Iowa Wrestling Stars Have National Finals Rematch At Olympic Trials
Iowa Wrestling Stars Have National Finals Rematch At Olympic Trials
Felicity Taylor and Brianna Gonzalez squared off at the Olympic Trials in the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship finals rematch.
Felicity Taylor and Brianna Gonzalez know each other well. They were teammates on Iowa's women's freestyle wrestling team that won the 2024 National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships.
They also faced off when the stakes were high. Taylor began the college season at 123 pounds before dropping to 116 to complete her senior season.
Gonzalez won in the regional finals, 9-3, on February 23 before Taylor returned the favor in the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship finals, 9-2, on March 9. NCAA teams can qualify up to 15 wrestling for the national championships.
The Hawkeye teammates squared off again in a 53-kilogram consolation bout at the 2024 Olympic Trials on April 20. Taylor took the rubber match, 9-4, to stay alive for third place and a spot on the U.S. National Team.
Taylor began her career at McKendree before transferring to Iowa to use her COVID year. The Spillville, Iowa, native is a five-time national finalist and a two-time collegiate champion, winning titles in 2021 and 2024.
Gonzalez returns to the Iowa line-up where she will presumably take over the 116-pound spot. She will represent the United States at the U20 World Championships at 53 kg on September 2-8 in Pontevedra, Spain.
Click here for full results and brackets
Watch Brianna Gonzalez make the U20 World Championship team