NAPERVILLE — The opening weeks of the 2025-26 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s wrestling season have featured a mix of early benchmarks, competitive depth and steady development across the league. From nationally ranked performances and tournament titles to program milestones and inaugural competition, conference teams have established early identities through a combination of dual action and tournament competition.
 
Several lineups have leaned on experienced leaders, while others have seen growth from underclassmen as schedules have tested depth and resilience. The early results provide a snapshot of a conference continuing to build momentum across all levels of competition.
 
Strong Starts and Steady Depth Define Vikings’ Early Season
Augustana opened the season with solid early results, posting a 2-2 dual record and several strong individual performances across initial tournaments. The Vikings turned in competitive showings at the Pointer Open (Nov. 1), Luther Open (Nov. 15) and 8-Man/Woman Battles (Nov. 22), while beginning dual competition with a narrow 23-21 win over Elmhurst on Nov. 18 and a 40-5 victory against Illinois Wesleyan on Dec. 2. Augustana was also challenged by nationally ranked opponents, falling to No. 4 North Central (44-2) on Nov. 26 and No. 16 Wartburg (40-3) on Dec. 5.
 
Moni Griffin and Mia Vazquez have led the Vikings through the opening stretch. Griffin earned Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the 8-Man/Woman Battles after finishing first at 131 pounds and also claimed the championship at the Luther Open with an undefeated run. Vazquez captured the 103-pound title at the 8-Man/Woman Battles and added important points in dual meets, including the wins against IWU and Elmhurst.
 
Additional contributions have come from several wrestlers throughout the lineup. Aine Moffit recorded multiple podium finishes at early tournaments and delivered a key pin in the Elmhurst win. Maryam Ndiaye added placings at the Pointer and Luther Opens and earned wins by fall and technical fall in competition. Bri Bynum, Aislan Leetch and Hannah Suboni-Kaufman also provided dual-meet victories and bonus-point results as the Vikings navigated the opening portion of the schedule.
 
Dual Consistency Sets Early Tone for Aurora
Aurora started the campaign with consistent results in dual competition, posting a 5-2 record through early December. The Spartans began the year at the Adrian Duals on Nov. 8, winning three of four matches with victories over Brock (27-17), Schreiner (36-9) and Point Park (30-4). Aurora followed with a 38-11 home dual win over Carthage on Nov. 13 before closing the opening stretch with a split at a December tri-match on Dec. 2, defeating Elmhurst 28-20 and narrowly dropping a 24-19 decision to Quincy.
 
Several Spartans have anchored the lineup in dual action, particularly in recent competition. Genesis Ramirez went undefeated at 103 pounds in the tri-match, earning both a fall and a technical fall, and also opened the Carthage dual with a fall to establish early momentum. Tasha Markoutsis and Emma Engels each posted 2-0 days at 124 and 131 pounds, respectively, combining falls and technical falls against Elmhurst and Quincy. Engels also added a fall in the Carthage dual.
 
Tournament competition has provided additional depth to Aurora’s early profile. At the Pointer Open on Nov. 1, six Spartans recorded Gold Bracket placings, led by fourth-place finishes from Natasha Markoutsis, Sophia Ball and Anneliese Tavira. Genesis Ramirez and Sharon Moreno placed fifth, while Hannah McDuffee earned third in the Silver Bracket. Aurora also received dual-meet contributions from Katelyn Bell, Zoee Sadler, Makayla Howard and Tavira.
 
Youth Movement Emerges as Carthage Navigates Opening Tests
Carthage has had an early test-heavy schedule that produced promising individual results. The Firebirds collected three wins at the Adrian Duals on Nov. 8 with victories over Siena Heights (27-20), Delaware State (25-23) and Hiram (31-14), offset by an opening loss to host Adrian. Those results marked the first dual victories under first-year head coach Tarkyia Mensah.
 
Away from dual competition, tournament settings have highlighted steady progress within the lineup. Carthage placed fourth at the Carthage Classic last Sunday with 80.5 points, paced by multiple podium finishes. Ella Harpold turned in a third-place effort at 160 pounds with four wins, while freshman Jasmin Ocampo advanced to the finals at 207 pounds after three consecutive falls. Abigail Jutrzonka added a fourth-place finish at 145 pounds after moving through the bracket with three victories.
 
Individual contributions have surfaced throughout the early schedule across multiple weight classes. Karina Torres recorded a pair of falls at the Adrian Duals, and Jutrzonka supplied Carthage’s lone victory in a road dual at Aurora on Nov. 13. Kirsten Cortez scored the Firebirds’ team point against North Central on Nov. 20 and later placed fifth at the Carthage Classic alongside Alaina Hollendoner, while Josie Hosea added a seventh-place finish.
 
Tournament Success Highlights Elmhurst’s Development
Elmhurst entered the season with a young roster and steady signs of growth, navigating early dual competition while producing strong tournament results. The Bluejays carry a 3-5 dual record, highlighted by a 43-6 win over Heidelberg on Nov. 14 that featured multiple bonus-point victories. Elmhurst also pushed Augustana in a narrow 23-21 loss on Nov. 18 and collected individual wins in recent duals against Aurora and Quincy on Dec. 2, despite coming up short on the team score in both matchups.
 
