Press Release

Manheim, PA—The Tornado of King University sits atop the NWCA's Preseason Coaches Poll for NCAA Women's Wrestling. King, coming off a third-place finish at the 2024 National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships, narrowly edged out Iowa, last year's National Champions, 107 to 103. North Central, a perennial power, comes in third with 83 points, while Mckendree (38 points) and Presbyterian (32 points) round out the top five.

The NCAA Women's season will see a new set of set of weight classes as well as the expansion of regional tournaments going from six to eight for national qualifying purposes. The NCWWC Tournament will take place March 7-8 at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse located in Cdear Rapids, IA.

Top-Ranked Individuals | Individual Rankings
103 - Emilie Gonzalez, University of Iowa
110 - Ava Bayless, University of Iowa
117 - Brianna Gonzalez, University of Iowa
124 - Amani Jones, North Central College
131 - Victoria Baez Dilone, King University
138 - Claire DiCugno, King University
145 - Reese Larramendy, University of Iowa
160 - Cheyenne Bowman, King University
180 - Kylie Welker, University of Iowa
207 - Jaycee Foeller, University of Iowa

TOURNAMENT POLL METHODOLOGY: THIS IS A TOURNAMENT POWER INDEX RANKING; THE POLL IS NOT BASED ON A TEAM'S DUAL STRENGTH. TPI POINT TOTALS ARE BROKEN DOWN BY INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO PLACEMENT POINTS AT THE NCWWC: 1ST=16PTS, 2ND=12PTS, 3RD=10PTS, 5TH=7PTS, 6TH=6PTS, 7TH=4PTS, 8TH=3PTS, 9TH=2PTS, 10TH=1PT. THE TOP POINT TOTALS WIL BE LOWER THAN THE FINAL ACTUAL NCWWC TOURNAMENT POINTS BECAUSE IT DOES NOT include BONUS POINTS OR ADVANCEMENT POINTS.

Ranking Committee
Region 1: Cody Griswold, Elmira & Carlene Sluberski, D'Youville
Region 2: Cindy Calixto, Alvernia & Anibal Nieves, East Stroundsburg
Region 3: Jessica Casperson, Southern Virginia
Region 4: Breonnah Neal, Frostburg State & Chandler Minnard, Tiffin
Region 5: Cliff Cushard, Adrian & Joe Norton, North Central
Region 6: Jake Zozniak, UW-Stevens Point & Frank Yattoni, Lindenwood
Region 7: Clarissa Chun, Iowa & Jeff McGinness, Simpson
Region 8: Travis Mercado, Colorado Mesa & Randi Miler, Texas Women's

Press Release

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Conference Carolinas, in partnership with the South Atlantic Conference will sponsor women's wrestling for the first time in 2024-25. King University has been picked unanimously to win the inaugural title in the preseason poll.

King received 7-of-8 first place votes (teams can't vote for themselves) and 47 total points to take the top spot followed by Emmanuel University who earned the final first place vote and 40 points. The University of Mount Olive wasn't far behind, picked third with 39 points to round out the top three.

Emory & Henry University (29), Newberry College (21), Allen University (20), Lincoln Memorial University (16) and Bluefield State University (12) round out the poll.

The preseason poll was voted on by the league’s head coaches. 

2024-25 Conference Carolinas Women’s Wrestling
Wrestlers to Watch
 
Allen

• Jillian Lackey, So., 103 pounds, Greer, South Carolina (2023-24 NCAA National Championships runner-up, 2023-24 NCWA All-American)

• Cathia Timas, So., 145 pounds, Kissimmee, Florida (2023-24 NCAA National Championships fourth place, 2023-24 NCWA All-American)

• Alissa Brown Washington, Fr., 131 pounds, Orlando, Florida

Bluefield State

• Charniece Mcclarence, So., 145 pounds, Jonesboro, Georgia (2024 NCWWC Regional placer)

• Ibtasam Saleh, Jr., 131 pounds, Sacramento, California

• Caitlynn Ash, So., 124 pounds, St. Albans, West Virginia (2024 NCWWC Regional placer)

Emmanuel

• Karissa Turnwall, So., 117 pounds, Murrieta, California

• Gianna Anaya, Sr., 138 pounds, Mission Hills, California

• Alyssa Arana, So., 180 pounds, Los Angeles, California

Emory & Henry

• Molly Keller, So., 145 pounds, Fairlawn, Virginia (2024 NCWWC national qualifier, third in NCWWC Region II Championships at 155 pounds)

• Skie Rice, Sr., 160 pounds, Chesterfield, Virginia (Fifth at 2024 NCWWC Region II Championships at 143 pounds)

• Natalia Sanchez, So., 117 pounds, Powhatan, Virginia

King

• Claire DiCugno, Jr., 138 pounds, Lake Tapps, Washington (2024 NCWWC national champion at 136 pounds, NCWWC Region II champion, NWCA Scholar All-American)

• Aine Drury, Sr., 145 pounds, Westminster, California (2024 NCWWC National runner-up, NCWWC Region II Champion, NWCA Scholar All-American)

• Chey Bowman, Sr., 160 pounds, La Habra, California (Two-time NCWWC National runner-up, Three-time NCWWC All-American, Three-time NCWWC Region II champion)

Lincoln Memorial

• Stephanie Castro

Mount Olive

• Jada Arnold, Jr., 180 pounds, Valdosta, Georgia (2024 and 2023 NCWWC All-American)

• Ayonna McNeill, So., 117 pounds, Fayetteville, North Carolina (2024 NCWWC national qualifier)

• Angelica Steffy, So., 138 pounds, Newport, North Carolina (2024 NCWWC national qualifier)

Newberry

• Grace Williams, Fr., 117 pounds, Aynor, South Carolina

• Emely Mejia-Martinez, Fr., 110 pounds, Gainsville, Georgia

• Madison Edens, Fr., 145 pounds, Dewitt, Iowa

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Lander University has been picked atop the 2024-25 Conference Carolinas Men's Wrestling Preseason Poll the league announced on Thursday, October 24. The Bearcats won the final two South Atlantic Conference Carolinas crowns before taking the Conference Carolinas West Division and tournament titles last year in the first year Conference Carolinas soley sponsored sport.

