The 2024 NAIA Women’s Championships are almost here. 

On Friday and Saturday, the top NAIA women’s wrestlers in the country will converge in Jamestown, North Dakota, for the second sanctioned women’s championship. Southern Oregon will look to defend its title while other top-ranked NAIA programs bring their firepower to make a run at the top spots.

Wrestlers to Watch

Providence’s Erin Hikiji (101 pounds) 

Except for a loss to high school U17 world medalist Jaclyn Bouzakis at the Warrior Women’s Open, Providence’s Erin Hikiji went undefeated this year. A returning finalist, she was oh-so-close last season, falling in the finals to teammate Ira Navarro 2-1. She and #2 seed Jelacic haven’t hit in college, but if the final happens, it will be one to watch.

Doane’s Cristelle Rodriguez (123 pounds)

Cristelle Rodriguez took third last year at 130, but the 2019 Cadet World silver medalist has the stuff to win this weight and goes in as the favorite. She went undefeated this season at 18-0, winning every match by pin or technical fall except for her match against #4 seed Sophia Smith, an 8-4 win in a dual against Oklahoma City.

Southern Oregon’s Carolina Moreno (130 pounds)  

Carolina Moreno, one of the anchors of last year’s national championship team, returns as a two-time national champion, seeking her third title to keep her hopes of being a four-timer alive. Life’s #2 seeded Sarah Savidge, a finalist last year at this weight, looks to be her greatest obstacle. Moreno moved up a weight this season, setting up the potential final against Savidge in Jamestown.

William Penn’s Adaugo Nwanchukwu (136 pounds)  

William Penn’s Adaugo Nwachukwu heads to nationals with two titles already under her belt, which she secured while wrestling for Iowa Wesleyan. Now in a new program, though with the same coaches, there’s no reason not to believe the #1 pound-for-pound wrestler in the country won’t get her hand raised again in Jamestown this weekend.

Southern Oregon’s Caitlyn Davis (155) and Menlo’s Tavi Heidelberg-Tillotson 

Both are undefeated this season and are the favorites to win their weights. Davis’ greatest threat is Life’s Latifah McBryde, who she defeated 3-1 last November at the Menlo Open. The #2 seed at Heidelberg’s weight is Waldorf’s Joanna Hendricks, who she hasn’t faced this season. They did hit at Nationals last year and it was Heidelberg 4-1.

Weights to watch

109 pounds  

William Penn’s Mia Palumbo has been on everyone’s radar since she was in high school and doubled up at Fargo in 2018. But she’s a junior in college now and is still searching for her first national title as she fell short in the finals the last two seasons, losing twice to three-time national champion Peyton Prussin, who graduated last year. Palumbo is the favorite heading into Jamestown, though there’s several others at her weight that will have a say in who wins the national title. When Texas Wesleyan’s Jasmine Howard nearly pulled the upset win over Prussin in the semis last season, you knew she would be a contender this year. She had a dominant conference tournament last week and looks like someone ready to make a run. She’d have to get through St. Mary’s #2-seeded Alexsys Jacquez in the semis first. Palumbo would potentially have to get through a freshman opponent that has something in common with her – -doubling up at Fargo. #4 seed Paige Morales of Providence did just that in 2021 and has put a solid freshman campaign together. #5 seed Emma Baertlein of Southern Oregon lost 4-3 to Morales at the conference tournament, but Baertlein had beaten her twice previously.

116 pounds 

This weight class is probably the most unpredictable in the whole field, as #1 seed Juliana Diaz of Missouri Baptist and #2 seed Avery Ashley of Oklahoma City have taken turns holding the top spot in the FloWrestling rankings. Meanwhile, returning finalist Camille Fournier of Texas Wesleyan is seeded #3. She split with Diaz this season. 143 is similarly wide open, with Life’s Jamilah McBryde entering as the #1 seed and Texas Wesleyan’s Mea Mohler as the #2. 2022 finalist Emma Walker (Campbellsville) is seeded #6.

136 pounds

Though Adaugo Nwachukwu is probably the heaviest favorite in any weight class this weekend, the rest of the field at 136 is actually pretty compelling. Grand View’s #2-seeded Andrea Schlabach, Life’s #3-seeded Zaynah McBryde, and Providence’s #4-seeded Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp create an entertaining battle for the other top spots. Estrella-Beauchamp was a 2021 national champ, Schlabach went third, third, sixth the last three years, and McBryde is currently ranked #3 in the NAIA. 

170 pounds 

Like Kyle Klingman pointed out in his NAIA Women’s Freestyle Championships Bracket Reaction, the McIntyre-Lekas potential rematch is the likely final at 170 this weekend. It’s also one of the most compelling. After defeating Grand View’s Abby McIntyre in January, William Penn’s Ashley Lekas fell to her rival in the conference finals. Look for the best-of-three to conclude this weekend.

Dark Horses

There’s a number of names that stick out when you’re thinking about upset-potential and dark horses. At 101, #7 seed Elizabeth Dosado of Cumberlands has the firepower to make a deep run. SOU’s unseeded Fernanda Lopez is a talented wrestler at 123 and could play Cinderella. At 130, keep an eye on returning All-American Riley Dalrymple of Life, who took 8th last year and goes in unseeded this weekend. Grand View’s Madison Diaz is ranked in our top 10 at 143, but heads to Jamestown unseeded. At 170, #8 seed Maggie Graham, a four-time Tennessee state champ, is certainly capable of out-performing her seed. Meanwhile, two-time All-American Agatha Andrews from Jamestown is roaming the 191-pound bracket unseeded. 

Team Race

Returning national champ Southern Oregon, which won the first-ever sanctioned title last season, lost three All-Americans (Reyna-Rodriguez, Levendusky & Kristoff) and will have to have a lot go right for them to repeat. Though they have two #1 seeds in Moreno (130) and Davis (155), they’ll need upsets and deep consi runs to have a shot at back-to-back titles. #1 ranked Menlo and #2 ranked Life, who were the top two teams at National Duals (Life was 1st), seem to be the favorites, though #3 Grand View, #4 SOU, #5 Providence, and #6 Texas Wesleyan could all play spoiler and will all be fighting for the hardware.

Make sure you take a look at FloWrestling’s NAIA Women’s Freestyle Championships Watch Guide to stay on top of all things NAIA this weekend.