CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The Campbellsville University women's wrestling team, ranked 19th in the NAIA Top 20 Preseason Poll, is set to begin its 2025-26 campaign with high expectations. The Tigers open their season on the road on November 8th and 9th at the Adrian College Duals and Open in Adrian, Michigan.
The team is looking to build upon a strong 2024-25 season that saw them finish 12th at the NAIA National Championships and fourth overall at the rigorous Mid-South Conference (MSC) Championships. That team produced two NAIA All-Americans, Liliana Vergara and Icart Galumette. With the departure of last year's All-Americans, Head Coach Lee Miracle is looking to a proven group of returning national qualifiers to lead the charge.
"We are very excited about the team this year," said Coach Miracle. "We have a great group of returners and a fantastic first-year class. We are expecting great things from our returners. Gaby Perez, Josie Davis, Addison Messerly, Olivia Messerly, Kylee Tait, and Brianna Staebler all should be in the running to be NAIA All-Americans. They are all previous National Qualifiers."
Several of these returning standouts are already garnering national attention, with five Tigers ranked in the individual NAIA preseason polls:
The team's core of veterans is being bolstered by a "fantastic freshman class," according to Miracle, which includes nine new additions.
Leading that group is freshman Makennah Craft (103 lbs.). "We are expecting her to have an immediate impact," Miracle noted. "She is tough, technical, and always improving. Craft, as a high school senior, won the prestigious Missouri Valley Open filled with highly talented college and senior-level athletes."
The Tigers will face one of the most demanding schedules in the nation, competing in the stacked Mid-South Conference. The MSC features four other teams in the NAIA top ten: Life University (1st), University of the Cumberlands (4th), Indiana Tech (7th), and Lindsey Wilson College (10th).
Following their season opener at Adrian, the Tigers will prepare for a massive home opener. They will host the #4 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) on Friday, November 14th, at 6:30 p.m. ET in the Wrestling Facility.
"We are expecting this team to continuously improve throughout the season and peak at the end," concluded Coach Miracle. "We believe this group of talented Tigers can be one of the best teams in the country. The key is for us to avoid injuries and continue to get better every day."