The Bearcats received 12-of-14 first-place votes (teams can’t vote for themselves) and 194 total points to claim the top spot while Newberry was a close second with 186 points and the remaining two first-place votes. UNC Pembroke wasn't far behind, picked third with 180 points before King (142) and Mount Olive (131) rounded out the top five.

Wrestlers to Watch (High School wrestlers with ties to the SE are bolded):

Allen

• Drevon Wallace, Sr., 149 pounds, Palatka, Florida (2023 NCWA All-American)

• Mikade Harvey, So., 141 pounds, Palatka, Florida

• Anthony Yancey, So., 285 pounds, Camden, Georgia

Belmont Abbey

• John Carayiannis, r-Sr., 149 pounds, Gainesville, Virginia (2023-24 second team All-Conference Carolinas (141), three-time NCAA National Championship qualifier, two-time NCAA Division II All-American)

• Maxwell Kiel, Jr., 174 pounds, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (2023-24 second team All-Conference Carolinas (157), two-time Super Region II Regional champion, two-time NCAA National Championship qualifier)

• Luke Kunath, Jr., 141 pounds, Raleigh, North Carolina

Bluefield State

• Greg Dennard, r-Jr, 197 pounds, Fort Myers, Florida (2023 Super Region 3 placer)

• Enrique Sanchez, Jr, 149 pounds, Miramar, Florida

• Sayfore Sieh, RS So, Silver Springs, Maryland

Coker

• Stephen Spitko, Jr., 133 pounds, Douglassville, Pennsylvania

• Corey Gallivan, Sr., 125, Culter Bay, Florida 

Emmanuel

• Christian Gordon, r-So., 149 pounds, East Coweta, Georgia

• Gage Shetley, r-So., 165 pounds, Tuttle, Oklahoma

• Michael McCarthy, r-So., 174 pounds, Melbourne, Florida

Emory & Henry

• Evan Alger, r-Fr., 197 pounds, Pulaski, Virginia

• Sebastian Gaberrete, So., 174 pounds, Jeffersonton, Virginia (2024 NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference runner-up & NCWA National qualifier)

• Levi Field, Jr., 157, Manassas, Virginia -(2022 NCWA All-American & Mid-Atlantic Conference Third Place, 2023 NCWA National qualifier & NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference fourth place)

King

• Ashtan Hendricks, So., 141 pounds, Jamestown, Ohio

• Trent Mahoney, r-Sr., 157 pounds, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Three-time All-Conference Carolinas selection, 2023 NCAA All-American,)

• Ethan Lopez, Jr., 165 pounds, Oviedo, Florida (2024 NCAA Division II national qualifier)

Lander

• David Hunsberger, Jr., 165 pounds, Duncan, South Carolina (2023 national champion at 165 pounds, 2023 super region II champion, two-time first team All-Conference Carolinas)

• Isham Peace, r-Jr., 141/149 pounds, Okatie, South Carolina (2023 super region II champion at 141 pounds, 2023 national qualifier, 2023 first team All-Conference Carolinas)

• Anthony Giampeitro, Gr., 184 pounds, Columbus, New Jersey (Two-time national qualifier, two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference)

Limestone

• Trey Finnearty, Sr., 125 pounds, The Plains, Ohio

• Brandon Seawright, Sr., 149, Birmingham, Alabama 

Lincoln Memorial

• Kade Millsaps - Robbinsville, North Carolina

Montevallo

• Colt Brown, So., 125 pounds, Lakeland, Florida (2024 Super Region II placer)

• Jake Chisolm, So., 165, Oxford, Alabama

• Carson Freeman, So., 157, Alabaster, Alabama

Mount Olive

• Jake Nicolosi, Sr., 157 pounds, Haverhill, Massachusetts (2022 NCAA Division II national qualifier, All-Conference Carolinas second team)

• Calan Staub, Jr., 174, Fayetteville, North Carolina (2023 NCAA Division II national qualifier, NCAA Super Region II Champion, NWCA Scholar All-American)

• Colby Teague, r-Sr., 184, Newton, North Carolina (2024 NWCA Scholar All-American, 2021 NCAA Division II national qualifier, 2021 NWCA Scholar All-American)

Newberry

• Dennis Virelli, r-Fr., 157 pounds, West Berlin, New Jersey

• John Parker, r-Jr., 197 pounds, Yulee, Florida, (2024 Super Region II Champion, 2024 NCAA Division II national qualifier)

• Andrew Reed, r-So., 184 pounds, Altoona, Iowa, (2024 Super Region II third Place, 2024 NCAA Division II national qualifier)

UNC Pembroke

• Jake Piccirilli, Sr., 149 pounds, Woodstock, Georgia (2024 second team All-Conference Carolinas, NCAA Division II national qualifier)

• Keegan Roberson, r- So., 157 pounds, Chicago, Illinois, (2024 first team All-Conference Carolinas, NCAA Division II All-American, 6th place at 157 pounds)

• Oggie Atwood, Gr., 285 pounds, Kittanning, Pennsylvania

Shorter

• Brayden Gibson, Fr., 141 pounds, Marietta, Georgia

• Ethan Ross, Fr., 149 pounds, Auburn, Georgia

• Riley Davis, Fr., 184 pounds, Rome, Georgia