MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan women's wrestling team delivered a strong performance at the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Championships on Saturday, finishing fifth with 26.0 points. Doane claimed the team title with 187.5 points.
DWU faced off against some of the top competitors in the conference and had finalists in three of the 10 weight classes, marking the team's best-ever performance at the GPAC Championships. While no wrestlers secured national qualification, the tournament showcased the team's significant progress and resilience.
Individual Highlights
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117 lbs – Ashden Welty (Palmyra, Mo., Sr.) earned sixth place, wrapping up her senior season. This marks the highest finish in this weight class in the history of Dakota Wesleyan women's wrestling.
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131 lbs – Keera Lacock (Rossville, Kan., Fr.) took third place with a 3-1 record in the tournament, including three impressive technical falls. Her remarkable performance in her first conference tournament set a new benchmark as the best finish in program history for this weight class.
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Olivia Smith (Casper, Wyo., So.), the No. 2 seed, fought hard but fell in both of her matches. Despite the results, she quickly shifts focus, as she heads to Arizona this week to compete with the DWU softball team at the Tig-Invite in Tucson.
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207 lbs – Kaitlin Gay (Rolling Prairie, Ind., So.) finished in fifth place, securing the best finish in Dakota Wesleyan history for this weight class.
Coach's Comments
Head coach John Lynch praised his team's determination and effort: "I am really proud of the heart our athletes displayed today. We didn't finish where we wanted, but we battled every second." He added, "Everyone stepped up and left it all on the mat today. I'm proud of this team and excited for the future."
Up Next
Dakota Wesleyan will wait to hear on Tuesday if any of their wrestlers have received an at-large bid to compete at the 3rd Annual NAIA Women's National Championships, held March 5-6 in Park City, Kan.