Iowa Assistant Coach Tonya Verbeek has been selected to the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Verbeek is the most decorated wrestler in Canadian history with three Olympic medals at 55 kg. She won Silver in 2004, Bronze in 2008 and Silver in 2012. Her Silver in 2004 was the first Olympic medal in Canadian women’s wrestling history.

Verbeek won bronze in 2005 and 2009 and silver in 2011 at the World Wrestling Championships and was an eleven time Canadian National Champion.

Verbeek was named as an assistant coach for the Iowa Women’s Wrestling program in July of 2022.

Verbeek was the women’s and men’s National Team coach for Canada from 2019-2021 and an assistant coach from 2013-2019. 

She was awarded the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award in 2019.

Originally from Grimsby, Ontario Canada, Verbeek was named Ontario Athlete of the Year in 2005. 

She has an undergraduate and masters degree from Brock University.

Congratulations Coach Verbeek for being named for the prestigious honor of being inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame. 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Iowa Wrestling fans have a lot to follow in the coming months. We will now have two wrestlers in the Summer Olympics, five competing in the U20 World Championships and four in the U23 World Championships.

The pinnacle of our sport is the Olympics. Spencer Lee will represent the United States at 57kg in Paris at the Summer Olympics on August 8-9. Lee looks to be at his peak and I really like his chances of bringing home the Olympic Gold.

Kennedy Blades announced yesterday that she had signed a Letter of Intent to compete for Iowa this season. Blades will represent Team USA at the Summer Olympics at 76kg. Blades defeated six-time world champion and two-time Olympian Adeline Gray to make the Olympic team.  She will compete on August 10-11.

Brianna Gonzalez(50kg), Cadence Diduch(62kg), Reese Larramendy(65kg) and Naomi Simon(76kg) won U20 Nationals in April. They will represent Team USA at the 2024 U20 World Freestyle Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on September 4-6.  

Diduch and Simon are members of the incoming Recruiting Class of 2024.

Ben Kueter will be at 125kg for Team USA at the U20 World Freestyle Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on September 7-8. Kueter won the U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio in June. Keuter was a 2022 U20 World Champion at 97kg/213 lbs.  

Patrick Kennedy won the 79kg title at U23 Nationals in Geneva, Ohio last month. Kennedy will now represent Team USA at the U23 World Freestyle Championships in Tirana, Albania on October 26-27.

Kylie Welker placed fourth at the Olympic Team Trials at 76 kg and made the Senior National Team. As a result she was able to challenge for and win the 72kg spot on the U23 World Team in a best of three wrestle-off. Welker will compete at the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania on October 23-25.

Welker will be joined by new teammates Skye Realin(59kg) and Macey Kilty(62kg) at U23 Worlds. Realin and Kilty announced last week that they are transferring to compete at Iowa for the upcoming season.

Realin won Gold at 59 kg at the U23 Pan American Championships. Kilty won Silver at 65kg at the 2023 Senior World Championships and was a 2018 Cadet World champion. She has won five age-level World medals for Team USA.

I will keep you up to date with a preview and results for all of our wrestlers competing in the Olympics and World Championships.

Olympics in Paris, France 

August 8-9.

57k: Spencer Lee

August 10-11

76kg: Kennedy Blades

U20 World Freestyle Championships in Pontevedra, Spain

September 4-6. 

50kg: Brianna Gonzalez

62kg: Cadence Diduch 

65kg: Reese Larramendy 

76kg: Naomi Simon 

September 7-8. 

125kg: Ben Kueter

U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania on October 23-27. 

59kg: Skye Realin

62kg: Macey Kilty

72kg: Kylie Welker 

79kg: Patrick Kennedy

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Kennedy Blades announced on Instagram that she has signed a Letter of Intent to join the Iowa Women’s Wrestling team. Blades is preparing to represent Team USA at the upcoming Olympics in Paris at 76kg/167 lbs.

Blades defeated six-time world champion and two-time Olympian Adeline Gray to make the Olympic team. 

Blades also placed second at the 2020 Olympic Team Trials as a seventeen year old in high school.

Blades is a 2021 U20 world champion and 2023 U20 bronze medalist. She was also a 2023 U23 silver medalist.

