HARRISON, Ohio — Harrison High School graduate Chloe Dearwester has an opportunity for an NCAA national championship this weekend in Iowa.
The NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championship is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. It will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Dearwester, a Presbyterian College (Clinton, S.C.) sophomore, is the No. 6 seed at 110 pounds. Dearwester, who has a 21-2 record this season, competes against Felician University’s Theresa Zeppetelli (17-8) in the first round Friday morning.
Dearwester has wins by pins over some higher-seeded wrestlers in the NCAA bracket, according to Harrison girls wrestling coach Chris Baird.
“I love Chloe’s chances to find her way on the podium,” Baird said. “I’d never bet against her. She has an incredible work ethic and is one of the most driven and competitive athletes I have ever been around.”
Dearwester won an NCAA Southeast Region Championship at 110 pounds Feb. 21 in Franklin Springs, Ga.
She has Presbyterian College’s best win percentage this season with a 21-2 personal record. She was one of four individuals to win region titles for the Blue Hose.
The Presbyterian wrestling website said in late February that Dearwester is ranked fifth in the nation for her weight class and will be a favorite for a national championship.
As a freshman in 2024-25, Dearwester began her collegiate career with a 19-0 record and three tournament championships. She became one of 14 national qualifiers for the Blue Hose — part of a school record — and won her first two matches at the NCAA tournament. She helped Presbyterian to a sixth-place finish as a team.
Presbyterian College, an NCAA Division I program, is seeking its fourth consecutive top 10 finish at nationals.
Women’s collegiate wrestling is competing as an official NCAA sport for the first time.
“This is a landmark moment for the fastest-growing high school sport in the country for girls,” NCAA.com wrote.
The Divisions I, II and III will all compete for the same spots at the NCAA tournament. That will change in 2028 when Division III schools will be classified in their own division.
Dearwester, a 2024 Harrison graduate, won four consecutive high school state championships in Ohio.
“Chloe is still very important to Harrison,” Baird said. “She is a small-town girl from a humble, blue-collar family. Her sister, Rylee, as well as several other members of our high school team, got their start wrestling for Chloe’s dad, Rob Dearwester, in our Athena Girls Wrestling club. She has served as a great role model and inspiration to our girls as they continue chasing their own dreams. They all follow her results and accomplishments and often credit training with her for their continued successes.”
