By: Dana Becker 

Messenger Sports Staff 

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Led by four returning All-American wrestlers, the Iowa Central women are set to compete at the NJCAA Championships beginning here Friday.

The two-day event takes place inside the Mid-America Center.

Kailyn Younger, Bronwyn Brenneman, Princess Altsisi and Briana Araujo-Batista all secured medals last year for the Tritons and head coach Zak Hensley. They are joined by 16 others, including former Fort Dodge Senior High state champion Alexis Ross in the tournament.

"Our team has been working hard to get to their best," Hensley said. "With a strong lineup, we are excited and confident that our team will showcase their skills on the national stage."

Brenneman and Araujo-Batista are both seeded No. 2 at their respective weights with Emma Lewis, Dianna Pineda, Rodiat Adeduntan and Aniyah Dinwiddie earning No. 2 seeds. Ross, a freshman, is fifth at 136 pounds.

Iowa Central enters the week ranked third in the country behind Indian Hills and Umpqua. They placed fourth a season ago at this meet behind Indian Hills, Umpqua and Iowa Western.

Ross will take on Andrea Yates from Southeast in her first match, as teammates Dakota Whitman and Hadlie Hood join her in the bracket.

Lewis and Myah Rausch are at 101 pounds, Pineda at 109, Adeduntan at 116 and Dinwiddie, Younger and Rhonda Faye Auradou at 123. Brenneman is joined by Avery and Anna Sondall at 130, Altsisi and Kammie Schanz at 143, Olivia Fausnaugh at 155, Araujo-Batista at 170, Isabella Canada at 191 and Cynthia Ellis and Rose Rother at 235.