Franklin Springs, GA — The University of Mount Olive women's wrestling team secured a third-place finish at the 2026 NCAA Region III Championships and qualified five wrestlers for the NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships.
Mount Olive closed the two-day regional tournament behind Presbyterian and Emmanuel, continuing the program's upward trajectory on the national stage.
Five Trojans earned automatic qualification to the NCAA Championships with top-three finishes in their respective weight classes:
· 103 pounds — Lilian Prendergast (3rd)
· 110 pounds — Katie Simmons (3rd)
· 138 pounds — Kalyse Hill (2nd)
· 180 pounds — Journey Land (2nd)
· 207 pounds — Zaria Robinson (2nd)
In addition to the previously reported semifinal performances, several Trojans added key bonus-point victories during the final rounds of competition.
At 103 pounds, Prendergast responded with an 11-0 technical fall and a fall to secure her podium placement. Simmons (110) added a technical fall and a pin in her closing matches to earn her national berth.
At 138 pounds, Hill capped her tournament with a second place finish against the Conference Carolina's Women's Wrestler of the Year. Journey Land (180) delivered valiant fight in the gold medal match but was unable to overcome the 5-0 loss. Robinson (207) recorded an additional pin to secure an opportunity in the gold medal match but finished secondplace as a 5th seed going into the competition.
In the consolation brackets, Ahriana Scales (117) and Bella Murillo (131) each produced multiple victories to add valuable team points. Elaina Pollock (160) also strung together several bonus-point wins, including multiple falls, during a strong late-tournament push despite being unable to get to the final matches.
The Trojans now turn their attention to the NCAA Championships as they prepare to compete against the nation's best in Coralville on March 6–7 in Coralville, Iowa.
