By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
CORALVILLE, Iowa – Fort Hays State Women’s Wrestling placed 20th at the 2025 NCWWC Championships for NCAA affiliated schools on Saturday (Mar. 8). The Tigers had three individuals fall just short of All-America status, all bowing out in the round just before guaranteed placement in the tournament.
Piper Cadden (131), Nichole Moore (138), and Isabella Renfro (180) all made it to the consolation fourth round, the round just before guaranteed placement, but unfortunately came up short despite wrestling very competitive matches.
Cadden held an 8-2 lead with a minute to go in the second period, but her opponent Ragan Retell of Elmira College rallied late with a four-point move with about 30 seconds remaining and then an additional two points right before the horn. Unfortunately, Retell’s four-point move held higher criteria for the win in the 8-8 decision. Cadden finished her season at 14-5 overall.
Moore went into the second period down just 2-1, but unfortunately saw her opponent Alissa Caltagirone of Northern Michigan rattle off six points in a row to take a strong 8-1 lead. Moore kept looking for opportunities and scored a couple more points, but trying to go for a big move late left her vulnerable to giving up another couple points. She lost 10-3, but finished the season 31-12 overall, leading the team in wins and was the only Tiger to reach 30 wins this season.
Like Cadden’s match, Renfro also fell victim to some late scoring by her opponent. Renfro built a 6-2 lead through one period, but the match tightened to 6-5 early in the second. She picked up two more points to lead 8-5, but in the final 30 seconds her opponent tied the match. Renfro went in for a shot late looking to break the tie, but unfortunately had her move countered for four points. A challenge of the exchange by FHSU coaches was unsuccessful and Lydia Krauss of McKendree, the No. 10 ranked wrestler in the class, escaped with a 13-8 win. Renfro finished the season 29-10 overall.
Fort Hays State had a total of nine wrestlers compete at the national tournament. The Tigers combined for 16 wins for the week, including seven of the nine picking up at least two wins and Moore and Renfro both leading the way with three wins each. Even though the Tigers fell short of individual All-America honors, they had an impressive first official season as a team. They were 8-2 in duals throughout the year, which included a pair of wins over nationally ranked teams. The Tigers went into the national tournament ranked No. 23 as a team. The Tigers were the 11th-highest finishing Division II team in the field.
Next year, the NCAA will be holding its first-ever championship in women’s wrestling as the sport was recently made a championship sport by the organization.
Results for Fort Hays State throughout the tournament are listed below.
Full FHSU Results
110 – Josiah Ortiz – 2-2 – 3.5 team points
Champ. Round 1 – Josiah Ortiz 4-4 won by fall over Mackenzie Burger (Alma) 16-9 (Fall 4:28)
Champ. Round 2 – Kendra Ryan (North Central College) 22-7 won by tech fall over Josiah Ortiz 4-4 (TF-1.5 3:29 (11-0))
Cons. Round 2 – Josiah Ortiz 4-4 won by decision over Katerina Pendergrass (Gannon University) 24-8 (Dec 4-4)
Cons. Round 3 – Izabella Frezzo (New Jersey City University) 30-7 won by decision over Josiah Ortiz 4-4 (Dec 5-1)
117 – Isabell Ortiz – 0-2
Champ. Round 1 – Ana Malovich (Grand Valley State) 16-7 won by decision over Isabell Ortiz 0-2 (Dec 6-4)
