Iowa Is Good For Everyone
Iowa women’s head coach Clarissa Chun. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com
by Derek Levendusky
You might call it the Caitlyn Clark effect. Some love her and some hate her, but she’s elevated women’s college basketball and the WNBA, drawing a whole new fanbase to the sport. There’s another Iowa sports program that’s having the same effect—the Hawkeyes women’s wrestling program.
They’ve very quickly become the New England Patriots of women’s wrestling in the eyes of many. Funny to say after only one official year under their belt, but they are so dominant that anyone paying attention knows that Clarissa Chun and the Hawkeye coaching staff have created an instant dynasty. They were already tough in their inaugural season after winning last year’s NCWWC title with six individual champions, and then the news broke that they landed Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades and 2023 world silver medalist Macey Kilty in the offseason. No one is going to touch them. While I don’t think they’ll win every weight (I would set the Over/Under betting line at 7.0 individual titles out of 10), the fact that it’s a question worthy of discussion is evidence that as the first Power 5 program, they are already a juggernaut.
When Joe Norton’s North Central program lost by one point last year in the NCWA National Duals finals, that may have been the last time for a long time that any team not named the Iowa Hawkeyes had a chance to win an NCAA women’s national team title. It’s going to be hard to convince me otherwise.
There were a lot of complaints last year about the media coverage given to Iowa, but it was, and is, warranted. Not only was it their first year, but they were a national championship program full of young stars. While all those who appreciate women’s wrestling must remember the past and honor the contributions of the forerunners and groundbreakers, the advent of Iowa’s women’s program ushered in a new era. An era that includes a new level of interest and spotlight on women’s college wrestling, if not women’s wrestling at all levels.
Okay, now that all that has been said, is this good for women’s wrestling or not? Easy answer. It is undoubtedly, undeniably, 100% good for the sport. And I can’t find many people who disagree with me. An historic wrestling tradition like Iowa, love them or hate them, opening the door to hosting a women’s program, has elevated wrestling for all women.
And we’re only getting started. Once the NCAA is officially sanctioned, we’re going to see even more of a spotlight put on women’s wrestling, and you can bet Iowa will be at the center of it. Last year, the CWA (Committee on Women’s Athletics) recommended NCAA Divisions I, II, and III add a national collegiate women’s wrestling championship. If approved, the first sanctioned season would likely be 2026-2027. This would follow the NAIA’s decision to do the same, as they held their first sanctioned national championship in March of 2023.
Will I be rooting for Joe this year? Hey, I’m in the media and I’m supposed to be unbiased, so I can’t answer that (shhh…yeah, part of me wants to see the Cardinals, King, or McKendree make it interesting). Either way, I’m going to enjoy watching the Iowa lineup and see who emerges against them as individual rivals, and how past national contenders—North Central, King, and McKendree—stack up against them this year.
With the season just around the corner, get ready for one of the most exciting seasons we’ve ever seen in both the NCAA and NAIA divisions. It’s a great time to be a fan of women’s wrestling.
There’s also a team in Southern Oregon I’m very interested in. (Insert winky face.)