The 2025 Pan-Am Championships are underway in Monterrey, Mexico, and three former Hawkeyes are showing out. The Pan-Am Championships are a continental competition featuring nations in North, South, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The Championships are freestyle wrestling, where wrestlers can use their legs for offense and defense. This event also serves as a qualifier for the World Championships.
After dominating the national stage, three Iowa Women's Wrestlers took their talents to the international stage in Mexico and came away with gold.
Kennedy Blades (68 kg)
Bringing home gold!🥇
— Iowa Women's Wrestling (@IowaW_Wrestling) May 10, 2025
68kg - Kennedy Blades (USA) dec. Nathali Griman Herrera (Venezuela), 14-5@kennedyblades x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/TR3jAfcaf4
Chicago native Kennedy Blades' dominating 2024-2025 continues. She finished her junior season with a perfect 25-0 record, winning the 160-pound National Championship and the 68kg US Open Championship. After her dominating season, she filled up her trophy case with multiple awards.
She was named USA Wrestling's Wrestler of the Year, 2025 NCWWC All-American, and 2025 NCWWC Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Blades continued her dominance at the Pan-Am Championships.
She outscored opponents 41-8 in four matches, including a 10-0 decision over Virginia Jimenez (Chile) in the third match.
Macey Kilty (65 kg)
Another 🥇 coming back to IC
— Iowa Women's Wrestling (@IowaW_Wrestling) May 11, 2025
65kg - Macey Kilty (USA) over Miki Rowbottom (Canada) via tech. fall, 10-0#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/WHSDGc3HZR
After a strong collegiate season, Iowa graduate wrestler Macey Kilty aimed to continue her success at the Pan-Am Championships. During the 2024-2025 wrestling season, Kilty went a perfect 28-0 season, en route to winning the 145-pound National Championship.
She was named a 2025 All-American and a Wrestler of the Year finalist (lost to Kennedy Blades).
During her three matches at the Pan-Am, she dominated her opponents, outscoring them 22-2, including two 10-0 major decisions and a pin in the second round match.
Kylie Welker (76 kg)
Three-for-three 🥇
— Iowa Women's Wrestling (@IowaW_Wrestling) May 11, 2025
76 kg - Kylie Welker (USA) dec. Thamires Martins Machado (Brazil), 8-1@kylie_welker x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/zjbVMS5c21
In 2024-2025, Kylie Welker became the only Iowa wrestler to win back-to-back National Championships. She ended her collegiate season with a perfect 27-0, and won the 180-pound National Championship and the US Open Championship.
After the season, she was named a 2025 All-American and was a finalist for the Wrestler of the Year award (lost to Kennedy Blades).
She continued her dominance at the Pan-Am and became the third Hawkeye to earn a gold medal. She dominated her opponents, outscoring them 28-3 en route to earning the gold medal at 76 kg.
All three gold-medal winning Hawkeyes will now focus on the 2025 World Championships in Croatia this September.