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Women's College Notebook: Grand Valley State prevails in marquee dual matchup, other impressions from Week 4

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by Tanner Lafever

Sage Mortimer of Grand Valley State competing at the 2025 Bill Farrell Memorial International.

Sage Mortimer of Grand Valley State competing at the 2025 Bill Farrell Memorial International.

During last week’s look at the women’s college wrestling landscape, I highlighted a pair of must-see upcoming events on the calendar.


One of them was the Missouri Valley Open – which I wrote a recap of the following day and will touch on again here in a little bit.


The other was Sunday’s top four clash between #3 Grand Valley State (MI) and #4 North Central (IL).


And just like ‘MoVal’, this dual delivered in spectacular fashion.


Allendale, Michigan – – #3 Grand Valley State – 23, #4 North Central – 21 

Between these two lineups, a whopping 16/20 wrestlers held top 10 national rankings – including eight different athletes who’ve previously wrestled in an individual national title bout.

Ultimately, the dual was won by the first half (and change) of the Laker lineup, with GVSU taking five of the first six matches to build a 22-5 lead.

Among them was #6 Aspen Blasko at 124, who knocked off returning (131-pound) national finalist, #3 Sarah Sterner, by fall midway through the second period.


It was one of three pins for the Lakers, along with reigning NCWWC champion Sage Mortimer at 110 and two-time NCWWC champ Katie Lange at 138.


Needing just about everything to go right to pull off a dramatic comeback, North Central put forth a game effort.


The Cardinals won each of the last four bouts – including two tech. falls and a pin, as well as #4 Shenita Lawson upsetting #2 Sabrina Nauss at 180 in a back-and-forth 9-7 decision.


But in the end, GVSU had done enough to secure the victory – both the biggest dual win of its brief (two-year) history and a significant result regarding seeding at the upcoming NWCA National Duals in January.


FloWrestling subscribers can watch the dual in its entirety HERE – and match-by-match results have been provided below:


103 – #2 Rayana Sahagun (GVSU) dec. #8 Maddie Avila (NCC), 2-1

110 – #1 (at 117) Sage Mortimer (GVSU) fall #4 Kaelani Shufeldt (NCC), 2:11

117 – Libby Roberts (GVSU) dec. #8 Mikayla Garcia (NCC), 8-5

124 – #6 Aspen Blasko (GVSU) fall #3 Sara Sterner (NCC), 4:37

131 – #6 Yele Aycock (NCC) dec. #4 Hannah Palise (GVSU), 4-3

138 – #1 Katie Lange (GVSU) fall #5 Grace Stem (NCC), 1:21

145 – #1 Bella Mir (NCC) tech. fall Margaret Buurma (GVSU), 10-0

160 – #4 Taylor Graveman (NCC) tech. fall Noelle Gaffney (GVSU), 10-0

180 – #4 Shenita Lawson (NCC) dec. #2 Sabrina Nauss (GVSU), 9-7

207 – Dasia Yearby (NCC) fall #8 Aaliyah Grandberry (GVSU), 0:49

Appreciating the Missouri Valley Open 

I feel extremely confident saying the 103-pound MoVal Open bracket we just watched will ultimately prove to be deeper, and tougher than the same weight at the NCAA Championships this March.


Why do I say that?


Well, because four of the top six placers from this bonkers weight class presumably won’t even compete at NCAAs.


With new postseason rules limiting schools to one qualifier per weight, three of the following Iowa/McKendree athletes will be in the stands (or at a different weight altogether):


  • #4 Val Solorio (Iowa) – 2nd at MoVal, 23-9 in 2024-25 (at 110), Fargo champ
  • Sterling Dias (Iowa) – 3rd at MoVal, 2nd/4th at NCWWCs (2024-25), two-time U17 World medalist
  • #3 Heather Crull (McKendree) – 4th at MoVal, two-time U23 national champion, 2023 U17 World bronze
  • Katey Valdez (McKendree) – 5th at MoVal, Fargo champ
  • Rianne Murphy (Iowa) – 6th at MoVal, 3rd at NCWWCs (2025), 2023 U17 World teamer

Oh yeah, and that list doesn’t include last weekend’s champion – high school phenom Jaclyn Bouzakis (who obviously won’t be at NCAAs as well).


Point being, we’d all be wise to appreciate stuff like this in the moment. Because in the women’s college wrestling space, you never know when/where you might be treated to one of the best bouts/brackets of the entire season.


Speaking of which, we also saw some of these matchups/athletes at the latest MoVal Open:


  • 2024 NCWWC finalist Victoria Baez Dilone (William Penn) dec. 2025 NCWWC finalist Shelby Moore (McKendree), 5-1 at 124 pounds
  • HS junior Marlee Solomon dec. Canadian 2024 U17 World champ Kaura Coles, 9-9 at 117
  • Three-time NAIA finalist and 2024 champ Mia Palumbo (unattached – 117)
  • Two-time NAIA champ Ashley Lekas (Texas Wesleyan – 180)
  • Two-time U20 World teamer Naomi Simon (unattached/Iowa – 180)
  • 2025 Canadian U20 World teamers Ella Finding and Agnia Krakovska (Simon Fraser – 131)
  • Three-time Canadian Senior World teamer Aleah Nickel (University of Alberta – 145)
  • 2024 Canadian U23 World silver medalist Vianne Rouleau (University of Alberta – 180)

Those were far from the only prominent names and/or wildly credentialed competitors, too.


But hopefully these selections go to illustrate just how widespread the talent was that descended upon Marshall, Missouri, last weekend.

Other news and notes 

One of the names I just mentioned – high school junior Marlee Solomon – had a doubly remarkable weekend on the mat.


Even after winning her Missouri Valley Open bracket at 117 pounds, the Pennsylvania prep apparently hadn’t quenched her wrestling thirst just yet.


So, what did she do?


She dropped by the Baldwin Wallace Women’s Open in Berea, Ohio, on Sunday – presumably on her way home – and went ahead and won that tournament as well, going 4-0 at 124 pounds.


(Because sure, why not?)


Meanwhile, as we continue to track the inaugural season for the Lehigh women, the Mountain Hawks (and one in particular) took another step at Sunday’s Warrior Duals in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.


Not only did Lehigh go 6-0 to finish in first place, but we saw the collegiate debut of six-time age-level World medalist Audrey Jimenez – also Team USA’s 50-kilogram rep at the latest Senior World Championships.


Jimenez immediately becomes one of women’s college wrestling’s biggest stars, joining names like Kylie Welker and Kennedy Blades before her.


As for what to keep an eye on this coming weekend, with the Thanksgiving holiday upon us it should be a relatively quiet competitive slate around the country.


So, instead, why not give thanks for all that is women’s wrestling – where it’s been, where it’s at, and where it’s going.


Since its inception, so many strides have already been made thanks to the efforts of so many people. And the best part is, it shows no signs of slowing down.


My own personal thanks to anyone out there who’s reading this and/or has followed along during the first month of the season. It’s been a pleasure to share this ride with you thus far, and I’m excited to see what the next four months will bring as we barrel toward the postseason in March – including the first-ever NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships.