2026-27 Preseason National Girls High School Wrestling Rankings Released

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling, and FloWrestling have jointly released the Preseason National Girls High School and Pound-for-Pound rankings.

Fantasy & Market Impact

The Summer Catalysts Reshaping the Mat

The tape from the record-setting 2023 USMC Junior and 16U Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota, served as the primary engine driving these initial rankings. Committee evaluators weighed performances from high-stakes environments, incorporating data from the U17 and U20 World Championships, the U15 Pan American Trials, FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One card, the Ultimate Club Duals, and the Journeymen Fall Classic. According to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, these premier tournaments directly dictated which grapplers secured top billing as the high school landscape resets.

With last year’s senior class successfully graduated and rotated out of the pool, a wave of fresh talent has entered the national database. Eighth-grade eligibility rules have also injected a new developmental tier into the lower brackets, most notably at the newly minted 95-pound division.

Restructuring the Divisions: The New 15-Class Matrix

A major structural shift defines this rankings cycle: the adoption of the updated USA Wrestling weight classes. By integrating current National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) standards and introducing a dedicated 95-pound tier, the committee expanded the evaluative matrix to 15 distinct weight classes.

This structural evolution triggered a ripple effect across the leaderboards, creating eight brand-new No. 1 wrestlers in their respective divisions. Epinesa Elison of California leads the charge at 100 pounds, joined by Clare Booe of Florida (110), Gabriella Gomez of Illinois (115), Isabella Marie Gonzales of California (120), Taina Fernandez of Maryland (130), Kaydence Gerg of Idaho (140), Nebi Tsarni of Maryland (145), and Erica Cobos of Texas (235).

Weight Class (lbs)	Returning No. 1 Wrestler	State	School / Affiliation
95	Morgan Turner	Illinois	Bremen High School
105	Audrey Jimenez	Arizona	Sunnyside High School
125	Everest Leydecker	Arizona	—
135	Valerie Hamilton	Illinois	—
155	Jasmine Robinson	Texas	—
170	Piper Fowler	Tennessee	Cleveland High School
190	Sabrina Nauss	Michigan	—

Defending the Crown: The Returning Apex Predators

While the new weight classes introduced volatility, established elites proved difficult to displace. Seven wrestlers who finished the previous campaign at the top of their respective lists successfully defended their positions, opening the new season stationed firmly at No. 1. Morgan Turner of Illinois commands the 95-pound division, while Audrey Jimenez locks down the 105-pound bracket.

Photo: nwhof.org

Further up the ladder, durability and technical mastery rule the upper-middle weights. Everest Leydecker of Arizona (125) and Valerie Hamilton of Illinois (135) maintain their reigns. In the upper tiers, Jasmine Robinson of Texas (155), Piper Fowler of Tennessee (170), and Sabrina Nauss of Michigan (190) continue to set the physical benchmark for heavy-weight wrestling nationwide.

At the very pinnacle of the sport, U.S. Senior National champion and 2023 U20 World medalist Audrey Jimenez retains her status as the No. 1 Pound-for-Pound athlete, a distinction she held across the entire 2022-23 cycle. She is flanked in the top five of the pound-for-pound matrix by Piper Fowler at No. 2, Morgan Turner at No. 3, Jasmine Robinson at No. 4, and Sabrina Nauss at No. 5, according to the official release from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The Autumn Road Ahead

The current rankings represent only a snapshot of a dynamic ecosystem. The evaluation committee plans to issue its next comprehensive update in November, following a grueling gauntlet of autumn qualifiers and showcase events. The upcoming schedule features the USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals, the Super 32, and an array of high-profile all-star cards designed to test early-season conditioning and tactical adjustments.

Coaches, athletes, and program directors seeking to submit verified performance data or credentials for consideration are instructed to direct their documentation to [email protected]. As depth continues to surge across all 50 states, the race for team supremacy and individual national titles enters its most volatile and critical phase.