Five NCAA Freshman Breakouts

Shelby Moore in 2023 in high school singlet. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

by Derek Levendusky
X: @AWWderek

Every year, and perhaps more and more in recent years, we see freshmen enter the college scene and make an immediate contribution. There are certainly more than five, but here’s five freshmen breakouts this year in NCAA women’s wrestling.

Shelby Moore, McKendree University, 123 pounds
After a stellar high school career, where she was the #2 overall prep recruit in the country, doubling up at Fargo (winning both 16U and Junior divisions) in the summer of 2021, Moore has made an immediate mark on the college scene. In fact, in FloWrestling’s recent round of NCAA rankings, she landed in the #1 spot at 123. Moore went 4-0 at NWCA National Duals in January, getting an 8-5 win over returning national finalist Amani Jones from North Central, an opponent that had beaten previous #1 Felicity Taylor of Iowa at the same event. 

Virginia Foard, King University, 123 pounds
#3 at the same weight where freshman Shelby Moore is #1, Foard is part of the freshmen takeover of the weight class that features three freshmen in the top 5. The Wyoming Seminary grad was a 2023 Pennsylvania state champion, finished third at Super 32 and was a finalist at the U17 World Teams Trials. Her only college losses this season (in non-USAW competitions) are to #1 Shelby Moore and teammate Montana Delawder, an opponent she’s also beaten twice this season, including recently in the finals of the FSU Bobcat Open.

Taylor Graveman, North Central, 136 pounds
South Dakota native Taylor Graveman has emerged as one of returning-national-champion North Central’s top freshman talents, placing second at Midlands and earning the #7 spot at 136 pounds in FloWrestling’s NCAA rankings. Graveman is 16-3, but her only NCAA loss was to teammate, #1 ranked Yele Aycock at the same weight, who she lost to twice. She took a third loss to Sunkist Kids’ Marisol Nugent in the Midlands finals. Graveman will be a force in NCAA wrestling for the next few years.

Madeline Kubicki, Presbyterian, 143 pounds
Last spring at Women’s Nationals, then-high-schooler Maddie Kubicki put the wrestling world on notice when she beat high school star Janida Garcia, and college powerhouses Claire DiCugno (King) and Ella Schmit (Iowa) in the U20 division to win the world team spot. Though she’s taken some college losses, she’s also had some big wins, proving her mettle and earning a #5 ranking. She recently won the Robert Horton Open, defeating NAIA #1 ranked Emma Walker in the finals. Kubicki will be a wildcard at Nationals this year.

Haley Ward, Iowa, 170 pounds
We knew she was good coming out of high school, where she was a 4x Missouri state champion and a U20 Pan Am gold medalist, but she’s dominated the college scene. She’s 27-2 on the season at 170 and is currently ranked #4 in FloWrestling rankings. Her only losses at college events are to 4x college national champion and 2022 world team member Dymond Guilford and teammate Kylie Welker, also a previous USA Wrestling world teamer. In fact, all but four of her wins ended with a technical fall or pin.