Heart Announces 2024 Women's Wrestling Postseason Awards
The Heart of America Athletic Conference hosted its 2024 Women's Wrestling Conference Championships last Saturday on the campus of William Penn University.
Grand View University won its fourth-straight Heart Conference Championship.
The Heart also announced the following postseason awards.
2024 Heart Women's Wrestling Coach of the Year – Jake Kadel – William Penn
Coach Kadel and the Statesmen hosted the 2024 Heart Championship and placed second overall with 171.5 points. The Statesmen had seven wrestlers compete in the championship round on Saturday.
2024 Heart Women's Wrestling Assistant Coach of the Year – Cash Wilcke – William Penn
Coach Wilcke helped lead the Statesmen to three individual Heart championship on Saturday, including Mia Palumpo (109 pounds), Joanna Vanderwood (123 pounds) and Aduago Nwachukwu (136 pounds).
2024 Heart Women's Wrestling Freshman of the Year – Mariah Wahl – Dickinson State
Wahl placed fifth overall on Saturday in the 143-pound bracket. The freshman defeated William Penn's Naida Abdijanovic by a 9-7 decision in the fifth-place match.
2024 Heart Women's Wrestling Newcomer of the Year – Devin Patton – William Penn
Patton won the 130-pound championship on her home mat on Saturday, with a Tech Fall victory in 2:38 over Nonnie Justice of Central Methodist.
2024 Heart Women's Wrestling Co-Conference Tournament Outstanding Wrestler - Abby McIntyre – Grand View
McIntyre won the 170-pound championship with a Fall in 1:45 over Ashley Lekas of William Penn.
2024 Heart Women's Wrestling Co-Conference Tournament Outstanding Wrestler – Joanna Hendricks – Waldorf
Hendricks also won by Fall for Waldorf in the 191-pound Heart championship bout in 2:44 over Jannell Avila of Baker.
2024 Heart Women's Wrestling Co-Conference Tournament Outstanding Wrestler – Adaugo Nwachukwu – William Penn
Nwachukwu defeated Andrea Schlabach of Grand View in the 136-pound championship by Tech Fall, in 5:45, 10-0.
2024 Heart Women's Wrestler of the Year – Adaugo Nwachukwu – William Penn
Nwachukwu is the two-time defending NAIA National Champion and is going for three-straight in 2024.