By Richard Immel
USA Wrestling

SPOKANE, Wash. – The top women’s wrestling prospects across the country descend upon The Podium in Spokane, Washington, this week for the 2026 USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals, and the field of competitors is as talented as ever.  

A record number of participants are expected to grace the mats in Spokane, with U.S. World Team and U.S. Pan American Team berths up for grabs in the United World Wrestling age-group divisions, plus national titles being determined in the USA Wrestling youth divisions. 

This year will feature a couple of firsts. The event has expanded to a four-day format, which is intended to give athletes vying for multiple World Team selections added flexibility. Additionally, the youth divisions (14U and below) will offer a Greco-Roman division. 

Here is a primer for fans to get up-to-speed on one of the most eventful weekends on the USA Wrestling calendar each season.   

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS 

Based on the entry list as of the morning of April 8, the USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals will feature the following:

·      2,284 total entries with two days remaining for wrestlers to register, which already sets a new participation record for this event.  

·      75% of the individual champions from 2025 have entered the field in 2026. There were 82 brackets wrestled last year—58 champions are back, four of whom were double division champions a year ago.

·      17 age-group World medalists for Team USA are entered across the U17, U20 and U23 divisions.

·      41 athletes have represented Team USA at an age-group World Championships and two have competed at the Senior World Championships. All 10 members of the 2025 U17 World Team are back again.

·      11 national champions at the collegiate level—six NCAA (formerly NCWWC) champions and five NAIA champions. 

WHAT’S AT STAKE 

Champions at the U17, U20 and U23 levels are eligible to represent the U.S. at an age-group World Championships event later this year. The U.S. Pan American squads will also be determined in the UWW age-group divisions (except U17) based on the results from Spokane. Refer to the USA Wrestling Team Selection Criteria for more details on international team selections for each age division. 

Credit toward the USA Wrestling Triple Crown Award can also be earned by tournament champions in Spokane. To claim a USA Wrestling Triple Crown Award at the 16U or Junior levels, girls must win first place at the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals and USA Wrestling Freestyle Nationals, plus claim top prize at either the Women’s Nationals or National Girls High School Recruiting Showcase. Similarly, the 14U and below age groups must win first place at the Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals and USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals, plus take top prize in Spokane. 

WRESTLERS TO WATCH 

With two returning Senior World Team members and 17 age-group World medalists entered in the field, plus a host of college stars and wrestlers with international experience, this weekend’s must-watch wrestler list is strong and extensive. 

Senior World Team members Cristelle Rodriguez (53 kg) and Adaugo Nwachukwu (62 kg) are entered in the U23 division with sights set on a repeat appearance at the U23 World Championships, which are set for Las Vegas this October. Both women finished in the top 10 at last year’s U23 Worlds but fell short of a podium spot. 

Age-group World medalists registered (alphabetical order):

·      Jaclyn Bouzakis – 2025 U17 World bronze, 2023 U17 World bronze

·      Heather Crull – 2023 U17 World bronze

·      Epenesa Elison – 2025 U17 World silver

·      Maisie Elliott – 2025 U17 World bronze

·      Taina Fernandez – 2025 U17 World gold, 2024 U17 World gold

·      Piper Fowler – 2023 U17 World gold

·      Madison Healey – 2025 U17 World bronze

·      Haylie Jaffe – 2023 U17 World bronze

·      Alexis Janiak – 2025 U23 World bronze, 2024 U20 World silver, 2023 U20 World bronze

·      Everest Leydecker – 2025 U20 World gold

·      Sage Mortimer – 2024 U23 World gold

·      Adaugo Nwachukwu – 2022 U20 World bronze

·      Ella Poalillo – 2025 U17 World bronze

·      Jasmine Robinson – 2025 U23 World silver, 2024 U20 World gold, 2023 U17 World bronze

·      Cristelle Rodriguez – 2024 U20 World gold

·      Naomi Simon – 2024 U20 World bronze

·      Morgan Turner – 2025 U17 World gold, 2024 U17 World bronze, 2023 U17 World gold 

24 additional past age-group U.S. World Team members are registered, including Grace Stem, SaVannah Cosme, Claire DiCugno, Sydney Perry, Shelby Moore, Elena Ivaldi, Kaiulani Garcia, Rianne Murphy, Karlee Brooks, Isabella Mir, Maddie Kubicki, Kaili Manuel, Francesca Gusfa, Isabella Marie Gonzales, Cadence Diduch, Caitlyn Davis, Skye Realin, Violette Lasure, Cassandra Gonzales, Emma Bacon, Daniella Nugent, Aubre Krazer, Abbi Cooper and Alexandra Szkotnicki. 

Registered athletes who have earned college national titles at the NCAA (formerly NCWWC) level include Ava Bayless, Claire DiCugno, Sage Mortimer, Sydney Petzinger, Alexis Janiak and Isabella Mir. On the NAIA side, Piper Fowler, Cristelle Rodriguez, Mia Palumbo, Adaugo Nwachukwu and Caitlyn Davis will represent as past champions. 

WEIGHT CLASSES TO WATCH 

U17 Women, 46 kg  

Two returning U17 World bronze medalists—Maisie Elliott (WA) and Madison Healey (PA)—headline a packed 46 kg bracket in the U17 division. Abigail Peterson (IA) and Olivia Hernandez (OR) secured medals at the U17 Pan American Championships last week and are both returning champions, moving up from younger age groups. Two-time 16U Freestyle Nationals champion Justice Gutierrez (CO) and 2026 Junior Folkstyle Nationals champion Peggy Susan Dean (CO) will have a say. New York state champion Jasmine Brucato (NY) is a dark horse to watch. 

U20 Women, 59 kg 

Aubre Krazer (PA) returns to defend her spot on the U20 World Team at 59 kg. She will be tough to dethrone, backed up by her Senior-level gold medal win at the 2025 Bill Farrell Memorial International. Bella Williams (OK), who was last year’s runner-up to Krazer, returns. She was a 2024 U17 Women’s Nationals champion and a gold medalist at the 2025 U20 and U23 Pan American Championships. It’ll be interesting to see where 2025 U17 World Team member Emma Bacon (PA) slots in relative to Krazer and Williams. Bacon was champion at the U17 Pan American Championships, U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals, Girls High School Recruiting Showcase and Women’s Nationals last year. Another ahtlete to keep an eye on is Caley Graber (MN), who took first place at the Junior Folkstyle Nationals, U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals and Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals in 2025. 

U23 Women, 50 kg 

A fun mix of entrants, including three age-group World medalists, will clash at 50 kg in the U23 division. 2024 U23 World champion and 2025 NCWWC champion Sage Mortimer (MI) is the top contender in the weight but will be chased by a pair of youngsters—two-time U17 World champion Morgan Turner (IL) and two-time U17 World bronze medalist Jaclyn Bouzakis (PA)—who are both entering their first year of U20 eligibility. Other contenders in the bracket include two-time NAIA champion Mia Palumbo (IL), NCWWC finalist Kaelani Shufeldt (CA), NAIA runner-up Zoey Haney (MO) and 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals champion Katey Valdez (CO). 

HOW TO FOLLOW 

The festivities in Spokane begin on Thursday with the U20 preliminaries. Friday runs through the U20 and U15 tournaments, plus the 14U, 12U, 10U and 8U freestyle brackets. The U17 and U23 divisions span Saturday and Sunday, with 14U, 12U, 10U and 8U Greco-Roman running start-to-finish on Saturday. 

The USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals will be broadcast live on FloWrestling. Brackets and live results will be available on USA Bracketing. 

For more information on this event, including how to register and a detailed event schedule, please visit usawrestlingevents.com