Tournament competition has provided a clearer measure of the Bluejays’ progress. At the Pointer Women’s Open Nov. 1, Elmhurst earned multiple podium finishes, led by runner-up efforts from Viola Pianetto at 138 pounds and freshman Claire Crouch at 103. Pianetto accounted for the team’s top point total at the event with three technical falls, while additional placements came from Anjali Gonzalez and Veronica Cosio.
 
Elmhurst’s strongest showing came at the Carthage Classic last Sunday, where the Bluejays placed third among 16 teams with 129 points. Eleven of the program’s 14 entrants recorded placements, including five top-three finishes. Valentina Fantoni led the effort with a second-place finish at 117 pounds, while Crouch, Cosio, Pianetto and Juliana Lefort each earned third-place finishes. Lefort paced the lineup with multiple wins and bonus-point results, as Elmhurst closed the event with 34 total victories and continued progress from its largely freshman-led roster.
 
Milestones Mark Early Progress for Illinois Wesleyan
Illinois Wesleyan continued to build its program during the opening portion of the season, highlighted by the program’s first dual meet victory while navigating a schedule that included multiple nationally ranked opponents. The Titans opened the year at the Pointer Open on Nov. 1 before moving into dual competition at the Lakeland Duals on Nov. 9, where IWU earned a 41-8 win over Lakeland. IWU later faced additional tests against Elmhurst, Wisconsin–Stevens Point, Lindenwood, Lindsey Wilson and fourth-ranked North Central. The Titans have a 2-6 dual record following a split at the Augustana Triangular on Dec. 2, which included a 25-5 win over MSOE.
 
Freshmen have driven much of Illinois Wesleyan’s early progress through individual results in both duals and tournaments. Angel Hill has led the lineup at 207 pounds, opening the season with a first-place finish at the Pointer Open and adding a runner-up showing at the Eight Woman Battles on Nov. 22. Hill also recorded a program milestone by earning the first home pin and victory for the Titans during the dual against North Central.
 
Additional first-year wrestlers have contributed consistently across the lineup. Beyonce Espinosa captured a bracket title at the Pointer Open and remained unbeaten through the Lindenwood Duals, while Kennedy Murray added multiple pins and an undefeated performance at the Lakeland Duals. AJ Grant recorded several quick falls in dual action, and Jillian Giller has provided steady bonus-point production with eight pins through early December, including the Titans’ lone win against Augustana.
 
Raiders Take First Steps in Program Debut
MSOE kicked off its inaugural women’s wrestling season on Dec. 2, marking the program’s first varsity competition as the 26th MSOE sport. MSOE made its dual debut at a triangular against Illinois Wesleyan and Augustana, falling 25-5 to the Titans in the program’s first official match. The Raiders’ initial points came via forfeits at 103 and 110 pounds, with Jackie Zuniga Rangel credited with the first team scoring result.
 
The Raiders followed their dual debut with their first tournament appearance at the Carthage Classic last Sunday. MSOE placed 14th in the 16-team field with 4.5 points. Zuniga Rangel led the effort with a sixth-place finish at 110 pounds, highlighted by a technical fall. Alyssa Bentley and Naomi Castillo-Posadas each competed in close bouts late in the day as the Raiders gained additional experience.
 
North Central Delivers Complete Performances Through Opening Stretch
North Central has seen consistent results across both dual and tournament competition, positioning the Cardinals among the national leaders early in the year. Ranked No. 4 in the latest NWCA poll, NCC holds a 6-2 overall dual record. The Cardinals collected multiple nonconference wins at the Adrian Duals on Nov. 8, including victories over King, No. 18 Tiffin, and No. 14 West Liberty. North Central’s only setbacks have come in narrow duals against top-three opponents McKendree and Grand Valley State. Junior Bella Mir also represented the program at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 1, earning a criteria decision win against the reigning NAIA national champion.
 
Tournament performances have further underscored the Cardinals’ depth throughout the lineup. North Central opened the season with six individual titles and 17 top-three finishes at the Pointer Open on Nov. 1, then followed with a team championship at the Adrian College Invite on Nov. 9 after scoring 421.5 points. The Cardinals’ most complete showing came at the Carthage Classic last Sunday, where NCC captured the team title with 233 points and placed all 16 competitors within the top five of their respective brackets.
 
Seven Cardinals claimed individual championships at the Carthage Classic – Eliana Paramo, Bella Bolek, Riley Rayome, Jax Realin, Lynn Horn, Elizabeth Rosenstiel and Jael Miller. Additional points came from multiple runner-up finishes across several weight classes. In dual action, Sara Sterner recorded three wins over ranked opponents during the Adrian Invite, while Shenita Lawson delivered a key upset victory against the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the dual against Grand Valley State and was later named CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week. Dasia Yearby added bonus points with a quick pin in the same dual.