McKendree’s closet isn’t bare, but first-year head women’s coach Alexio Garcia has roster spots to fill after several top wrestlers transferred to new schools. 

Sam Schmitz left the program earlier this year and accepted the role of wrestling director and head men’s coach at Central Methodist. Gabby Weyrich, Schmitz’s former assistant, accepted the head women’s position at Southern Oregon.

The Bearcats have been the team to beat ever since NAIA programs and NCAA programs began hosting separate championships. McKendree won the first three National Collegiate Women’s Championships (NCAA schools) and has the personnel to win a fourth in 2023.

Garcia still has returning national champions Cam Geurin, Alara Boyd, Pauline Granados, and Sydnee Kimber staying with the program.

Central Methodist women’s coach Brieanna Delgado will get six McKendree transfers while Weyrich gets three. Former Bearcat wrestler Kayla Marano is joining Delgado as a graduate assistant.

Both CMU and SOU are NAIA programs, which adds a layer of excitement to next year’s historic national tournament. 

Women’s wrestling will be contested as a full national championship sport in the NAIA beginning this season. Women’s wrestling was on invitational status for the last three seasons and the NAIA is the first organizing body in collegiate sports to make women’s wrestling a championship sport.

Below is a breakdown of top McKendree wrestlers who are transferring and those who are staying.

Central Methodist (NAIA)
Jaycee Foeoller
Emmily Patneaud
Skye Realin
Victoria Nunez
Caitlyn Thorne
Hannah Hall

Southern Oregon (NAIA)
Grace Kristoff
Joye Levendusky
Natalie Reyna

Iowa (NCAA)
Felicity Taylor

Emmanuel (NCAA)
Esther Levendusky

McKendree (NCAA)
Cam Guerin
Payton Stroud
Alara Boyd
Sydney Kimber
Lizette Rodriguez
Pauline Granados