2024-2025 Women’s Wrestling Season Preview
2023-2024 Heart finish: 2nd of 8 teams
2023-2024 NAIA finish: 4th place
Notable returners:
Mia Palumbo, Sr., Oak Lawn, Ill.)
(NAIA national champion, 24-0 record)
Devin Patton, Jr., Plano, Texas
(NAIA All-American, 26-7 record)
Joanna Vanderwood, Sr., Graham, Wash.
(NAIA All-American, 20-7 record)
Notable newcomers:
Kendall Bostelman, Jr., Napoleon, Ohio
Zao Estrada, Fr., Bluffton, S.C.
Olivia Atkins, So., St. Peters, Mo.
Following a record-breaking campaign, the William Penn women's wrestling team is looking for even more as it hits the mat for the 2024-2025 campaign.
Head Coach Jake Kadel led the Statesmen to a fourth-place finish at the NAIA National Championship last year. Now in his second season at the helm, he has built a squad capable of once again vying for the top spot in both the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship (second last year) and the NAIA.
Leading the crew will be returning NAIA national champion Mia Palumbo (Sr., Oak Lawn, Ill., Exercise Science), while Devin Patton (Jr., Plano, Texas, Business Management) and Joanna Vanderwood (Sr., Graham, Wash., Nursing) are also back after earning All-America accolades during the 2023-2024 season.
A total of seven national qualifiers return for the navy and gold.
103
One of the squad's returning national qualifiers, Teya Garner (So., San Antonio, Texas, Biology) will lead WPU at the sport's lowest weight class. The sophomore was 17-18 a year ago.
WPU has strong depth at 103 with newcomers Olivia Atkins (So., St. Peters, Mo., Nursing) and Lily Zapata (Fr., Lewisville, Texas, Sociology) also vying for starts this year.
110
Palumbo, who was 24-0 as a junior, is seeking to get back to the top of the podium in her senior campaign.
Rachel Cotter (Jr., Katy, Texas, Public Accounting) claimed three victories last season and will back up Palumbo.
117
Newcomer Zao Estrada (Fr., Bluffton, S.C., Sociology) is expected to make her debut at 117 pounds as a freshman.
124
Catherine Steinkamp (Sr., Quincy, Ill., Exercise Science) owned a 23-11 record in 2023-2024 and is projected to guide the Statesmen after again qualifying for nationals (she is a two-time qualifier).
Fellow returner Alexis Montes (So., El Paso, Texas, Exercise Science) was sidelined by injury for most of her freshman season and looks to be in the mix this winter.
Tyler Swanigan (Fr., Northville, Mich., Kinesiology) will also add depth in her freshman campaign.
131
Patton and Vanderwood, who were third and fourth at nationals, respectively, will bolster arguably the deepest weight class for William Penn at the start of the campaign.
Patton posted a 26-7 record a year ago, while Vanderwood, who was 20-7, may descend down to 124 as well.
A year after going 14-16, Grecia Martinez (So., Horizon City, Texas, Industrial Engineering) will provide depth, while Bronwyn Brenneman (Jr., Parnell, Iowa, Biology) also brings a plethora of past successes to WPU.
138
Returning national qualifier and 2022-2023 All-American Isabelle Hawley (Jr., Winchester, Calif., Sociology), who was 15-6 in 2023-2024, is battling with newcomer Kendall Bostelman (Jr., Napoleon, Ohio, Exercise Science) for the start at 138 pounds. Bostelman was an All-American at North Central (Ill.) prior to transferring to WPU.
Espie Almazan (Fr., Council Bluffs, Iowa, Political Science) also figures to compete well as she enters her inaugural collegiate season.
145
Naida Abdijanovic (Jr., St. Louis, Mo., Biology) has the inside track as the starter after qualifying for NAIA Nationals a year ago; the junior was 21-15 last season.
Incoming freshmen Alexa Wolf (Rogers, Ark., Business Management) and Ajaah Cox (Ottumwa, Iowa, Nursing) are also in contention for the slot.
160
Kylee Eastwood (Jr., Fontana, Kan., Biology) (10-17 last year) and freshman Isabella Harris (Charleston, Tenn., Sociology) are competing for the lineup spot at 160 pounds.
180
Grace Gray (So., Ankeny, Iowa, New Media) is looking to come back strong after sitting out last season due to injury.
Faith Barrett (Fr., Texico, Ill., Elementary Education) will give her competition for the position.
207
Returners Daisy Cabriales (Jr., Richland Hills, Texas, Business Management) and Phoebe Burt (Sr., Iowa City, Iowa, Sociology) will face off to be the navy and gold starter at 207 pounds.
Schedule/Conference
The Statesmen open the season Thursday in Baldwin City, Kan. with a Heart dual against Baker. WPU be in Penn Gymnasium just twice this winter, hosting Missouri Valley on December 5 and William Woods on February 4.
William Penn will again host the Heart Championship on March 1 as well.
