CORALVILLE, Iowa -- The Wartburg College women's wrestling team completed day one of the inaugural 2026 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships at Xtream Arena with three Knights advancing and earning All-American honors.

Rewa Chababo led the way for Wartburg, posting a 2-0 record to advance to the national semifinals. The fourth-seeded heavyweight secured her spot with a 3-2 decision over the University of Iowa's Katja Osteen in the quarterfinals. The win marked the second time this season Chababo has defeated Osteen, handing her both of her losses this year after previously topping her in the NCAA Region V championship bout.

Gable Hemann and Kylie Rule each battled back through the consolation bracket to keep their seasons alive heading into Championship Saturday. Hemann responded to an early loss with three straight falls, all coming in under two minutes. Rule opened the tournament with a pin in the championship bracket before falling in the quarterfinals but bounced back with a dominant 14-4 technical fall in the second round of consolations.

With their advancement into the top eight of their respective brackets, Chababo, Hemann, and Rule have each secured All-American recognition - Chababo is guaranteed a top-six finish. With the first day complete, all athletes advancing to Saturday's competition have secured All-American honors, becoming the first group of 80 All-Americans in NCAA women's wrestling history.
 
SESSION I
Gable Hemann (117), Sophie Bowers (124), and Kenzie Childers (131) opened the tournament for Wartburg in the morning preliminary rounds. Hemann fell by an 8-0 technical fall to M. Ripley (Western New England) in 1:08. Bowers held a 1-0 lead after the opening period against M. Mills (West Liberty) before Mills rallied for a 6-2 decision. Childers led 4-3 after the first period against C. Zammit (West Liberty), but Zammit pulled away for an 11-4 decision. Childers later dropped a 5-0 decision to P. Cadden (Chadron) in the second preliminary round.

At 110 pounds, Afftynn Stusse suffered a narrow 3-2 decision loss to A. Gomez (Colorado Mesa) in championship round one.

The Knights' first victory of the morning came at 138 pounds when Kylie Rule recorded her 11th pin of the season, defeating R. Retell (East Stroudsburg) by fall in 1:55 during the opening championship round.

Aniyah Kelly was defeated by A. Szkotnicki (McKendree) in championship action before falling to Z. Haines (Eastern) by pin.

Fourth-seeded Rewa Chababo opened her tournament with a 3-2 decision over E. Peters (Chadron), setting up a quarterfinal rematch with Iowa's Katja Osteen.

Hemann kept her tournament alive with a 1:30 fall over K. Tabaldo (Grand Valley State), marking her 11th pin of the season. Bowers followed with a 2:47 technical fall over L. Holeman (Western New England) to spark the Wartburg faithful in attendance.

Following the first session, Wartburg sat tied for seventh place with Simon Fraser in the team standings with 8.5 points.

SESSION II
Stusse rebounded in the consolation bracket with her 12th technical fall of the season, defeating A. Duke (Elmira) in 2:46 before being eliminated by T. Sibble (East Stroudsburg) by fall in the second consolation round.

Hemann continued her run with another fall, pinning N. Moniz (Sacred Heart) in 1:56 in the first consolation round. Hemann will see C. Czerneski (Adrian) in the consolation third round tomorrow.

Rule secured All-American status with a dominant 14-4 technical fall over C. Giangeruso (Presbyterian) to advance to the consolation third round. She will face R. Julien-Newsom (King) on Saturday.

Chababo advanced to the semifinals with a second straight victory over Osteen, becoming the lone Knight to reach the championship side of the bracket. She will face top-ranked T. Kelly (McKendree) in Saturday's semifinal matchup as the top four seeds at heavyweight all advanced.
 
TAKE NOTE

• Childers finished the season with a 23-7 record, with 11 tech falls and eight falls.
• Kelly wraps up the season with a 24-9 mark, accounting for eight tech falls and six pins. Kelly remains at the top of the Wartburg leaderboard in falls, now with 39 in her career.
• Bowers ended the 2026 season with 33 wins, which records as a new program record. Bowers' win total bests teammate Kylie Rule's 30 during the 2023-24 season. Bowers record a total of 18 technical falls – tied for second-most in program history.
• Stusse went 26-6 this season, tallying a total of 13 tech falls and eight pins.
• Hemann recorded a trio of falls to lead the Knights with 10.5 team points.
• Rule picks up her second All-American accolade; first career honor for Chababo and Hemann.
• Most All-American honorees in the history of the Wartburg women's wrestling program (3)
• A total of 180 women's wrestlers from 52 different schools qualified for the inaugural NCAA Championships

 
UP NEXT
Wartburg returns back to Xtream Arena in Coralville for day two of the 2026 NCAA Women's Championships. Session III begins at 10 a.m., and will feature the Championship Semifinals, Consolation Third Rounds, Consolation Semifinals, and the third-fifth-seventh place matches. Session IV will include the Championship Finals beginning at 7 p.m.

