Iowa showcases depth on Day 1 of Missouri Valley Open

Iowa’s depth was on full display on Friday in Marshall, Missouri.

The top-ranked Hawkeyes advanced 10 wrestlers to the semifinals on Day 1 of the Missouri Valley Open at Burns Athletic Center. Iowa did it while bringing just 16 wrestlers and without six ranked starters, including NCAA pound-for-pound No. 1 Kylie Welker. The tournament was wrestled through the quarterfinals on Friday, with the semifinals, finals and consolation and placing matches set for Saturday.

Rankings cited below are from this week’s HerMat rankings.

Iowa has semifinalists at seven of the 10 weights. The Hawkeyes’ biggest setback came at 131 pounds, where Iowa State’s Gabby Gomez pinned Emily Frost, last year’s runner-up, in 1:43 in the third round. Iowa also has a chance for all-Iowa finals at two weights. Sterling Dias and Madison Nieuwenhuis are on opposite sides of the 103-pound bracket, and so are Cali Leng and Harlee Hiller at 124 pounds.

Fort Hays State, ranked No. 17 in the NCAA tournament rankings, had the second-best day with five semifinalists: Jaidyn Alvarado (103), Leiannah Landreth (124), Regina Stoeser (131), Kiley Dillow (160) and No. 3 Isabella Renfro (180). Three of them will see Iowa wrestlers in the semifinals. Landreth faces Leng in a rematch of the Luther Hill Open quarterfinals, where Landreth pinned Leng in 2:45, and Dillow meets Cadence Diduch after edging her 6-4 in the Luther Hill quarterfinals.

Cumberlands and Adams State each have two semifinalists. On the NAIA side, top-ranked Grand View, which left eight ranked wrestlers at home, has one semifinalist in No. 4 Martha Hinneh at 207 pounds.

No wrestler had a bigger Friday than high schooler Landri Von Gonten. The Iowa State signee, a senior at The Woodlands College Park in Texas, won four matches at 145 pounds, and three of them came against NAIA-ranked wrestlers.

Von Gonten opened the day by teching Lindsey Wilson’s Ayana Fletcher, ranked No. 8, 10-0 in just 54 seconds. Fletcher was a two-time NJCAA national champion. She followed with a 1:12 pin of Bellevue’s Elise Twait, ranked No. 6 and the Hinderliter Invitational champion. After a 10-6 decision over Fort Hays State’s Dylen Ritchey, she rolled to a 16-4 technical superiority over Ottawa’s Maggie Ortmann, ranked No. 13, in the quarterfinals.

Von Gonten, a three-time Texas UIL state champion, won a U17 world silver medal and a U17 Pan American title this year. She faces Missouri Valley’s Breanne Gibbs in the semifinals. Iowa’s Nora Akpan and Adams State’s Angella Van Valkenburg meet in the other 145-pound semifinal. Akpan topped Iowa State’s Greta Brus 6-1 in the quarterfinals after splitting two bouts with her at the Luther Hill Open.

Multiple-time All-American Sterling Dias of Iowa won a hard-fought 2-1 decision over Colorado high school star Justice Gutierrez, a multiple-time Fargo champion, in the 103-pound quarterfinals. Gutierrez had teched Lindsey Wilson’s Skyler Randolph, ranked No. 8 in the NAIA, and blanked Saint Mary’s Destiny Jones, ranked No. 5, 12-0.

Nieuwenhuis, the Luther Hill Open champion, made a strong case of her own at 103 pounds. She posted three straight technical superiorities over ranked wrestlers, beating Adams State’s Mia Siqueiros (NCAA No. 16), Saint Mary’s Alexsys Jacquez (NAIA No. 3) and William Jewell’s Juliana Alejandro (NCAA No. 13). She meets Alvarado, while Dias faces Fresno State’s Jocelynn Benitez.

At 110 pounds, Oklahoma City’s Avery Jansing, the NAIA No. 1 and No. 5 pound-for-pound, controlled Iowa’s Emilie Gonzalez, a past national champion, 7-2. Jansing meets Texas Wesleyan’s Emily Beltran, ranked No. 5, in an all-NAIA semifinal. Iowa’s Isabella Gonzales, ranked No. 7 in the NCAA, pinned all four of her opponents and gets a rematch with Iowa State’s Avy Perez, whom she teched 12-1 in the Luther Hill quarterfinals.

