MANHEIM, Pa. – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) released its first NCAA Women's Coaches Poll ahead of the 2025–26 season, and for the first time in program history, the Quincy University women's wrestling team has earned a national ranking, coming in tied for 15th in the country with Elmira.

This historic season is already set to be a landmark one for women's wrestling nationwide, as the NCAA will host the inaugural NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships on March 6–7 in Coralville, Iowa, at Xtream Arena. Women's wrestling becomes the NCAA's 91st championship sport.

At the top of the poll, Iowa, the defending NCWWC champions, lead with 109 points and all 10 wrestlers ranked. McKendree follows in second with 88 points, while North Central (84), Grand Valley State (77), and Presbyterian (57) round out the top five.

The NWCA poll is based on a Tournament Power Index (TPI), which calculates team totals through individual wrestler rankings. Quincy earned 11 points in the preseason poll to secure its place among the nation's top 15 programs.

Quincy is also represented in the individual national rankings. Senior Trinity Pendergrass, the first All-American in program history, returns after placing seventh nationally a year ago and begins the season ranked fourth in the 110-pound division. Junior Maddy Barton, who compiled a 32–15 record with 11 falls and 13 tech falls last season, opens the year ranked ninth at 138 pounds after advancing to the national tournament and collecting a pair of wins before bowing out in the third round of consolations.

The Hawks will continue to build momentum under head coach Jeff Haley, who enters his fourth season at the helm of the program he launched in 2022. Alongside Pendergrass and Barton, Quincy returns three more national qualifiers in Sophia Sosa, Alexa Valdez, and Mackenzie Graves, giving the Hawks a seasoned core heading into competition. Haley has also added an incoming class of eight freshmen, who will look to gain valuable experience while training with Quincy's established national-level athletes.

Quincy will open the 2025–26 campaign with its intrasquad meet on Thursday, October 23, inside Pepsi Arena, before officially hitting the mat on Saturday, November 1, at the Luther Hill Open in Indianola, Iowa. With momentum from their first-ever national ranking and multiple returning national qualifiers, the Hawks look to solidify themselves as a rising program on the NCAA stage during this historic season.