Incoming recruit Isabella Marie Gonzales has been named as the 2025 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award State Winner for California.
Gonzales is a senior at Clovis East in Fresno, California where she is an incoming member of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2025.
In the final National Girls High School Rankings Gonzales was #3 overall in the P4P rankings and #1 at 120 lbs.
Gonzales will now advance to the Regional voting for the West with Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
The regional TSHSEA winners will be announced on April 24 and the national winner will be announced on April 30.
TSHSEA winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community.
The award is named for four-time World champion Tricia Saunders who was the first woman from the United States to win a World title and to be inducted as a Distinguished Member into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Gonzales placed fifth at 53kg/116 lbs. at the 2024 U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan.
Gonzales was a U17 Pan-Am champion in 2023 and a U15 Pan-Am champion in 2022. She is a three-time California state champion and won a Super 32 title.
Congratulations to Isabella for being named for this honor.
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
