Women's Wrestling Drops Road Dual at William Woods, Looks Ahead to No. 2 Grand View

FULTON, Mo. — The Graceland University women's wrestling team competed in a tough non-conference dual Monday night, falling 23-11 to William Woods University at Anderson Arena. Despite the team setback, the Yellowjackets notched key individual wins and continued building experience against NAIA competition.

The Yellowjackets jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of open weights from William Woods at 103 and 124 pounds. Addison Obrecht and Sierra Davenport each earned forfeit victories, contributing five team points apiece and giving Graceland a brief edge in the team score.

These uncontested wins reflected the importance of lineup depth and positioning, especially in early-season duals.

The first contested bout of the dual came at 117 pounds, where Amaris Rivera matched up with William Woods' Candace Calvert. In a back-and-forth affair, Rivera battled to a 7-5 decision loss, surrendering three points to the Owls.

Rivera's match featured multiple scoring exchanges and strong mat awareness, continuing her trend of competitive showings in tight matches.

Ilee Basaldua took the mat at 138 pounds but was quickly pinned by Teani Medeiros-Maielua (WWU) in just 18 seconds, shifting the team momentum firmly toward the host school. William Woods added to its total with three consecutive forfeit wins at 145, 180, and 207, collecting a total of 15 team points over the final stretch to seal the dual.

Uncontested weights on the Graceland side were due to ongoing lineup rotation and injury recovery.

"We're continuing to make strides in how we approach each match and each dual," said head coach Evan Hansen. "The results don't always tell the full story. We're adjusting to a tough schedule and growing through these experiences. Our athletes are putting in the work and staying focused on improvement."

The team has been managing week-to-week changes in availability, but Hansen noted that these duals provide important real-time evaluation points ahead of postseason qualifiers.

The Yellowjackets now prepare for one of their most significant challenges of the season, traveling to take on No. 2-ranked Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. The Vikings bring a nationally respected lineup and will test every aspect of Graceland's roster.

Graceland University returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 5:00 p.m. CST in a dual against Grand View University at the Viking Event Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

For more information on Graceland women's wrestling and all Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.