Cons. Round 1 – Nohea Moniz (Sacred Heart) 23-13 won by fall over Isabell Ortiz 0-2 (Fall 2:22)
131 – Piper Cadden – 2-2
Champ. Round 1 – Piper Cadden 14-5 won by decision over Kylie Rule (Wartburg) 26-6 (Dec 6-2)
Champ. Round 2 – Piper Cadden 14-5 won by tech fall over Natasha Markoutsis (Aurora) 28-17 (TF-1.5 4:10 (12-2))
Quarterfinal – Sara Sterner (North Central College) 26-4 won by tech fall over Piper Cadden 14-5 (TF-1.5 1:56 (10-0))
Cons. Round 4 – Ragan Retell (Elmira College) 19-15 won by decision over Piper Cadden 14-5 (Dec 8-8)
131 – Jamie Laswell – 2-2 – 4.5 team points
Champ. Round 1 – Jamie Laswell 28-11 won by tech fall over Madison Wellen (D’Youville) 20-8 (TF-1.5 2:47 (10-0))
Champ. Round 2 – Sara Sterner (North Central College) 26-4 won by tech fall over Jamie Laswell 28-11 (TF-1.5 5:53 (10-0))
Cons. Round 2 – Jamie Laswell 28-11 won by tech fall over Dionni Garcia-Vasquez (Simpson) 26-15 (TF-1.5 2:28 (10-0))
Cons. Round 3 – Hannah Palise (Grand Valley State) 25-18 won by decision over Jamie Laswell 28-11 (Dec 10-6)
138 – Ashlynn Goodwin – 0-2
Champ. Round 1 – Taylor Graveman (North Central College) 27-11 won by decision over Ashlynn Goodwin25-12 (Dec 8-3)
Cons. Round 1 – Tanya Teneva (Western New England) 28-5 won by tech fall over Ashlynn Goodwin 25-12 (TF-1.5 4:17 (10-0))
138 – Nichole Moore – 3-2 – 2.0 team points
Champ. Round 1 – Nichole Moore 31-13 won by decision over Shani Tyson (Frostburg State) 21-10 (Dec 8-0)
Champ. Round 2 – Nina Makem (Augsburg University) 20-5 won by decision over Nichole Moore 31-13 (Dec 9-0)
Cons. Round 2 – Nichole Moore 31-13 won by decision over Tanya Teneva (Western New England) 28-5 (Dec 2-1)
Cons. Round 3 – Nichole Moore 31-13 won by decision over Emma Hanrahan (Mount Union) 33-8 (Dec 9-0)
Cons. Round 4 – Alissa Caltagirone (Northern Michigan University) 21-7 won by decision over Nichole Moore31-13 (Dec 10-3)
145 – Dylen Ritchey – 2-2 – 3.0 team points
Champ. Round 1 – Erica Schroeder (Colorado Mesa University) 24-8 won by tech fall over Dylen Ritchey 20-14 (TF-1.5 5:01 (10-0))
Cons. Round 1 – Dylen Ritchey 20-14 won by fall over Skyelar Smith (West Liberty) 19-13 (Fall 2:05)
Cons. Round 2 – Dylen Ritchey 20-14 won by decision over Annelise Obermark (Simpson) 32-6 (Dec 12-11)
Cons. Round 3 – Skylar Little Soldier (Grand Valley State) 16-9 won by decision over Dylen Ritchey 20-14 (Dec 4-4)
180 – Isabella Renfro – 3-2 – 7.0 team points
Champ. Round 1 – Naomi Simon (Iowa) 39-4 won by fall over Isabella Renfro 29-10 (Fall 2:40)
Cons. Round 1 – Isabella Renfro 29-10 won by tech fall over Aniyah Griffin (Huntingdon) 19-18 (TF-1.5 2:00 (10-0))
Cons. Round 2 – Isabella Renfro 29-10 won by fall over Mia Gaetjens (Adrian College) 27-16 (Fall 1:40)
Cons. Round 3 – Isabella Renfro 29-10 won by fall over Isabella Phillips (Gannon University) 35-8 (Fall 2:11)
Cons. Round 4 – Lydia Krauss (McKendree University) 22-8 won by decision over Isabella Renfro 29-10 (Dec 13-8)
207 – Hailey Conley – 2-2 – 1.0 team points
Champ. Round 1 – Rewa Chababo (Wartburg) 28-8 won by decision over Hailey Conley 19-17 (Dec 5-1)
Cons. Round 1 – Hailey Conley 19-17 won by decision over Tayana Labady (Elmira College) 19-12 (Dec 7-4)
Cons. Round 2 – Hailey Conley 19-17 won by decision over Ella Beam (Presbyterian) 18-9 (Dec 2-2)
Cons. Round 3 – Destiny Vaughans (Greensboro College) 25-7 won by fall over Hailey Conley 19-17 (Fall 2:40)