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Blades was the first girl to win an Illinois state title and also competed for Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania. She had Iowa in her final three choices coming out of high school. Blades chose Arizona State that does not offer women’s wrestling and has competed for Sunkist Kids that is being discontinued.

The new weight classes for the 2024-25 season are 160 and 180. It will be interesting to see where Blades and defending 170 lbs. NCWWC national champion Kylie Welker compete at. In women’s competition 15 wrestlers can compete at nationals.

Iowa is the defending national champion and Kennedy is the fourth transfer including 2024 U23 World Team members Skye Realin and Macey Kilty. The 2024 recruiting class has seven incoming freshman recruits. 

The Iowa room may be so loaded with talent that the best matches in women’s college wrestling will be the wrestle offs or a regular practice.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Records were broken at the 2024 Junior and 16U Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. The largest wrestling tournament in the world continues to grow each year.

Let’s take a look at some impressive statistics.

For starters, over 8,000 wrestlers competed in the FargoDome from July 12-20. That is an amazing stat in its own right. For the first time ever all 50 states were represented as well as Guam and U.S. Territories.

The growth of women’s wrestling continues to break records at Fargo. A record 1,137 women competed in Juniors and 838 in 16U.

39 states scored points in at least one of the six tournaments: Junior and 16U women’s freestyle, Junior and 16U men’s freestyle, and Junior and 16U men’s Greco-Roman.

When combining the six tournaments, Pennsylvania crushed the rest of the country in the overall team standings. PA had 933 total team points followed by California in second at 709 and Illinois at 681. Iowa was fourth with 478 and Ohio was fifth at 435.

To see that PA scored more points than Iowa and Ohio combined puts the team point totals into perspective. PA had five champs in men’s 16U and four champs in Junior freestyle.

My home state of Iowa finished fourth overall when combining the six tournaments. What stands out is that Iowa did not score a single point in the Junior Women’s division. The highest place winner in 16U was fourth place. For having such a great tradition for wrestling Iowa has some catching up to do in women’s wrestling at the high school level.

In 16U men’s freestyle Iowa finished third in the team race with nine All Americans and a state record three champs. In Junior Freestyle Iowa placed ninth in the team race.

Iowa easily won the 16U GR team title with 212 points followed by California at 150 and Pennsylvania with 149 points. Iowa placed 15th in Junior GR.

So once again 16U in Iowa did great by placing first in GR and third in freestyle. The Juniors were 9th in freestyle and 15th in GR. That is quite a drop off at the Junior level.

I remember back in the 80’s when Iowa owned Junior Nationals. That was before a 16U/Cadet division. A lot more of the top ranked wrestlers with the best of the best competing in one tournament. Iowa would have as many as four national champions, one or two runner-ups and it was not uncommon to have two Iowans place at the same weight. Not so any more.

Final team results from the 2024 Junior and 16U Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota

Women’s 16U

1. Pennsylvania
2. New Jersey
3. California

Women’s Junior

1. Illinois
2. Oklahoma
3. Minnesota

Men’s 16U FS

1. Pennsylvania
2. Illinois
3. Iowa

Men’s Junior FS

1. Pennsylvania
2. New Jersey
3. California

16U GR

1. Iowa
2. California
3. Illinois

Junior GR

1. Illinois
2. Oklahoma
3. Minnesota

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Macey Kilty announced on Instagram that she will be attending the University of Iowa. Kilty won Silver at 65kg at the 2023 Senior World Championships and was a 2018 Cadet World champion. She has won five age-level World medals for Team USA.

Kilty placed second at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Team Trials and recently won Gold at the Pan-Am Championships in Rionegro, Colombia.

Kilty is projected to compete at 138 or 145 at Iowa for her final year of college eligibility.

Originally from Stratford, Wisconsin, Kilty did not attend college and has been competing in International wrestling based out of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Kilty(62kg) will join Hawkeye teammate Skye Realin(59kg) and Kylie Welker(72kg) representing Team USA at the 2024 U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, on October 23-25.

Kilty joins Skye Realin and Katja Osteen as transfers into the program for the 2024-25 season where Iowa will be the defending NCWWC national champions. 

The Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024 has seven wrestlers that will be joining the program when classes begin next month.

