Council Bluffs, IA – Winners of five consecutive national titles, the Indian Hills Women's Wrestling squad will open up action at the 2026 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Women's Wrestling National Invitational Friday at the Mid-America Center.
DETAILS: 2026 NJCAA Wrestling National Championships
Council Bluffs, IA | Mid-America Center
Friday, March 6 - Saturday, March 7
WATCH LIVE: NJCAA Network ($)
LIVE RESULTS: FloWrestling
LIVE LOOK-INS / AUDIO: GoHillsTV
SCHEDULE: 2026 NJCAA Women's Wrestling Championship
TICKETS: 2026 NJCAA Women's Wrestling Championship
Indian Hills has claimed three consecutive NJCAA National Championships in addition to two JCNC National Titles. The Warriors are the only junior college women's wrestling program to win a national title since competition began in 2020-21.
MAT NOTES
Indian Hills heads to Council Bluffs as the No. 1 nationally ranked team in each of the three national polls (NJCAA, The Open Mat Team Dual, The Open Mat Team Tournament).
- The Warriors have scored at least 287.0 team points in each of the last three NJCAA National Invitationals to run away with the trophy each season.
- The Warriors' 103.0 margin of victory at last year's tournament is the largest in the three years of the national invitational.
- Indian Hills is the lone team to claim multiple No. 1 seeds in this year's field - Brooklyn Noel (103lbs), Ariah Mervilus (110lbs), and Gabriela Avila Diaz (124lbs).
- In total, the Warriors earned nine top-three seeds in this year's bracket.
- The Warriors return the most All-Americans from last year's tournament to the 2026 field with eight.
- The 2026 NJCAA National Invitational features a revamped format where each program is allowed up to only 15 entrees, and two per weight class, a new bylaw for this season.
EXPERIENCE PAVES THE WAY
The Warriors will send eight individuals with championship experience to this year's NJCAA tournament.
- All eight individuals returning to the Mid-America Center this year earned All-American honors as freshmen.
- Indian Hills returns two national champions from a year ago - Ariah Mervilus and Nevaeh Hayden
- Sophomore Brooklyn Noel earned All-American honors with Southeast (NE) at last year's tournament.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
The Warriors will square off against a loaded field as the depth of women's wrestling at the NJCAA level continues to expand.
- ICCAC foe Iowa Central enters the postseason tournament ranked No. 2 in each of the three major polls.
- Fellow ICCAC foe Iowa Western is coming off a runner-up finish at last year's national tournament and is currently ranked No. 6 in the latest NJCAA Poll.
- In addition to Indian Hills' two returning national champions, four individuals return after earning the top podium spot last season:
- Rosalia Rubio, Iowa Western (117lbs), Delise Villa, Iowa Central (145lbs) Ayana Fletcher, Iowa Western (160lbs), Martha Hinneh, Southeast (207lbs)
- This year's field features a total of 30 programs competing, the most since the NJCAA sanctioned women's wrestling.
- 2025 - 22, 2024 - 18, 2023 - 12.
NJCAA Women's Wrestling Poll (Team) | NJCAA Women's Wrestling Poll (Individual) | The Open Mat Rankings
BRACKETS
103 | 110 | 117 | 124 | 131 | 138 | 145 | 160 | 180 | 207 | 235
WARRIORS AT NATIONALS
| CLASS | NAME | SEED | 1ST ROUND OPPONENT |
| 103 | Brooklyn Noel | 1 | Vivian Hayes (Murray State) / Immawnie Walden (Andrew) |
| 103 | Chasey Karabell | 8 | Danna Alvarado (Trinidad State) |
| 110 | Ariah Mervilus | 1 | Juliet Baca (Fort Hays Tech) |
| 117 | Abigail Querida Verdejo Rivero | 2 | Mora Peterson (Nassau) / Aris Fry (Big Bend) |
| 117 | Libby Norton | 7 | Katlyn Fields (Andrew) / Alyse Koss (Southwestern Michigan) |
| 124 | Gabriela Avila Diaz | 1 | Skylar Benninger (Lackawanna) |
| 131 | Kaylea Beauchamp | 3 | Faith Gallegos (NEO A&M) |
| 138 | Jasmine Wolfe | 3 | Sara Daley (Iowa Western) |
| 160 | Nevaeh Hayden | 2 | Annabelle Johnson (Hawkeye |
| 160 | Olivia Stean | 8 | Tenacious Villase (Big Bend) / Kaitie Knebel (Trinidad State) |
| 180 | Paola Rodriguez | 2 | Praizh Suggs (Iowa Central) |
| 207 | Wyntergale Oxendine | 6 | Makenna Fetters (Hawkeye) |
| 207 | Ileen Castrejon | 7 | Joy Kral (Itasca) |
| 235 | Azreal Smith | 2 | (7) Ayana Omollo (NIACC) / Talia Kaztenberger (Umpqua) |
| 235 | Hannah Francis | Unseeded | (1) Faith Tarrant (Iowa Western) |
NEW YEAR - WHAT TO KNOW
Fans can keep up the Indian Hills Men's and Women's Wrestling squad all year long through a number of ways:
- X (formerly Twitter): @IHCCAthletics | @IHCCWrestling
- Facebook: Indian Hills Athletics | Indian Hills Wrestling
- Instagram: @IndianHills_CC_Wrestling | @IHCCAthletics
- Youtube: Indian Hills Athletics
- Website: www.indianhillsathletics.com
- Catch up with the history of Indian Hills Wrestling: Indian Hills Men's Wrestling Record Book
- Keep up with former Indian Hills Wrestling standouts and where they are now | Next Level Warriors - Indian Hills Men's Wrestling
- All home duals take place at the Multi-Purpose Building on the Indian Hills Centerville Campus
HOW TO WATCH
As always, GoHillsTV provides free live broadcasts of all Indian Hills home wrestling duals. Fans can tune in a number of ways all season long:
- GoHillsTV App: Download the Iowa Media Network app on your android or ios device and navigate to the GoHillsTV section
- Website: https://www.iowamedianetwork.com/gohillstv to catch all live and archived information
- Roku Streaming Device (new): Have a Roku TV or streaming stick? Download the GoHillsTV app to start streaming today!
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