iowa two-time NCAA national champion Jeff McGinness will be competing at Masters Nationals in Las Vegas. 

McGinness will compete at 78 kg/171 lbs. in the Class C Masters Division for ages 43-50 on Wednesday, April 23 at The Expo at World Market Center.

FloWrestling will provide full coverage of the U.S. Open on their premium service.

The 2025 Veterans World Championships will be in Budapest, Hungary on October 7-12.

McGinness was recently named as the 2025 U20 Women’s World Team Coach. The U20 World Championships will be in Sophia, Bulgaria on August 20-22.

McGinness has been the head coach since the beginning of the program and just finished up his third year as head coach of the Simpson Women’s Wrestling program. 

As one of the most successful wrestlers in Iowa High School wrestling history McGinness was an undefeated(172-0) four-time state champion at City High in Iowa City. McGinness won a Junior World Freestyle title in 1992 at 58 kg/127 lbs. and was named as the tournament O.W.

At the University of Iowa McGinness was a three-time All American and two-time NCAA National champion for Dan Gable. 

McGinness won a national title at 126 lbs. in 1995 and at 142 lbs. in 1998 and was a member of four NCAA National Champion Iowa Hawkeye teams. 

Masters Nationals in Las Vegas

Wednesday, April 23

Prelims – Noon 

All remaining matches – 6 PM 

*Times listed are CST

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Bella Williams announced on Instagram that she has committed to the University of Iowa.

Williams will be a member of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025.

From Edmond(North HS) Oklahoma, Williams is #2 at 130 and #8 in the overall P4P in the National Girls High School Rankings.

For the Class of 2025 rankings Williams is #1 at 130 and #4 P4P.

Over the last two weeks Williams placed second at U20 Nationals at 59kg/130 lbs. in Spokane, Washington. She then won gold at the 2025 U20 Pan American Championships at 59 kg in Queretaro, Mexico.

Williams was a 2024 U17 Pan American gold medalist at 65 kg. 

In Fargo Williams won U16 and Junior national titles.

This is another elite recruit to be added to the Iowa Women’s Wrestling program.

Iowa has won an NCWWC national title in their first two years of competition and they are reloading for future success.

Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025

Isabella Gonzales – Fresno(Clovis East HS), California  120 lbs. Ranked #1 and #3 P4P

Samantha Sachs – Glendora, California  130 lbs.  Ranked #3

Bella Williams – Edmond(Edmond North HS) Oklahoma  130  Ranked #2 and #8 P4P

Adriana Palumbo, Pleasantville, New York  155 lbs.  Ranked #5

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!