Career highlights from USA Wrestling: 

Senior World Championships silver medalist

U.S. World Team member

U23 World Championships silver medalist

Two-time Junior World Championships medalist

Two-time Cadet World Championships medalist

Pan American Championships gold medalist

Two-time U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up

U.S. Open champion

Final X champion

Wisconsin high school state runner-up in the boys division

Transfers

Skye Realin (Central Methodist University) – 131 lbs.

Macey Kilty (U.S. Olympic Training Center/Stratford, Wisconsin) – 138/145

Katja Osteen (U.S.Olympic Training Center/Simon Frasier) – 207 lbs.

Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024

Val Solorio (Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania) – 100 lbs.

Rianne Murphy (Crown Point, IN – Wyoming Seminary) – 105 lbs.

Mia Goodwin (Virginia Beach, VA – Kellam HS) – 110 lbs.

Karlee Brooks  (Valiant College Prep, Phoenix, AZ) – 120 lbs.

Cadence Diduch (Freeport, Illinois) – 135 lbs.

Kiara Djoumessi (Waverly-Shell Rock HS, Iowa) – 140 lbs.

Naomi Simon (Decorah, Iowa) – 170 lbs.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Macey Kilty announced on Instagram that she will be attending the University of Iowa. Kilty won Silver at 65kg at the 2023 Senior World Championships and was a 2018 Cadet World champion. She has won five age-level World medals for Team USA.

Kilty placed second at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Team Trials and recently won Gold at the Pan-Am Championships in Rionegro, Colombia.

Kilty is projected to compete at 138 or 145 at Iowa for her final year of college eligibility.

Originally from Stratford, Wisconsin, Kilty did not attend college and has been competing in International wrestling based out of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Kilty(62kg) will join Hawkeye teammate Skye Realin(59kg) and Kylie Welker(72kg) representing Team USA at the 2024 U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, on October 23-25.

Kilty joins Skye Realin and Katja Osteen as transfers into the program for the 2024-25 season where Iowa will be the defending NCWWC national champions. 

The Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024 has seven wrestlers that will be joining the program when classes begin next month.

Career highlights from USA Wrestling: 

Senior World Championships silver medalist

U.S. World Team member

U23 World Championships silver medalist

Two-time Junior World Championships medalist

Two-time Cadet World Championships medalist

Pan American Championships gold medalist

Two-time U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up

U.S. Open champion

Final X champion

Wisconsin high school state runner-up in the boys division

Transfers

Skye Realin (Central Methodist University) – 131 lbs.

Macey Kilty (U.S. Olympic Training Center/Stratford, Wisconsin) – 138/145

Katja Osteen (U.S.Olympic Training Center/Simon Frasier) – 207 lbs.

Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024

Val Solorio (Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania) – 100 lbs.

Rianne Murphy (Crown Point, IN – Wyoming Seminary) – 105 lbs.

Mia Goodwin (Virginia Beach, VA – Kellam HS) – 110 lbs.

Karlee Brooks  (Valiant College Prep, Phoenix, AZ) – 120 lbs.

Cadence Diduch (Freeport, Illinois) – 135 lbs.

Kiara Djoumessi (Waverly-Shell Rock HS, Iowa) – 140 lbs.

Naomi Simon (Decorah, Iowa) – 170 lbs.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Skye Realin announced that she is transferring to the University of Iowa. Realin will transfer in from Central Methodist University in Missouri where she placed fifth in NAIA at 130 lbs. in 2023. Realin is projected to compete at 131 lbs. for the Hawks.

Realin won the U23 World Team Trials at 59kg in April. She recently won Gold at 59 kg at the U23 Pan American Championships in Rionegro, Colombia with two pins and a tech fall.

Originally from Mililani, Hawaii, Realin attended McKendree University before transferring to Central Methodist.

Realin(59kg) will join Hawkeye teammate Kylie Welker(72kg) to represent Team USA at the 2024 U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, on October 23-25.

Realin joins Katja Osteen as a transfer into the program for the 2024-25 season where Iowa will be the defending NCWWC national champions. 

The Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024 has seven wrestlers that will be joining the program when classes begin next month.

Transfers

Skye Realin (Central Methodist University/McKendree University) – 131 lbs.

