Illinois MatWomen’s Top 50 Juniors

As the 2025-26 IHSA girls wrestling season kicks off, the class of 2027-now entering their junior year-stands out as a powerhouse group, blending raw talent, technical finesse, and unbreakable determination. These athletes have already rewritten program histories, racked up state medals, and earned national recognition, setting the stage for what could be one of the most competitive classes in Illinois high school wrestling.

From undefeated state champions to breakout qualifiers who dominated postseason brackets, this top 50 list highlights wrestlers who not only excelled in the 2024-25 season but are poised to elevate the sport further, with many holding spots in national rankings and eyeing college commitments.

Here is a quick look at the top 10 of this list:

#10 • Lydia King, Geneseo High School

Lydia King has emerged as a trailblazer in girls wrestling, earning the #10 spot in the IHSA junior class rankings. In her second year competing at 120 lbs, she became Geneseo’s first female state medalist, securing 4th place at the 2025 IHSA Girls Individual State Finals with multiple pinfall victories. King also claimed 3rd at sectionals and won a regular-season tournament with three consecutive pins, showcasing her dominance and earning the Village Home Stores Athlete of the Week award in January 2025.

#9 • Rilynn Younker, Litchfield High School

Rilynn Younker has solidified her status as a top IHSA girls wrestling talent. Competing at 110 lbs with an impressive 43-12 record in the 2024–25 season, she captured both regional and sectional titles before returning to the IHSA State Finals, where she claimed 5th place—her second consecutive state medal after a 4th-place finish as a freshman. Younker is the first Litchfield wrestler to achieve all-state honors twice.

#8 • Ema Durst, Sycamore High School

Ema Durst has established herself as a standout in IHSA girls wrestling. Wrestling at 140 lbs with a strong 27-6 record in the 2024–25 season, she made history as Sycamore’s first-ever state qualifier, securing 2nd place at the Class 2A sectional before advancing to the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington, where she earned a 4th-place finish.

#7 • Annalee Aarseth, Crystal Lake South High School

Annalee Aarseth has cemented her elite status in IHSA girls wrestling. Competing at 110 lbs with a stellar 17-3 record in the 2024–25 season, she dominated the postseason by winning her regional title and finishing runner-up at the Schaumburg sectional. At the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington, Aarseth placed 2nd, earning her the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Wrestler of the Year honor.

#6 • Blair Grennan, Newman Central Catholic High School

Blair Grennan has built a reputation as a dominant force in IHSA girls wrestling. As a freshman in the 2023–24 season, she competed at 100 lbs with a 17-3 record, capturing both regional and sectional championships and becoming the first individual from Newman Central Catholic to earn a state medal with a 4th-place finish at the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington—highlighted by a crucial 3:06 pin in the blood round and a 2:20 fall in the consolation semifinals. As a sophomore, she qualified for state at 105 lbs, and now entering her junior year, Grennan continues to showcase her relentless technique and competitive spirit.

#5 • Zoey Dodgers, Leyden High School

Zoey Dodgers has burst onto the IHSA girls wrestling scene as a dynamic newcomer. Competing at 105 lbs with an outstanding 26-3 record in the 2024–25 season, she qualified for the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington by capturing a regional title and placing 2nd at sectionals, becoming Leyden’s second all-state medalist in program history. At state, Dodgers wrestled superbly in a stacked weight class, securing 5th place.

#4 • Amelia Nidelea-Polanin, Hampshire High School

Amelia Nidelea-Polanin is well known for her technical skill in IHSA girls wrestling. Competing at 115 lbs with a dominant 37-3 record in the 2024–25 season, she etched her name in program history as one of Hampshire’s inaugural state qualifiers, capturing both regional and sectional titles at the Schaumburg Sectional. At the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington, she powered to a 3rd-place finish.

#3 • Payton Temple, Central-Iroquois West High School

Payton Temple has established herself as an elite powerhouse in IHSA girls wrestling. Competing at 190 lbs with a dominant 27-2 record in the 2024–25 season, she captured the Highland sectional title with three pinfall victories before advancing to the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington, where she powered into the championship match. Temple earned a silver medal as state runner-up, marking her program’s first-ever girls state placer.

#2 • Ariella Dobin, Glenbrook North High School

Ariella Dobin has emerged as a dominant force in IHSA girls wrestling. Competing at 120 lbs with a stellar 45-2 record in the 2024–25 season, she claimed both regional and sectional titles before advancing to the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington, where she earned a silver medal as state runner-up. Her performance marked her as Glenbrook North’s first female state finalist.

#1 • Angelina Gochis, Kaneland High School

Angelina Gochis reigns supreme as the #1-ranked talent in the IHSA girls wrestling junior class. She capped off her sophomore season with a perfect 36-0 record and her second consecutive state championship. A two-time IHSA state champion and Kane County Girls Wrestler of the Year, Gochis extended her national dominance by securing Fargo All-American honors, earning the #3 spot in Sports Illustrated’s preseason national rankings at 120 lbs, and claiming first place at the 2025 USAW Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals with a 3:40 pinfall victory in the championship match.

• CHRIS GOCHIS / LEAD WRITER FOR ILLINOIS MATWOMEN