Doors will open at 9 a.m., for spectators for Session III, while fans can enter Session IV at 6 p.m., followed by the Parade of All-Americans.
 
TOP 10 TEAM SCORES FOLLOWING SESSION II
1            McKendree       94.0
2            Iowa     91.5
3            North Central (IL)    73.0
4            Grand Valley St.             67.5
5            Presbyterian     58.0
6            King (TN)            33.5
7            Lehigh 31.0
8            Wartburg           30.5
9            Colorado Mesa               29.5
10          East Stroudsburg           26.5

Second session attendance – 2,047
First session attendance - 1,991
Total attendance, two sessions  – 4,038

WARTBURG DAY ONE RESULTS
110
Afftynn Stusse (25-6) place is unknown and scored 2.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Adriana Gomez (Colorado Mesa) 32-13 won by decision over Afftynn Stusse (Wartburg) 25-6 (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 1 - Afftynn Stusse (Wartburg) 25-6 won by tech fall over Abby Duke (Elmira) 16-6 (TF-1.5 2:46 (10-0))
Cons. Round 2 - Teegan Sibble (East Stroudsburg) 26-6 won by fall over Afftynn Stusse (Wartburg) 25-6 (Fall 5:00)

117
Gable Hemann (27-8) placed 8th and scored 10.5 team points.
Prelim - Maddie Ripley (Western New Eng.) 28-4 won by fall over Gable Hemann (Wartburg) 27-8 (Fall 1:08)
Prelim - Gable Hemann (Wartburg) 27-8 won by fall over Kiely Tabaldo (Grand Valley St.) 10-8 (Fall 1:30)
Cons. Round 1 - Gable Hemann (Wartburg) 27-8 won by fall over Nohea Moniz (Sacred Heart) 11-8 (Fall 1:56)
Cons. Round 2 - Gable Hemann (Wartburg) 27-8 won by fall over Icart Galumette (Delaware St.) 26-9 (Fall 1:28)

124
Sophie Bowers (31-10) place is unknown and scored 2.0 team points.
Prelim - Mariah Mills (West Liberty) 21-6 won by decision over Sophie Bowers (Wartburg) 31-10 (Dec 6-2)
Prelim - Sophie Bowers (Wartburg) 31-10 won by tech fall over Linda Holeman (Western New Eng.) 26-6 (TF-1.5 2:47 (10-0))
Cons. Round 1 - Cali Leng (Iowa) 35-9 won by fall over Sophie Bowers (Wartburg) 31-10 (Fall 5:48)

131
Mackenzie Childers (21-7) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Prelim - Cassia Zammit (West Liberty) 32-7 won by decision over Mackenzie Childers (Wartburg) 21-7 (Dec 11-4)
Prelim - Piper Cadden (Chadron St.) 23-12 won by decision over Mackenzie Childers (Wartburg) 21-7 (Dec 5-0)

138
Kylie Rule (24-6) placed 8th and scored 8.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Kylie Rule (Wartburg) 24-6 won by fall over Ragan Retell (East Stroudsburg) 30-10 (Fall 1:55)
Quarterfinal - Claire DiCugno (North Central (IL)) 14-2 won by tech fall over Kylie Rule (Wartburg) 24-6 (TF-1.5 3:36 (11-1))
Cons. Round 2 - Kylie Rule (Wartburg) 24-6 won by tech fall over Carina Giangeruso (Presbyterian) 17-8 (TF-1.5 6:00 (14-4))

145
Aniyah Kelly (22-9) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Prelim - Zoey Haines (Eastern) 35-5 won by fall over Aniyah Kelly (Wartburg) 22-9 (Fall 4:18)
Champ. Round 1 - Alexandra Szkotnicki (McKendree) 30-5 won by fall over Aniyah Kelly (Wartburg) 22-9 (Fall 3:37)

207
Rewa Chababo (26-2) placed 6th and scored 8.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Rewa Chababo (Wartburg) 26-2 won by decision over Esther Peters (Chadron St.) 19-8 (Dec 2-1)
Quarterfinal - Rewa Chababo (Wartburg) 26-2 won by decision over Katja Osteen (Iowa) 24-2 (Dec 2-1)