Pictured: A look inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the campus of the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Image courtesy of The Des Moines Register.
This article is presented by Adidas Wrestling.
Nyla Valencia (Morgan Hill, California) is headed to Iowa City.
Thursday, exactly one week after it was announced that Junior World gold medalist Kylie Welker became the first-ever commit in the history of the Iowa women's program, Iowa head coach Clarissa Chun signed the team's fourth athlete to its inaugural recruiting class.
Valencia announced her decision via Instagram.
"To all the women who have come before me, pioneering a journey for the new generation of female wrestlers, I want to thank you. From this day forward I am a Hawkeye. I will bleed black and gold and work harder than anyone on the mat, striving to win championships along the way. I will continue on my pursuit of becoming a surgeon after my athletic career is complete. My teammates and I will set the standard for Women's Wrestling across the nation. I want to thank my family and coaches for the sacrifices they've made for me as well as the unconditional love and support they have given me. Thank you, Coach Clarissa, and everyone else behind the program, for stepping up as a leader. Let's make history!"
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ0TZfbJLbA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Like all other Iowa commits, Valencia will bring quite the credentialed wrestling resume with her to Iowa City in the fall. The Ann Sobrato High School senior, ranked No. 3 nationally at 106 pounds by USA Wrestling, has a 2020 California single-class girls state title, a USA Wrestling High School National Showcase crown, a Super 32 Challenge title, and a host of other noteworthy individual wins to her credit.
"It was important to me to have an impact on women's wrestling while pursuing my dreams and aspirations, first as a collegiate and international champion on the mat, and then as a heart surgeon in an operating room," Valencia said in an official release from Iowa Athletics. "I truly believe that under Clarissa Chun's leadership, I can develop into a world-class athlete. I want to be a part of a team that is a pioneer in women's wrestling. For these reasons, I have chosen the University of Iowa."
As with all current and future commits, Valencia will train in Iowa City and compete unattached in 2022-23. The Hawkeyes will compete in 2023-24 as the first Power Five institution to have women's wrestling.
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