WARD WINS KCAC CHAMPIONSHIP

WICHITA, Kan. – Haley Ward made history at the 2026 KCAC/SAC Women's Wrestling Championship on Friday afternoon. With an upset, 11-1 tech fall, Ward became just the second conference champion in program history.

Ward went 3-0 on the day, winning all of her matches via tech fall to become the KCAC/SAC 207-pound champion, automatically qualifying for Nationals.

Ward's victory in the championship match was a get-back victory over Carla Campos of Texas Wesleyan. Campos was Ward's only loss to an NAIA opponent this season. After Ward lost to Campos in November, Ward made sure to not lose a second time, bringing hardware back to Avila with a spot at the NAIA Women's Wrestling National Championship.  

Avila had nine other placers at the conference tournament on Friday, including a pair of fifth-place finishers in Suzette Mendez (110) and Jaclyn Riedinger (138).

Riedinger went 3-2 on in the tournament, including a 90-second pin in the fifth-place match.

Another Avila highlight came from Kylee Whalan in the 103-pound division. The freshman from Clinton, Mo., tech falled NAIA No. 18 Jocelyn Prado of York in 4:21 to help her to a sixth-place finish.

In the 160-pound division, Amitria McNack picked up two victories on the day – both via fall – en route to a sixth-place finish in her first postseason competition.

Additionally for Avila, Chloe Taylor wrapped up her day with No. 7 in the 124-pound class, while Joshyonna Coppage-Dortch (117), Jennifer Lopez-Alvarado (124) and Louise Eskina (180) placed eighth.

Reigning All-American Alexis Hatfield finished in seventh place in the 110-pound division, but was only able to compete in one match due to medical forfeit.

Ward and the women's wrestling program will now turn their sights to the 2026 NAIA Women's Wrestling National Championship from Heartland Credit Union Arena in Wichita on March 13 and 14 as she looks to become the second All-American in program history.