VCHS Grad Bowers Qualifies for Inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships

In her first year of collegiate wrestling, Vandalia grad Sophie Bowers is continuing to take her wrestling to new heights. Bowers, a freshman 124lb wrestler for Wartburg College, has qualified for the inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships. The Knights competed in the Region 5 Championships over the weekend and Bowers finished 3^rd after going 4-1 in the tournament. After a preliminary round BYE, Bowers lost to Mya Delleree of Wisconsin-Osh Kosh by Fall in 3:00 in the quarterfinals but then went on a tear through the wrestleback rounds getting a Tech Fall win (11-0 in 0:34) in the first round, a win by Fall in 2:29 in the quarterfinals, and a win by Tech Fall (11-0 in 4:27) in the semifinals before beating Amelia Adams of Wisconsin Stevens Points by Tech Fall (10-0 in 4:48) in the Third Place match. Bowers and six of her Wartburg teammates will compete in the NCAA Championships on March 6 and 7 at XTream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. The inaugural Championships will feature Divisions I, II and III all competing together as one with the divisions not separating out into their own divisions until the 2028 Championships.