STORY: Iowa women add high-powered replacement for Kennedy Blades

[Tanner Lafever]

As anticipated, the Hawkeyes have officially landed their replacement for Kennedy Blades - and it's about as good as one could've hoped for:



This move has been in the works for a while now, and (I'm told) was solidified shortly after Blades announced she would be forgoing her final year of eligibility.

In Brooklyn Hays, the Hawkeyes replace Blades with the woman whom she defeated at Final X a year ago (in a gritty two-match series, no less).

Hays also has plenty of notable wins on her ledger, including a recent victory over a multi-time World/Olympic medalist.

You can read about that (and more) in my write-up on yet another big midsummer addition for the Iowa women:

Iowa adds Senior-level stalwart Brooklyn Hays for 2026-27 season - On3

 

[Squatch96]

Awesome work tanner! are they full for next year now? Thought they had 2 open spots to get to 30 but I could be wrong

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Awesome work tanner! are they full for next year now? Thought they had 2 open spots to get to 30 but I could be wrong

You are correct - there are still two open spots left.

 

[IowaAnesthesia]

Great article Tanner! She seems like a great addition to slot in at 160. Any other insight about who may be coming in to those last couple roster spots?

 

[Squatch96]

Great article Tanner! She seems like a great addition to slot in at 160. Any other insight about who may be coming in to those last couple roster spots?

No insider info here but I think their recruting Morgan Turner who similar to Everest Leydecker is a recent high school grad who made the senior world team. She has trained with Jordan Burroughs club alot before agian no inside info but that could be one to watch she would be a 110 pounder i believe

 

[UTHawk4life]

She will be a 4x national champion! I’m calling in now. I have seen her wrestle and she’s legit!

 

[Zach Jump]

She will be a 4x national champion! I’m calling in now. I have seen her wrestle and she’s legit!

She doesn't have four years of eligibility. She wrestled for Augsburg in 22-23 season. Might be two with an Olympic year and redshirt. Iowa is probably trying to figure that out since she has no grade level listed.

Interesting the Blades is still on the roster that has obviously been updated recently since Hays is on it.

 

[Boomhawk52]

She doesn't have four years of eligibility. She wrestled for Augsburg in 22-23 season. Might be two with an Olympic year and redshirt. Iowa is probably trying to figure that out since she has no grade level listed.

Interesting the Blades is still on the roster that has obviously been updated recently since Hays is on it.

Not sure how 5 for 5 works with this and the gap..

 

[Zach Jump]

Not sure how 5 for 5 works with this and the gap..

She would be under the old rules.

 

[TheGreatDivider101]

I believe he was referring to Morgan Turner.

 

[Zach Jump]

I believe he was referring to Morgan Turner.

Than what he said we would be the truth.

Just sort of made the assumption that a preposition was in reference to the person the thread was about.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Great article Tanner! She seems like a great addition to slot in at 160. Any other insight about who may be coming in to those last couple roster spots?

Based on some of the latest things I’ve heard, I’m not sure that they will fill all 30 spots after all.

They’ve been kicking the tires on a few possible options, but idk if anything materializes between now and the start of school next month.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

She doesn't have four years of eligibility. She wrestled for Augsburg in 22-23 season. Might be two with an Olympic year and redshirt. Iowa is probably trying to figure that out since she has no grade level listed.

Interesting the Blades is still on the roster that has obviously been updated recently since Hays is on it.

I’m almost certain Hays is just a one-year deal.

She’s the same HS class as Welker and the rest of the Iowa OG’s - meaning her five-year clock started running the moment she enrolled in college.

As for the team roster, I wouldn’t read too much into that. For whatever reason it always gets really wonky when they go to update things at the start of each new year (go look at some of the weights/classes listed right now).

 

[Tanner Lafever]

She will be a 4x national champion! I’m calling in now. I have seen her wrestle and she’s legit!

Turner is excellent, but if she winds up in college somewhere this year (a big IF) she won’t be the favorite, IMO.

That honor goes to last year’s champ (and 2025 SR World teamer) Audrey Jimenez - who didn’t compete this summer while recovering from injury.

I’d love to see the two of them duke it out for the next few years though.