Iowa freshman Taylor Whiting looked strong in her Hawkeye debut at 117 pounds. Whiting, who placed fifth at the U20 World Championships, needed just 55 seconds to tech Bellevue’s Joely Slyter, the NAIA No. 3, 11-0 in the third round. She jumped out to a 4-0 lead on two-time NAIA national champion Mia Palumbo of the Cyclone RTC in the quarterfinals, but Palumbo battled back to win 10-6.

That sets up one of Saturday’s most anticipated semifinals. Palumbo faces Iowa’s Brianna Gonzalez, the NCAA No. 2, who teched Providence’s Alyssa Randles, the NAIA No. 2 at 124 pounds, 10-0 in the quarterfinals. Palumbo pinned Gonzalez in the Luther Hill Open finals on Nov. 1. In the other semifinal, Cumberlands’ Shammilka Miranda Diaz (NAIA No. 5) meets William Jewell’s Alex Waitsman (NCAA No. 5).

Hiller pinned Texas Wesleyan’s Vanessa De La Cruz, ranked No. 10 in the NAIA, in 1:45 in the 124-pound quarterfinals and faces Simon Fraser’s Agnia Krakovska, the NCAA No. 10.

At 131 pounds, Lindsey Wilson’s Jeila Ramos, the NAIA No. 1, survived two one-point bouts. She edged Simon Fraser’s Ella Finding, ranked No. 12 in the NCAA, 5-4 in the first round and slipped past Gomez 4-3 in the quarterfinals. Ramos meets Campbellsville’s Olivia Messerly, who pinned Chadron State’s Piper Cadden (NCAA No. 13) in 1:07. Stoeser teched Missouri Valley’s Serenity De La Garza, ranked No. 7 in the NAIA, and faces unattached Rachel Garcia.

Ranked wrestlers fell throughout the day. The biggest early shock came at 160 pounds, where unattached Leolyn Karnowski, who placed fifth here last year, pinned Ottawa’s Hannah Jackson, ranked No. 4 in the NAIA, in 1:01 in the first round. At 117 pounds, Western Colorado’s Roxy Robinson pinned Texas Wesleyan’s Belen Rios, the NAIA No. 2, in the second round.

At 138 pounds, Adams State’s Corrie Williams (NCAA No. 14) pinned Lindenwood’s Jacinda Espinosa, ranked No. 6 and last year’s fourth-place finisher, in the first round. Williams reached the semifinals and meets Iowa State’s Brooklyn Perez, who teched Bellevue’s Avery Mohr (NAIA No. 11). Three-time NAIA All-American Samantha Barragan, wrestling unattached, beat Cumberlands’ Ruth Jimenez, the NAIA No. 6, 6-3, and faces Quincy’s Maddy Barton (NCAA No. 13), who pinned Texas Wesleyan’s Camille Rainey (NAIA No. 9).

At 180 pounds, unattached Maggie Graham edged Missouri Baptist’s Lexington Johnson, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA, 3-2. At 207 pounds, Avila’s Haley Ward, the NAIA No. 2, pinned Iowa Central’s Harmoni Callins, the NJCAA No. 1, in 1:58, and Cumberlands’ Naomi Duenas (No. 9) pinned Grand View’s Selena Mares-Castro (No. 7). Texas Woman’s Kitana Leafaatoto, ranked No. 17 in the NCAA, edged Iowa’s Libby Dix 5-3 in the quarterfinals.

Ten wrestlers ranked in the top five in their respective weight classes are still alive in the championship bracket: Jansing and Beltran at 110 pounds, Brianna Gonzalez, Miranda Diaz and Waitsman at 117 pounds, Ramos at 131 pounds, No. 1 Brooklyn Hays at 160 pounds, Renfro at 180 pounds, and Ward and Hinneh at 207 pounds.

Hays, the NCAA No. 1 at 160 pounds, had little trouble on Friday. She teched Bellevue’s Hailey Sutton (NAIA No. 8), pinned Friends’ Alexis Means (NAIA No. 7) in 2:52 and beat Adams State’s Alison Evans, last year’s fourth-place finisher at 180 pounds for McKendree, 12-1 in the quarterfinals. She faces unattached Darby Weidl, who pinned Simon Fraser’s Lene-Marie McCrackin (NCAA No. 12) in 1:38.

At 207 pounds, Ward meets Leafaatoto, and Hinneh faces Iowa’s Naomi Simon, the NCAA No. 6. Simon, a natural 180-pounder who was listed at 180 on the entry list, competed at 207 pounds, where she is ranked, so the Luther Hill rematch with Renfro won’t happen this weekend.