Katja Osteen (U.S. Olympic Training Center/Simon Frasier) – 207 lbs.

Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024

Val Solorio (Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania) – 100 lbs.

Rianne Murphy (Crown Point, IN – Wyoming Seminary) – 105 lbs.

Mia Goodwin (Virginia Beach, VA – Kellam HS) – 110 lbs.

Karlee Brooks  (Valiant College Prep, Phoenix, AZ) – 120 lbs.

Cadence Diduch (Freeport, Illinois) – 135 lbs.

Kiara Djoumessi (Waverly-Shell Rock HS, Iowa) – 140 lbs.

Naomi Simon (Decorah, Iowa) – 170 lbs.

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Incoming recruit Karlee Brooks won a Junior National title at 125 lbs. in Fargo. Brooks defeated Rose Kaplan of Indiana by a 10-0 tech fall in the finals.

Brooks was 6-0 with five tech falls and a decision. Her only full match was a 5-3 semifinal round win over defending national champion Kaidance Gerg of Idaho, 5-3.

Mia Goodwin was 2-2 at 110 lbs. and did not place. Kiara Djoumessi was 4-2 and did not place at 140 lbs.

Brooks, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, is in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as a member of the EAP (Elite Accelerator Program). 

She was named OW at the Girls National High School Recruiting Showcase in April after winning the title at 120 lbs. Brooks was a 53 KG/117 lbs. U17 National champion and placed fifth at the 2023 U17 World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

In the National Girls High School Rankings Brooks is ranked #1 at 120 lbs. and #16 in the P4P rankings. Djoumessi is ranked #15 at 140 and Goodwin is not ranked at 110.

Brooks, Goodwin and Djoumessi are members of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024.

Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota

Mia Goodwin (VA) – 110

Rd of 64: Mia Goodwin (VA) fall Courtnl Chuway (IL)

Rd of 32: Jayden Keller (MO) tech fall  Mia Goodwin (VA) 10-0

Consi 32 #2   : Mia Goodwin (VA) VPO1 Carly Boenau

Consi 16#1 : Joy Cantu (IN) tech fall Mia Goodwin (VA) 10-0

Karlee Brooks – 125

Rd of 64: Karlee Brooks (AZ) tech fall Hannah Blyvels (MI) 11-0

Rd of 32: Karlee Brooks (AZ) tech fall Neveah Wilson (IN) 10-0

Round of 16: Karlee Brooks (AZ) tech fall Isabella DeSilva (TX) 11-0

Quarterfinals: Karlee Brooks (AZ) tech fall Ragan Retell (NY) 10-0

Semifinals: Karlee Brooks (AZ) decision Kaidance Gerg (ID) 5-3

Finals: Karlee Brooks (AZ) tech fall Rose Kaplan (IN) 10-0

Kiara Djoumessi (IA) – 140

Rd 64: Kiara Djoumessi (IA) fall Isabella Welner (AR)

Rd 32: Kiara Djoumessi (IA) fall Bryann Bower (MI)

Rd 16: Lexi Ritchie (IL) fall Kiara Djoumessi (IA)

Consi 16 #2: Kiara Djoumessi (IA) fall Madeline Zerafa (IL)

Consi 8 #1: Kiara Djoumessi (IA) VPO1 Vivienne Gitke (CO) 10-3

 Consi 8 #2: Amella Fawcett (AK) fall Kiara Djoumessi (IA)

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

The largest wrestling tournament in the world begins today. Incoming Iowa recruits will be competing for the next week in Fargo, North Dakota in the Dakota Dome in Junior National Freestyle and Greco-Roman competition.

Junior Girls competition will be on Saturday and Sunday with Mia Goodwin(110), Karlee Brooks(125), and Kiara Djoumessi(145) taking the mats.

Junior Boys will be Monday through Wednesday for Dru Ayala(120), Keyan Hernandez(125), Kale Voinovich(157), and Brady Benham(175).

Leister Bowling(175) will compete in Junior Greco-Roman on Friday and Saturday, July 19-20.

All of the recruits listed are in the Recruiting Class of 2024 except Bowling who is in the Class of 2025.

Iowa Assistant Wrestling Coach Ryan Morningstar will be coaching for Team Iowa. Morningstar has coached for Iowa at Fargo since 2010.

