NEWARK, N.J. – Four University of Iowa women’s wrestlers claimed their spot on the 2025 Senior World Championship Team at Final X on Saturday evening at the Prudential Center. Current Hawkeyes, Kennedy Blades and Kylie Welker and Iowa alumni Macey Kilty and Felicity Taylor will all represent the United States at the Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia in September.

At 53 kg, Taylor defeated fellow Hawkeye Brianna Gonzalez in two bouts. Taylor took round one in a close, 2-1, decision. Taylor took the Final X title with a 6-4 decision win in round two of the evening. Gonzalez, as the runner-up is a member of the 2025 senior national team.

At 65 kg, Kilty defeated Aine Drury (New York AC) in the best-of-three series. Kilty dominated both matches winning via technical fall, 10-0. Kilty is now a three-time senior world team member. She previously won bronze in 2024 and silver in 2023.

At 68 kg, Blades defeated Brooklyn Hays (USOPTC/TMWC). The reigning Olympic silver medalist took both matches via decision, 10-4 and 5-2, respectively. This will be Blades’ first senior level world championship.

At 76 kg, Welker defeated a familiar foe in Dymond Guilford (USOPTC/TMWWC) in two rounds. Welker held on in round one defeating Guilford via a, 2-1, decision. In the second bout, they were tied late in the second period when Welker rattled of a series of points to give her the, 9-1, decision win. Welker is now a three-time senior world team member and will be looking for her second medal after winning bronze in 2024.

NEWARK, New Jersey – David Carr earned his spot on Team USA with two victories over Mitchell Mesenbrink Saturday afternoon at Final X. Carr won the best-of-three series over Mesenbrink, avenging a loss to the Nittany Lion in the US Open finals in April, to punch his ticket to the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia where he will represent the United States at 74 kg.

It marks the first time in Carr’s career that he has made the senior level world team.

Carr took the first match of the day over Mesenbrink, 4-3, despite falling into an early 3-0 hole. The former Cyclone chased a pair of takedowns in the final 1:45 to complete the comeback victory.

In match two, Carr tallied two more takedowns as he pulled out a 4-4 victory via criteria. Mesenbrink registered two step out points, a caution point and a passivity point in the match.

Carr held a 4-0 advantage in the takedown column across the two matches.   

FINAL X RESULTS
74kg – Mitchell Mesenbrink vs. David Carr
Match 1: David Carr def. Mitchell Mesenbrink by decision (Dec 4-3)
Match 2: David Carr def. Mitchell Mesenbrink by criteria (Dec 4-4)

Series winner: David Carr wins series 2-0

EUGENE, Ore. – The University of Iowa’s 4×400-relay team of Alivia Williams, Damaris Mutunga, Olicia Lucas and Chioma Nwachukwu secured the programs first ever first-team All-America honor in the event at Hayward Field on Saturday night.

The quartet clocked a sixth-place time of 3:27.42 to finish the 2025 NCAA Championships in Eugene. Alivia Williams led the Hawkeyes in the first leg with a time of 52.78. Williams handed it off to Damaris Mutunga who clocked a 51.30. Olicia Lucas turned in a 52.61 split, with Chioma Nwachukwu bringing the Hawkeyes home in 50.74.

Sophomore Daniela Wamokpego finished 18th in the triple jump after qualifying to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in her career. The native of Meaux, France, stuck a wind-aided 12.71-meter jump in her first attempt. Wamokpego fouled on jump two, before wrapping up her series with a wind-legal 12.69.

Freshman Maria Arboleda placed 18th in the high jump in her NCAA Championships debut. The freshman from Valle del Cauca, Colombia, needed only one attempt to clear the opening bar at 1.74 meters. Moving on to 1.79 meters, Arboleda used all three jumps to clear the bar. She was Iowa’s first women’s high jumper to make the national meet since Peaches Roach in 2007.

Up Next: The collegiate outdoor season has concluded. Qualifying Hawkeyes will participate in the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene from July 31-August 3.

HAWKEYE RESULTS
Women’s 4×400 Relay Final
6. Al. Williams, Mutunga, Lucas, Nwachukwu – 3:27.42

Women’s High Jump Final
18. Maria Arboleda – 1.79 meters (5’ 10.50”)

Women’s Triple Jump
18. Daniela Wamokpego – 12.71 meters (41’ 8.50”), wind-aided

John Stephens Classic

Winterset – 10 vs Clarinda – 0

Dallas Center-Grimes – 10 vs Clarinda – 2 

Atlantic – 2 vs Bondurant-Farrar – 1

Atlantic – 12 vs Lenox – 3 

Creston – 7 vs Knoxville – 0

Creston – 11 vs Lenox – 6 

Clarke – 11 vs East Union – 1 

Underwood Tournament

Griswold-CAM – 5 vs Lewis Central – 4 

Lawton-Bronson – 5 vs Harlan – 4

West Central Valley – 5 vs Harlan – 0

Lewis Central – 11 vs Ogden – 6

Underwood – 7 vs Harlan – 3 

Lewis Central – 4 vs Missouri Valley – 1

Tri-Center – 14 vs Fremont-Mills – 1 

Fremont-Mills – 17 vs Westwood – 3

Woodward-Granger – 9 vs Fremont-Mills – 3 

Missouri Valley – 6 vs Griswold-CAM – 1

Ogden – 6 vs Griswold-CAM – 4 

West Central Valley – 4 vs Underwood – 1

Woodward-Granger – 7 vs Tri-Center – 5 

Missouri Valley – 5 vs Ogden – 3 in 8 innings

Westwood – 8 vs Tri-Center – 3

Van Meter Tournament

Williamsburg – 13 vs Treynor – 3 

Treynor – 7 vs St. Edmond – 5

Battle of Council Bluffs

Lewis Central – 6 vs Davenport North – 5 

Regina Catholic – 8 vs St. Albert – 5

ADM – 10 vs Glenwood – 3

Waukee Northwest – 17  vs Lewis Central – 2

Sergeant Bluff-Luton – 11 vs Glenwood – 2

Treynor – 3 vs Kingsley-Pierson – 2 

Hinton – 14 vs Treynor – 0 

Woodbine – 5 vs Kingsley-Pierson – 0

Hinton – 13 vs Woodbine – 1 

Ankeny – 11 vs Abraham Lincoln – 1

Waukee – 10 vs Thomas Jefferson – 0

Sioux City East – 7 vs Ankeny – 4 

Unity Christian – 10 vs Thomas Jefferson – 4

Independence – 17 vs Abraham Lincoln – 6

Carroll Tournament 

Saydel – 3 vs Coon Rapids-Bayard – 2 

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 6 vs MVAOCOU – 5 

Interstate 35 Tournament 

Earlham – 5 vs GMG – 2

Interstate 35 – 6 vs Earlham – 1 

Interstate 35 – 14 vs GMG – 1 

Non-Conference

Red Oak – 6 vs Stanton – 0

Harlan – 15 vs Emmetsburg – 12

Iowa City West – 12 vs Harlan – 2 

Martensdale-St. Marys – 5 vs Perry – 2 

Martensdale-St. Marys – 14 vs Perry – 4 

Lynnville-Sully – 7 vs Madrid – 3