NAIA Preview Series: #9 Iowa Wesleyan

Photo courtesy of Iowa Wesleyan Athletics.

by Jeremy Eusterwiemann
@wiems19

Iowa Wesleyan just entered only their third year as a program. That has not stopped the Tigers from bringing in some elite talent; girls excelling on the national and world stage. The team brings back some star power that is “don’t miss tv.” A top-tier recruiting class from last year and continuing to add depth through this year’s class will continue to drive them to their goals. Fighting and growing through last year’s adversity will only continue to prepare this team for a deep run come March. Keep your eyes out for these Tigers! Below is an interview I had with Coach Kadel.

1. What are your reflections on last season?
Last year was a crazy year for us as our coaching staff has the rigorous duty of running both the women’s and men’s wrestling teams. Our team went through a lot of adversity as we underwent a coaching change mid-season. We also had a lot of injuries that we dealt with that resulted in us only having five or six girls competing at one time. In just our second season as a program and despite all the adversity, we still finished 13th in the country with only six women competing at the national tournament.

2. Talk about the girls that will be returning. Who are some of the women you have lofty expectations for this year?
We had one of the top recruiting classes coming in as freshmen last season (2021-22). We have lofty expectations for each one of our women, so each athlete is treated the same. We have several women on our team whose goal is to reach the World and Olympic stage and so that is what we train for. Some notable names are National Champion and World Bronze Medalist - Adaugo Nwachukwu, National Runner-Up - Mia Palumbo, U20 All-American - Joanna Vanderwood, and 2021 All-American – Alaina Sunlin.

3. Talk about incoming freshman class. Who are you excited about and what are some of the names that you expect an immediate contribution from?
For our incoming class, we have a lot of hard workers, which is a characteristic we look for as coaches when recruiting. Our freshman class has been doing a fantastic job of getting in extra workouts which is what we love to see because that is going to put the odds in their favor at the end of the year. So far, we have had freshman Faith Cole, Emily Neumann, Izzy Hawley, Naida Abdijanovic, Grace Gray, and Camiya Cook on the mat for us this season.

4. How do you feel about your preseason?
Preseason went about as well as planned. We were able to stay away from injuries, which is the most important part. Over the summer, our women worked at the Iowa Women’s Wrestling camps, and we also collaborated with the Iowa women’s wrestling team for some training dates at the beginning of the year. We also focused on team activities, getting ahead of our academics early in the semester, and participating in community events.

5. Talk about some of your team’s goals this season. Are there any specific events you are excited about?
Our team goal is for everyone to reach their maximum potential and then the team aspect will take care of itself both academically and athletically. We prepare the same for every event that is next on the calendar and treat each match like it is the national finals.

6. What are some things you have built into your program that you credit for the success you’ve had so far?
I think the fact that we have a lot of girls on our team that are great people makes things a lot easier. Also, the fact that we have extremely high standards for our program as a coaching staff plays a part as well. Coach Cash Wilcke, Steven Holloway, and I all wrestled for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and so we implement a lot of those same expectations of excellence into our women’s program. We are only heading into our third year as a program and so we have not had time yet to reach our long-term goals. All the success our women have had so far is a testament to their work ethic.

7. Who are some of the personalities in the room that are providing leadership and shaping your culture?
Each person on our team is a leader in their own specific way. Joanna Vanderwood leads by example by working her tail off, getting good grades, and having a great lifestyle routine. And then you have Adaugo who is more of a vocal leader and great at taking the time to teach her teammates things in practice. Again, each of our women are different and lead in their own way.

8. Anything else you would like to mention?
Thank you for taking the time to spotlight the women’s wrestling programs! A big shout out to our coaches Cash Wilcke, Brendan Lunsford, Caleb LaLonde, and Steven Holloway for everything that they do for our program. Also, a special thanks to everyone that helps behind the scenes (Scott, Mark, Cindy, Kyle and everyone else), our athletic trainers, and our administration!