INDIANOLA, Iowa — The Carthage women's wrestling team competed in the 2026 NCAA Region V Championships on Friday and Saturday. It was a special weekend for the Firebirds, as freshman Jasmin Ocampo punched a ticket to the first ever NCAA Women's Wrestling National Championships.



Ocampo battled to a third place finish at 207. After receiving a bye in the opening round, Ocampo picked up a 6-3 decision over Wis-Stevens Point's Kate Riege in the quarterfinal. Ocampo then fell in the semifinals to Iowa's Katja Osteen by fall (0:27). In the consolation bracket, Ocampo used a fall (3:27) to defeat Quincy's Trinity White and advance to the third place match where she would once again meet Kate Riege of Stevens Point. Ocampo claimed the victory with a fall (4:27) and secured third place in the tournament and a trip to the national championships.

At 103, Kirsten Cortez picked up one win on the day after defeating UpperIowa's Bentley Hills with an 11-0 tech fall (4:18). 

Karina Torres opened the day at 110 with a win by fall (2:34) over Aurora's Jo Orozco before suffering defeats in the quarterfinal and the semifinals.

Sierra Pienkowski earned a win in the 145 consolation bracket, defeating Augustana's Hannah Wigern by fall (2:26) in the second round.

Makenna Bovee also earned a consolation round victory at 180, earning a win by fall (2:39) over Upper Iowa's Mya Mendoza



"The girls stepped up and wrestled valiantly these past 2 days," said Head Coach Tarkyia Mensah. "Especially Jazz [Ocampo], who not only had to wrestle UWSP once but twice in the same tournament- for the last spot that qualifies you for the first ever NCAA woman's wrestling championship. Jazz entered this tournament with a 1-2 record against her too. As a team watching her get after it and seeing her hand get raised, something rose in all of us... we're proud of her."




Ocampo will represent the Carthage women's wrestling program at the NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships on March 6-7 in Coralville, Iowa. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.