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Now entering year five, the Iowa Central women's wrestling program has built itself into a constant national contender under head coach Zak Hensley.
Hensley, a former national runner-up for the Tritons on the mat, brings back a loaded roster ready to compete for more hardware this winter.
"We're excited to be back in full swing and ready for another season," Hensley said. "We have a talented mix of returning wrestlers with experience and fresh energy.
"We're eager to see how this team comes together."
Headlining the group will be defending national champion Erica Pastoriza. She is flanked by returning All-Americans Destiny Krum and Harmoni Callins.
Among the key newcomers will be Brooklyn Huggins and Taylor Stiefel.
"Expect to see a lot of different looks in our lineup throughout the season," Hensley said. "We have a lot of depth and there will be a lot of competition for those spots.
"I'm proud to be one of the coaches of this team and cannot wait to see what they accomplish together."
Area wrestlers on the roster include former Manson Northwest Webster standouts Adelynn Hudek-Stoulil and Lucy Kohnen. Both are sophomores for Iowa Central, with Kohnen qualifying for nationals last year.
The Tritons began the season this past weekend at the Simpson College/Luther Hill Open in Indianola. Both Annabelle Petsinger and Delise Villa finished as runners-up, with Kammie Schanz placing fourth and Lacey Reed fifth.
Iowa Central will make its lone 2026 appearance inside Hodges Fieldhouse on Tuesday when they take on Iowa Lakes. From there, they are at three different invitationals around road duals with ICCAC rivals Ellsworth and Hawkeye.
When the calendar turns to 2027, they will compete twice at home. They host Iowa Western on January 13 and conclude the regular season vs. NIACC on February 3.
Iowa Central will host the Region 11 Tournament on Saturday, February 13, with the NJCAA National Championships set for March 5-6 in Council Bluffs.