West Liberty Women’s Wrestling Eyes Top 10 NCAA Finish

National Ranking and Historic NCAA Milestone

The rising status of the West Liberty program coincides with a historic milestone for the sport as women’s wrestling officially becomes the NCAA’s 91st championship. The inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships are scheduled for March 6–7 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, according to hilltoppersports.com.

Head coach Troy Bell noted the significance of the national recognition and the upcoming postseason structure. This is an exciting time for women’s wrestling and for our program, Bell said, according to hilltoppersports.com. Securing a spot among the country’s elite squads highlights the dedication our female athletes have demonstrated. Bringing the inaugural NCAA Region 2 Championship to West Liberty serves as a fantastic platform to put both our athletic discipline and campus in the national spotlight.

Core Returners and Veteran Transfers

West Liberty brings back all five national qualifiers from the previous season alongside two additional wrestlers who finished seconds away from qualifying, according to hilltoppersports.com. With no graduates from the inaugural squad, the team added five freshmen and five transfers to build a veteran room in just its second year of competition.

Junior Cassia Zammit leads the lineup at 131 pounds, entering the season ranked No. 4 nationally and No. 1 in Region 2, according to hilltoppersports.com. A transfer from Presbyterian, Zammit is a two-time national qualifier and two-time Scholar All-American. Graduate standout Chiara Barbieri joins at 103 pounds after transferring from Presbyterian, debuting at No. 7 nationally and No. 1 in Region 2 following a 20-win campaign that featured tournament titles at the Princeton and Wasp Opens.

Regional Contenders and Deep Roster Depth

Six additional Hilltoppers appear in the Region 2 rankings, providing balanced depth across multiple weight classes, according to hilltoppersports.com:

• 117 lbs – Trinity Howard (Redshirt Junior): King, Baldwin Wallace, Hilltopper, and Tiffin Open champion.
• 124 lbs – Abigail DiCenzo (Sophomore): Transfer from Baldwin Wallace and Open champion ranked as high as No. 13 nationally.
• 138 lbs – Skyelar Smith (Senior): WLU Female Athlete of the Year runner-up and Hilltopper Open champion.
• 145 lbs – Grace O’Korn (Sophomore): National qualifier, Scholar All-American, and 2025 Female Newcomer of the Year.
• 180 lbs – Janiya Brogan (Sophomore): National qualifier and Hilltopper Open champion.
• 207 lbs – Jamie Shapton (Redshirt Sophomore): Two-time Scholar All-American and national qualifier.

The incoming rookie class is highlighted by freshman Mariah Mills at 110 pounds from Palm Coast, Florida, who arrives as a two-time NHSCA national champion, Fargo All-American, and Florida state champion, according to hilltoppersports.com. Redshirt freshman Makyah Walters-Newlun also joins at 160 pounds from East Liverpool, Ohio.

Early Season Schedule and Regional Hosting Duties

The Hilltoppers open their schedule at the Tiffin Invitational before traveling to Adrian College for duals and an open competition against several top-10 programs, according to hilltoppersports.com. December brings appearances at the Gannon Duals and the Indiana Tech Open.

The competitive schedule builds toward February, when West Liberty hosts the inaugural NCAA Region 2 Championship from February 20–21 inside the ASRC, marking a historic moment for the university and regional athletic community, according to hilltoppersports.com.