Full coverage will be available on the premium service of FloWrestling.

I will have follow-up blogs with results.

Junior National Freestyle

Mia Goodwin (VA) – 110

Karlee Brooks (AZ) – 125

Kiara Djoumessi (IA) – 145

Dru Ayala (IA) – 120

Keyan Hernandez (MT) – 126

Kale Voinovich (IA)- 157

Brady Benham (OK) – 175

Greco-Roman

Leister Bowling (CO) – 165 

Saturday, July 13

Session I –

9:00 AM to 2:00 PM 

Junior Girls: Championship (3 Rds) and Consolation (2 or 3 Rds)  

Session II –
4:00 PM to 8:00 PM 

16U Girls/Junior Girls: Championship & Quarterfinals and Consolation (4 Rds)  

Sunday, July 14

Session III –
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM 

Junior Girls: Semifinals (2 Mats); Consolation and Consolation Semifinals (3 Rds) 

Session IV –
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM Junior Girls: 3rd-8th Medal Matches  

Session V –
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM 

Junior Girls: Parade of Champions and Championship Finals 

Monday, July 15

Session VI –
9:00 AM to 2:30 PM 

Boys Freestyle:  Championship (4 Rds) and Consolation (5 Rds) 

Session VII –
3:30 PM to 8:30 PM 

16U BoysFreestyle:  Championship (4 Rds) and Consolation 5 Rds) 

Tuesday, July 16

Session VIII –

9:00 AM to 1:30 PM 

JR Boys Freestyle:  Championship (1 Rd) and Consolations (2 Rds) 

Session IX –
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM  

JR Boys Freestyle:  Championship & Quarterfinals (2 Rds) and Consolation (3 Rds)  

Wednesday, July 17

Session X –
10:00 AM to 12:30 PM 

16U Boys/JR Boys Freestyle:  Semifinals, Consolation (3 Rds), and Consolation Semifinals

Session XI –
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM  

16U Boys/JR Boys Freestyle:  3rd-8th Medal Matches  

Session XII –
5:30 PM to 8:00 PM  

16U Boys/JR Boys Freestyle:  Parade of Champions and Championship Finals  

Friday, July 19

Session XIII –
9:00 AM to 2:30 PM 

JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Championship (4 Rds) and Consolation (5 Rds) 

Session XIV –
3:30 PM to 8:30 PM 

Boys Greco-Roman:  Championship (4 Rds) and Consolation 5 Rds) 

Saturday, July 20

Session XV –
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 

16U Boys/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Quarterfinals, Semifinals (2 Rds) and Consolation (3 or 4 Rds) 

Session XVI –
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM 

16U Boys/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Consolations, Consolation Semifinals, and 3rd-8th Medal Matches (4 Rds) 

Session XVII –
6:00 PM to 8:30 PM 

16U Boys/JR Boys Greco-Roman:  Parade of Champions and Finals    

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Iowa Hawkeye Ella Schmit dominated in winning the Gold at 65kg/143 lbs. at the U20 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru. This marked the second straight year that Schmit won Gold at 65kg at the U20 Pan Ams.

Schmit was 4-0 with two falls and two tech falls. After a first round fall over Michelle Olea Ruiz of Mexico in 1:24 Schmit won by a 10-0 and 11-0 tech fall over wrestlers from Puerto Rico and Peru. In the final round she pinned Olea Ruiz of Mexico in 1:06 for the Gold medal.

Schmit placed 7th at 143 lbs. at NCWWC Nationals as a member of the 2024 national championship Hawkeye team. Schmit led the Hawks with 15 pins this season. She placed second at U20 Nationals to earn a spot on Team USA to compete at the Pan Ams.

Originally from Bettendorf, Iowa, Schmit was the 2022 Dan Gable Ms. Wrestler of the Year.

2024 U20 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru.

65 kg – Ella Schmit (Bettendorf, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC), Gold

WIN Michelle Olea Ruiz (Mexico), fall, 1:24

WIN Ana Torres Cardona (Puerto Rico), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Sheyla Pedragas Moreno (Peru), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Michelle Olea Ruiz (Mexico), fall, 1:06

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!