NIACC'S Lienhard ranked No. 1

MASON CITY - NIACC's Laken Lienhard is ranked No. 1 in the initial NJCAA women's wrestling individual rankings.

Lienhard, a sophomore from Cresco, is ranked first at 143 pounds. Lienhard (5-3) claimed the 143-pound title at the Luther College Open last Saturday.

Lienhard, who is also a member of the NIACC softball team, also picked up a fall against Indian Hills' Jazmyn Knutson in a dual meet on Nov. 8 in Centerville. Lienhard, who has two falls and two technical falls this season, also placed sixth at the Simpson College Luther Hill Open on Nov. 5.

NIACC, which is ranked 8th, also has three other ranked wrestlers.

The Trojans' Chiara Barbieri is ranked fifth at 101 pounds, Tatiana Hernandez is ranked eighth at 109 pounds and Valerie Smith is ranked sixth at 235 pounds.

Barbieri is 2-1 with one technical fall, Hernandez is 4-0 with two falls and Smith is 2-1 with two falls.

NIACC (0-1 in duals) returns to action Wednesday at home against No. 6 Iowa Central. The dual meet, which will be the first women's wrestling dual meet in school history, is slated to start at 6 p.m. in the NIACC recreation center.