TOP 50 IKWF GIRLS FOR 2026/2027
Part 1: The Countdown Begins — Nos. 50–41
Illinois Matwomen
Nine returning IKWF state champions and a USA Wrestling national champion. That is the group opening Illinois Matwomen’s countdown of the Top 50 IKWF girls for the 2026/2027 season.
Over five weekly installments, we will work through the list ten wrestlers at a time, beginning with Nos. 50–41 and finishing with the top ten. The opening group includes repeat state champions, national finalists and young wrestlers whose results already extend well beyond Illinois.
IKWF State results form the foundation of the rankings. Championships receive more credit than runner-up finishes, with third place above fourth and so on. Repeat success matters, and results in the older divisions carry greater weight: Senior first, followed by Novice, Intermediate and Bantam. The most recent season, 2026, receives a modest edge over 2025 and 2024.
IESA State accomplishments also receive substantial consideration. Because those finishes come in the boys tournament, a comparable IESA state placement is weighted slightly above an IKWF girls Senior placement. That distinction allows wrestlers competing through their middle-school programs to receive credit for those achievements.
National results help separate otherwise similar resumes. Tulsa Nationals, other World of Wrestling events, and USA Wrestling folkstyle and freestyle championships all contribute, alongside Illinois freestyle state results. National titles receive added recognition, with championships in older age groups carrying more weight. Multiple state titles, consistency and the depth of the competition also influence the order.
The final list is an editorial assessment of those accomplishments, rather than an official IKWF ranking or a prediction of matches between wrestlers of different sizes. A younger athlete can have an exceptional record and still appear behind a wrestler who has accumulated significant results in an older division.
That context is especially important in this first installment. Every wrestler here has either a 2026 IKWF title or a national championship on her resume. The countdown begins with athletes who have already earned their place on the podium.
