MANHEIM, Pa. | National Wrestling Coaches Association - McKendree University women's wrestling headed out for NWCA / USMC National Duals this week, earning the fourth seed of the NCAA women's bracket while also beginning the year at No.5 in the latest NWCA coaches poll and No.4 in the first The Open Mat poll of 2024. The Bearcats begin 2024 up in Iowa but ended 2023 on a strong note at Senior Nationals with two more US Olympic Team Trials qualifiers and eight placers plus one champion during the Ken Kraft Midlands Women's Championships. McKendree owns nine ranked wrestlers in the NWCA poll while the squad has 12 in The Open Mat's poll. The Bearcats face off against 18th-ranked Gannon Golden Knights in the first round of the NWCA's National Duals tournament.
2023 NATIONAL DUALS (
Recap)
The Bearcats made it to the semifinal round after a dominating victory over then-No.18 Lock Haven (34-12) and a final-match pin by
Sydnee Kimber to take out then-No.5 Augsburg, 24-23. McKendree fell to then-top-ranked King in the semis but recovered in a more-than-commanding fashion, going 10 matches to none over then-No.3 Colorado Mesa and winning 41 to 3. McKendree took the 3-1 record to place third overall at the National Duals tournament, notching a sixth-straight top-three finish at duals.
NWCA NATIONAL DUALS - FIRST ROUND MATCHUP
No.5/4 McKendree sits as the fourth seed in the bracket, taking on No.18 Gannon for the first time ever as Gannon is in their first official competition season.
Competing Institutions - NCAA Women
| Institutions |
Location |
2023
Championship
Finish |
2023
National Duals Finish |
Established |
| Adrian Coll. |
Adrian, MI |
12th |
- |
2014 |
| Aurora Univ. |
Aurora, IL |
16th |
- |
2020 |
| Colorado Mesa Univ. |
Grand Junction, CO |
4th |
4th |
2018 |
| Elmira Coll. |
Elmira, NY |
15th |
- |
2019 |
| Emmanuel Coll. |
Franklin Springs, GA |
14th |
- |
2014 |
| Gannon Univ. |
Erie, PA |
10th |
8th |
2018 |
| Univ. of Iowa |
Iowa City, IA |
- |
- |
2023 |
| King Univ. |
Bristol, Tn |
2nd |
1st |
2005 |
| Lindenwood Univ. |
St. Charles, Mo |
20th |
- |
2009 |
| Lock Haven Univ. |
Lock Haven, PA |
11th |
- |
2019 |
| McKendree Univ. |
Lebanon, IL |
3rd |
3rd |
2013 |
| New Jersey City Univ. |
Jersey City, NJ |
18th |
- |
2019 |
| North Central Coll. |
Naperville, IL |
1st |
2nd |
2018 |
| Presbyterian Coll. |
Clinton, SC |
9th |
6th |
2017 |
| Sacred Heart Univ. |
Fairfield, CT |
7th |
7th |
2020 |
NWCA NATIONAL POLL (
Release)
Individuals Ranked
101 - #9 |
Lizette Bernardo
109 - #10 |
Pauline Granados
116 - #4 |
Payton Stroud
116 - #9 |
Salyna Shotwell
123 - #5 |
Shelby Moore
130 - #1 |
Cameron Guerin
130 - #5 |
Jennifer Soto
143 - #7 |
Viktorya Torres
155 - #9 |
Destiny Rodriguez
Team Rankings
1. Iowa
2. North Central
3. King
4. Colorado Mesa
5. McKendree - 41 Points, 9 Individuals
THE OPEN MAT NATIONAL POLL (
Link)
Individuals Ranked
101 - #3 |
Lizette Bernardo
109 - #8 |
Pauline Granados
116 - #6 |
Payton Stroud
116 - #11 |
Julia Vidallon
123 - #4 |
Shelby Moore
130 - #1 |
Cameron Guerin
130 - #3 |
Jennifer Soto
136 - #8 |
Alex Szkotnicki
136 - #14 |
Estella Gutches
143 - #1 |
Emma Bruntil
143 - #10 |
Viktorya Torres
155 - #11 |
Destiny Rodriguez
Team Rankings
1. North Central
2. Iowa
3. King
4. McKendree - 147 Points, 12 Individuals
5. Colorado Mesa
2024 NWCA / USMC NATIONAL DUALS TOURNAMENT INFO
Dates: January 5-6, 2024
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa | UNI Dome
Bracket | First Round - No.5/4 / 4-Seed McKendree vs. No.18 Gannon
Tickets /
Watch /
Live Results