As for last year’s finalists, Renfro, the defending 180-pound champion, is two wins from a repeat. She pinned Quincy’s Alexa Valdez in 1:05 in the quarterfinals after edging Lindenwood’s Makayla Rivera 5-4 in the third round. Renfro faces Western Colorado’s Mary Snider in the semifinals. In the other semifinal, the OSU Cowgirl Wrestling Club’s Caitlyn Davis, a past NAIA national champion, meets Cumberlands’ Saiheron Preciado-Meza (NAIA No. 9).

Renfro and Frost, last year’s 131-pound runner-up, were the only 2025 finalists to wrestle on Friday. Frost will have to battle back in the consolation bracket after her loss to Iowa State’s Gomez. Last year’s other champions, including Iowa’s Karlee Brooks, Skye Realin and Reese Larramendy and McKendree’s Gabriele Tedesco and Savannah Gomez, are not in the field.

Fifteen other placers from a year ago also reached the semifinals. Third-place finishers Dias (103), Barragan (138, for Texas Wesleyan), Simon (180) and Hinneh (207, while at Southeast) all advanced, along with fourth-place finishers Ramos (131), Diduch (145) and Dillow (160, unattached). Waitsman, Leng and Ward placed fifth a year ago, Isabella Gonzales and Barton placed sixth, Hiller (117) and Krakovska (131) placed seventh and Preciado-Meza placed eighth.

Semifinal Matchups

103:
Sterling Dias (Iowa) vs. Jocelynn Benitez (Fresno State)
Jaidyn Alvarado (Fort Hays State) vs. Madison Nieuwenhuis (Iowa)

110:
No. 1 (NAIA) Avery Jansing (Oklahoma City) vs. No. 5 (NAIA) Emily Beltran (Texas Wesleyan)
Avy Perez (Iowa State) vs. No. 7 Isabella Gonzales (Iowa)

117:
Mia Palumbo (Cyclone RTC) vs. No. 2 (NCAA) Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa)
No. 5 (NAIA) Shammilka Miranda Diaz (Cumberlands) vs. No. 5 (NCAA) Alex Waitsman (William Jewell)

124:
Leiannah Landreth (Fort Hays State) vs. Cali Leng (Iowa)
Harlee Hiller (Iowa) vs. No. 10 (NCAA) Agnia Krakovska (Simon Fraser)

131:
Rachel Garcia (Unattached) vs. Regina Stoeser (Fort Hays State)
No. 1 (NAIA) Jeila Ramos (Lindsey Wilson) vs. No. 14 (NAIA) Olivia Messerly (Campbellsville)

138:
No. 14 (NCAA) Corrie Williams (Adams State) vs. Brooklyn Perez (Iowa State)
No. 13 (NCAA) Maddy Barton (Quincy) vs. Samantha Barragan (Unattached)

145:
Landri Von Gonten (Unattached) vs. Breanne Gibbs (Missouri Valley)
Nora Akpan (Iowa) vs. Angella Van Valkenburg (Adams State)

160:
Cadence Diduch (Iowa) vs. Kiley Dillow (Fort Hays State)
Darby Weidl (Unattached) vs. No. 1 (NCAA) Brooklyn Hays (Iowa)

180:
Caitlyn Davis (OSU Cowgirl Wrestling Club) vs. No. 9 (NAIA) Saiheron Preciado-Meza (Cumberlands)
Mary Snider (Western Colorado) vs. No. 3 (NCAA) Isabella Renfro (Fort Hays State)

207:
No. 2 (NAIA) Haley Ward (Avila) vs. No. 17 (NCAA) Kitana Leafaatoto (Texas Woman’s)
No. 6 (NCAA) Naomi Simon (Iowa) vs. No. 4 (NAIA) Martha Hinneh (Grand View)

Quarterfinal Results

103:
Sterling Dias (Iowa) dec. Justice Gutierrez (Unattached), 2-1
Jocelynn Benitez (Fresno State) tech. No. 10 (NAIA) Isabella Bocanegra (Providence), 11-0 3:52
Jaidyn Alvarado (Fort Hays State) dec. Mana Chanthasone (Chadron State), 11-4
Madison Nieuwenhuis (Iowa) tech. No. 13 (NCAA) Juliana Alejandro (William Jewell), 10-0 2:53

