THIS WEEK IN BLUE HAWK WOMEN'S WRESTLING
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The women's wrestling team returns to competition on Friday, Jan. 9, as the Blue Hawks travel to the 2026 NWCA National Duals. The event marks a milestone moment for the program, as it will be the first appearance at the prestigious national dual tournament for the Dickinson State women.
The Blue Hawks enter the weekend ranked 18th nationally and seventh in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Dickinson State has not competed since Dec. 10, when it earned a 29-20 home dual victory over Bismarck State College, and will look to carry that momentum into one of the deepest and most competitive dual events in collegiate women's wrestling.
The NWCA National Duals annually bring together the nation's top programs, and the 2026 NAIA women's bracket features the majority of the top 20 teams in the national rankings. Among those in the field are No. 1 Life (Ga.), No. 2 Providence (Mont.), No. 3 Grand View (Iowa), No. 4 William Penn (Iowa), No. 5 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 7 Indiana Tech, No. 8 Doane (Neb.), No. 9 Texas Wesleyan, No. 10 Cumberlands (Ky.), No. 11 Southern Oregon, No. 12 Missouri Valley, No. 13 Ottawa (Kan.), No. 14 Evergreen State (Wash.) and No. 20 Campbellsville (Ky.).
Dickinson State's bracket path opens with a nationally ranked opponent, as the Blue Hawks are slated to face No. 2 Providence in first-round action on Friday morning. The matchup presents several marquee individual bouts, particularly in the lower and middle weights. At 110 pounds, eighth-ranked Jenna Gerhardt is projected to square off against third-ranked Paige Morales of Providence. At 117, sixth-ranked Jazmine Turner or 14th-ranked Mikayla Jardine could see eighth-ranked Joely Slyter, while a potential matchup at 124 features Turner or Jardine against third-ranked Alyssa Randles.
For a program still in the early stages of its national ascent, the NWCA National Duals offer a measuring stick against the elite of the NAIA. The dual format places an emphasis on lineup depth, match strategy and composure under pressure. Competition at the NWCA National Duals begins Friday morning and continues through Saturday, with placement matches determining final finishes across the bracket. For Dickinson State, the weekend represents both a reward for sustained growth and an opportunity to announce its presence on one of the sport's biggest stages.
