Top-ranked Iowa faces formidable test against Life University

Undefeated Hawkeyes will take on Life team that will ‘fully expect to win’

IOWA CITY — As expected for a team that has gone 11-0 and has the No. 1 ranking in the country, Iowa women’s wrestling has no shortage of confidence.

“We all believe we’re the best in the country truly,” Iowa 155-pound wrestler Marlynne Deede said.

That claim will be put to the test this weekend as Iowa and Life University — the No. 1 teams in the NCAA and NAIA, respectively — face off on Sunday during the Iowa Duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Life, like Iowa, is 11-0 in duals this season. When Iowa won five titles at Soldier Salute in Coralville last month, Life accounted for three of the other five titles.

“They fully expect to win,” Iowa associate head coach Gary Mayabb said of Life. “They plan on it.”

The McBryde sisters — Zaynah, Jamilah and Latifah — are a formidable trio at 136, 143 and 155 pounds. (They are ranked ninth, first and second among NAIA wrestlers in their respective weight classes.) Sarah Savidge, meanwhile, is the No. 2 NAIA wrestler at 130 pounds.

“We’re going against a very tough Life team,” Iowa 143-pound wrestler Reese Larramendy said. “But also knowing what we’re capable of, not giving them too (much) respect where we hinder our talents and our strengths.”

Larramendy knows as well as anyone how difficult Life can be after getting pinned by Life’s Jamilah McBryde in the Soldier Salute finals. Despite losing, it was “one of my favorite matches for sure.”

“Those matches are hard to come away with a loss in, but I learned a lot about myself,” Larramendy said.

Larramendy is confident her rematch with McBryde “will be a very different match.”

“But I still have to go and prove it,” Larramendy said. “I can believe that, but until I prove it, it doesn’t mean much.”

Iowa’s Lilly Luft also settled for second place at Soldier Salute at 136 pounds, losing via decision to Zaynah McBryde in the finals. Iowa wrestler Emily Frost lost twice at Soldier Salute to Savidge on her way to a second-place finish as well.

What happens at Frost, Luft and Larramendy’s weight classes — 130, 136 and 143 — could determine how competitive Life can be against the Hawkeyes, especially considering Iowa’s strengths at the beginning and end of the lineup.

Either way, Deede — she won in November via decision over Life’s Latifah McBryde, by the way — has no shortage of confidence in the top-ranked Hawkeyes.

“Same plan as always,” Deede said. “We’re going to go and dominate.”

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