Below are the fourth pound-for-pound rankings of the women’s collegiate wrestling season, which includes all divisions. Off-season results from the past year factored into the rankings but those increasingly decrease as championship season draws near.

King University has become a who’s who of domestic women’s freestyle stars lately. Four-time World and Olympic medalist Sarah Hildebrandt went there, as did two-time World silver medal winner Alli Ragan, 2021 World bronze medalist Forrest Molinari, and 2016 Olympian Haley Augello. Current Gannon head coach Breonnah Neal was a national champion for the program, too.

What happens when the top-ranked NAIA wrestler faces the top-ranked NCAA wrestler?

Aurora’s Lexi Janiak’s college career didn’t get off to a good start. The freshman phenom from Plainfield, Illinois, opened her season by losing to North Central’s Sara Sterner in her first dual. Oh, by the way, she got pinned.

Below are the second pound-for-pound rankings of the women’s collegiate wrestling season, which includes all divisions. Off-season results from the past year factored into the rankings but the most recent college results — especially the Missouri Valley Open — weighed heaviest.