Four Heading to Nationals
Oskaloosa–Four members of the William Penn women’s wrestling team are set to take on the nation’s best at the inaugural NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championship Friday and Saturday.
The Championship, which will be held in Jamestown, N.D. in Harold Newman Arena, will consist of four sessions, beginning with Session I Friday at 10 a.m. After a few years of having the event as an Invitational, there are finally enough schools sponsoring the sport to transition it to Championship status.
WPU has four grapplers hitting the mats for the double-elimination event (wrestle back to third place), including 116-pounders Brittany Cotter (So., Katy, Texas, Nursing) and Catherine Steinkamp (So., Quincy, Ill., Biology), 123-pounder Mami Selemani (Jr., Iowa City, Iowa, Business Management), and 170-pounder Kylee Eastwood (Fr., Fontana, Kan., Undecided).
Preliminary brackets were released late last week and are subject to change.
Cotter (17-12 record) will receive a first-round bye and will then meet up with #2 seed Caitlyn Thorne (Central Methodist) in the second round. Steinkamp, who is 21-13, is set to open up against #9 seed Alexis Medina of Cumberlands (Ky.).
Selemani (9-9 record) will start against #7 seed Ashley Whetzal (Missouri Valley), while Eastwood, at 13-14, will battle with #12 seed Olivia Robinson (Eastern Oregon).
