UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's wrestling team is set to begin its 2025-26 season this week, with its first event coming on Wednesday, November 12th. The squad will travel to Ithaca College for an Invitational event, with action set to begin at 5:15 pm at Ithaca's Ben Light Gymnasium.
The Road Ahead: The Pioneers are scheduled for nine more events after the Ithaca Invite. The team will conclude their season with a home meet, scheduled for January 31st. If a Pioneer performs strongly over the season, NCAA Regionals would be held February 21st and 22nd, followed by the National Championships on March 6th and 7th.
A Fresh Slate: Utica enters the season with a brand new program, top to bottom. Head coach Carmela Cancelmo is beginning her first season as a collegiate coach, bringing in her assistant coaches, Joe and Brian Stevers. Alongside the new coaching staff, the roster saw a full reset, as no wrestlers return from last year, and all eight members on the 2025-26 roster are new to the program. The new class features two juniors, two sophomores, and four freshmen.
Evelyn Enriquez (Mastic Beach, NY/Miller Place) and
Paityn Billard (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) make up the junior class, followed by
Hannah Kusmierczak (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) and
Natalie Enriquez (Mastic Beach, NY/William Floyd) in their sophomore year. The freshman class is made up of
Jackie Mace (Montour Falls, NY/Odessa-Montour),
Dakoda House (Oneonta, NY/Cherry Valley Springfield),
Octavia Dragotta (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor), and
Chelsey Cobos (Queens, NY/Forest Hills).
Up Next: The team won't wait long to get back in the action, with their next event scheduled for Sunday, the 16th. The squad will travel to Wilkes University's McHale Athletic Center to compete in the Wilkes Women's Open. The action is set to begin at 10:00 am.
