OSKALOOSA, Iowa - The Dickinson State women's wrestling team placed eighth Saturday at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament, hosted by William Penn University. Competition began at 9 a.m. Dickinson State totaled 47.5 team points in the final standings. William Penn won the team title with 215 points, followed by Grand View with 214 and Missouri Valley with 161.5.
The Blue Hawks were led by conference champion Jumoke Adekoye at 131 pounds. Adekoye secured the individual title with a 12-2 technical fall over Central Methodist's A. Schneider in the first-place match. She opened the championship bracket with a 10-0 technical fall against N. Justice of Central Methodist in the quarterfinals and added a 10-0 technical fall over William Penn's B. Brenneman in the semifinals to advance to the finals. Jenna Gerhardt earned a runner-up finish at 110 pounds, advancing through the championship side of the bracket before placing second overall. Gerhardt's performance added key team points in one of the conference's largest brackets.
Dickinson State also received placement points at multiple weights. Mikayla Jardine placed eighth at 117 pounds, competing through the consolation rounds. Birta McCaskill added an eighth-place finish at 124 pounds. Bridgette Price placed eighth at 180 pounds, contributing to the Blue Hawks' team total. Kaytlin McAnelly competed at 138 pounds, while Olivia Anderson represented Dickinson State at 160. Savannah Rickter also competed at 180 pounds as part of the Blue Hawks' postseason lineup.
The Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament serves as the primary qualifying event for the NAIA Women's Wrestling National Championships. Conference champions in each weight class receive automatic berths, with additional allocations determined by placement and national ratings. Adekoye's conference title secured her automatic qualification to nationals. Jenna Gerhardt and Myriam Riley also received automatic bids. Additional Dickinson State wrestlers will await the release of the official national qualifier list. Following the tournament, the Heart of America Athletic Conference announced its postseason awards. Adekoye was named the Heart Wrestler of the Year after her championship performance at 131 pounds.
UP NEXT
Dickinson State will await the announcement of national qualifiers for the 4th Annual 2026 NAIA Women's Wrestling National Championships, scheduled for March 13-14 at Heartland Credit Union Arena in Wichita, Kan. The NAIA is scheduled to release the full list of qualifiers Tuesday, March 3, with seeds and brackets to follow.
