INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Bismarck State College women's wrestling team, under the direction of first-year head coach Rick Ripplinger, opened its 2026-27 season, their second as a program, Sunday at the Luther Hill Open hosted by Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, with several Mystics putting together strong individual performances against a challenging slate of opponents featuring wrestlers from multiple collegiate divisions.
Alexis Schneider led the way for Bismarck State at 138 pounds, finishing fourth after advancing to the semifinals and competing in the third-place match.
Schneider picked up two victories during the tournament. She opened with a 15-4 technical fall over Quincy's M. Barton in the quarterfinals before falling to unattached wrestler P. Gomez in the semifinals. Schneider bounced back with a fall in 4:06 against B. Perez to advance to the third-place match, where she fell to Iowa's C. Ceshker.
At 131 pounds, Aleiya Cullinan put together a strong performance in the freshman/sophomore division, finishing fifth after battling through the consolation bracket. Cullinan earned a 10-0 technical fall over William Penn's S. Andrews before recording a 41-second pin against Iowa Lakes' M. Ramirez. She followed with a 5-2 decision over Indian Hills' K. Beauchamp in the consolation semifinals before securing fifth place with a 1:31 fall against Quincy's L. Phillips.
Lakota Rogers also earned a podium finish for the Mystics at 117 pounds, placing seventh. Rogers recorded a 6-2 decision over Iowa Western's B. Rock in the consolation bracket before closing out the tournament with a 14-5 decision over Ellsworth's E. Tapia in the seventh-place match.
Several other Mystics added victories during the tournament. At 110 pounds, Annica Blasko earned a 9-8 decision over Fort Hays State's A. Perez, while Rei Ogden picked up a 3-2 decision over Iowa's A. Rose at 124 pounds.
The Luther Hill Open provided Bismarck State with an opportunity to compete against high-caliber competition and gain valuable experience early in the season. Bismarck State will aim to build on its early-season experience in their next meet on Saturday, Nov. 7, just down the road at the Dickinson State Open.
Make sure to check the Women's Wrestling schedule for information on how to stream and attend upcoming competitions.
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