Audrey Jimenez and Lillian Gradillas-Flores win national championships
March 15, 2026 by Andy Morales, AZPreps365
Former Sunnyside standout Audrey Jimenez (Lehigh) won the first-ever 110-pound national championship at the NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships held at Xtream Arena in Iowa on March 7. Jimenez became the first female to win four straight high school individual titles while wresting for Sunnyside, with the fourth coming against the boys.
The NCAA held its inaugural wrestling championships this year, crowning 10 individuals and the first team title went to McKendree of Illinois. Jimenez also earned the “Outstanding Wrestler Award” and the NCAA's "Most Dominant Wrestler Award" for the 2025-26 season going 21-0. Jimenez won by fall in 1:10 over Grand Valley State’s Sage Mortimer.
At 110, No. 1 Audrey Jimenez (Lehigh) pins 2025 national champion No. 2 Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) at the inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships. pic.twitter.com/qUxDmYZu5P
— Saturday Night Lights (@WrestlingSNL) March 8, 2026
Former two-time individual champion Lillian Gradillas-Flores (Southern Oregon) of Mountain View Marana won the 207-pound NAIA national championship held in the Heartland Credit Union Arena in Wichita on March 14.
This was the fourth national championship offered by the NAIA. Gradillas-Flores won by decision over Haley Ward (Avila) in a 2-1 decision to cap off a 21-0 undefeated season.
Lillian Gradillas-Flores (NAIA) https://t.co/OJvDtNPYvz pic.twitter.com/jaRQjAIQZQ
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) March 15, 2026