NAIA College Preview Series: #4 Grand View

Photo courtesy of Grand View Athletics.

by Jeremy Eusterwiemann
Twitter: @wiems19

Seated in the heartland of the United States and in a hot bed of talented wrestling is Grand View University. The Grand View women come in ranked #4 according to the NAIA Coaches Poll. A top 10 finish at the national tournament last year and a recruiting class that ranks only behind King University and North Central College (who are both NCAA), the Iowa-based Grand View campus is buzzing with optimism. The Vikings return three All-Americans and had a handful of women that were just one match away. Year number three for the program looks to generate plenty of excitement as this young program now finds themselves mentioned as one of the premier destinations for women’s college wrestling. Buckle up because it will be a fun ride.

Here is an interview with Angelo Crinzi, head women’s wresting coach of Grand View University.

1. What are your reflections on last season?
Last season went well. We were excited that we had the opportunity to compete during the pandemic. Unfortunately, we only had one dual due to the circumstances and look forward to getting more opportunities this upcoming season.

2. Talk about your returning class. Who are some of the women you have high expectations for this year?
Emma Cochran, Andie Schlabach, and Hunter Robinson are our returning All-Americans and we are excited to see how this season turns out for them. Jas Alexander, Bella Gonzalez, Chloe Krebsbach, and Natalie Villegas were each one match away from making it to the All-American matches and have been putting in the work this preseason. Alexis Gomez was a top girl in her weight last season but missed Nationals due to an injury. She’s someone who trained all summer and we look forward to having her back in action.

3. Talk about your incoming freshmen class. Who are some of the names that you expect an immediate contribution from?
We had a hole in our lineup at 123 last season and are thrilled to have Adrienna Turner at that weight. She was one of the top girls in high school and has some notable wins. Abby McIntyre won the recruiting showcase and has been hard at work. Olivia Brown was a Fargo champ and is someone we see making an impact on our team. Madison Diaz is someone we think was under the radar but has been putting in a ton of work ever since she’s been here.

4. Talk about some of your team's goals this season. Are there any specific events you're excited about?
Our goal this season is to see how competitive we can really be. We have a strong schedule in front of us and look forward to continue our growth as individuals and as a team until we are in the mix to be on the top. We compete a lot here and the expectation is for everyone in our lineup to be able to fight with the best.