110:
No. 1 (NAIA) Avery Jansing (Oklahoma City) dec. Emilie Gonzalez (Iowa), 7-2
No. 5 (NAIA) Emily Beltran (Texas Wesleyan) dec. Keana Bush (Grand View), 6-1
Avy Perez (Iowa State) tech. Kyrstan Perez (Fort Hays State), 11-0 5:16
No. 7 Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) pinned No. 17 (NAIA) Kaylynn Martin (Missouri Valley), 2:52

117:
Mia Palumbo (Cyclone RTC) dec. Taylor Whiting (Iowa), 10-6
No. 2 (NCAA) Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) tech. No. 2 (NAIA, 124) Alyssa Randles (Providence), 10-0 3:00
No. 5 (NAIA) Shammilka Miranda Diaz (Cumberlands) tech. Kate Cooper (Lindenwood), 10-0 4:46
No. 5 (NCAA) Alex Waitsman (William Jewell) pinned Flavia Nagatani (Adams State), 1:08

124:
Leiannah Landreth (Fort Hays State) pinned No. 12 (NAIA) Shaniyah McDaniel (Grand View), 1:54
Cali Leng (Iowa) dec. Gabi Severin (OSU Cowgirl Wrestling Club), 10-2
Harlee Hiller (Iowa) pinned No. 10 (NAIA) Vanessa De La Cruz (Texas Wesleyan), 1:45
No. 10 (NCAA) Agnia Krakovska (Simon Fraser) tech. Katherine Heath (Cyclone RTC), 10-0 2:12

131:
Rachel Garcia (Unattached) won by medical forfeit over London Woods (Western Colorado)
Regina Stoeser (Fort Hays State) tech. No. 7 (NAIA) Serenity De La Garza (Missouri Valley), 10-0 2:17
No. 1 (NAIA) Jeila Ramos (Lindsey Wilson) dec. Gabby Gomez (Iowa State), 4-3
No. 14 (NAIA) Olivia Messerly (Campbellsville) pinned No. 13 (NCAA) Piper Cadden (Chadron State), 1:07

138:
No. 14 (NCAA) Corrie Williams (Adams State) pinned Clover Williams (Unattached), 2:21
Brooklyn Perez (Iowa State) tech. Marli Denmark (Texas Wesleyan), 11-0 1:10
No. 13 (NCAA) Maddy Barton (Quincy) tech. Keagan Edwards (Western Colorado), 11-0 4:50
Samantha Barragan (Unattached) pinned Shelby Kemp (William Jewell), 0:32

145:
Landri Von Gonten (Unattached) tech. No. 13 (NAIA) Maggie Ortmann (Ottawa), 16-4 4:59
Breanne Gibbs (Missouri Valley) won by medical forfeit over Aniseta Acosta (Unattached)
Nora Akpan (Iowa) dec. Greta Brus (Iowa State), 6-1
Angella Van Valkenburg (Adams State) pinned Mackenzie Blue (Texas Woman’s), 1:24

160:
Cadence Diduch (Iowa) pinned Leolyn Karnowski (Unattached), 4:19
Kiley Dillow (Fort Hays State) tech. No. 20 (NCAA) Rebecca Strong (Lindenwood), 10-0 2:23
Darby Weidl (Unattached) pinned Sarina Bertram (Unattached), 4:32
No. 1 (NCAA) Brooklyn Hays (Iowa) tech. Alison Evans (Adams State), 12-1 5:42

180:
Caitlyn Davis (OSU Cowgirl Wrestling Club) pinned No. 17 (NAIA) Kaley Rice (Texas Wesleyan), 1:02
No. 9 (NAIA) Saiheron Preciado-Meza (Cumberlands) pinned Maggie Graham (Unattached), 4:49
Mary Snider (Western Colorado) tech. Ava Asing (Unattached), 12-1 3:31
No. 3 (NCAA) Isabella Renfro (Fort Hays State) pinned Alexa Valdez (Quincy), 1:05

207:
No. 2 (NAIA) Haley Ward (Avila) pinned Faith Spicer (Ottawa), 1:07
No. 17 (NCAA) Kitana Leafaatoto (Texas Woman’s) dec. Libby Dix (Iowa), 5-3
No. 6 (NCAA) Naomi Simon (Iowa) pinned Ciara Monger (Fort Hays State), 1:11
No. 4 (NAIA) Martha Hinneh (Grand View) pinned Ariana Chavez (Frank Phillips), 3:48