CORVALLIS, Ore. – Southern Oregon University’s Grace Kristoff was named the 2022-23 Cascade Collegiate Conference Rize Laboratory Women’s Wrestler of the Year, announced Thursday.
The grad student 191-pound wrestler from Belleville, Ill., had an amazing year competing against the top wrestlers in the nation finishing with a 22-5 overall record. Prior to transferring to Southern Oregon, Kristoff was a two-time All-American competing in the NCAA category of the WCWA Championship.
During the year, she Went 3-0 at NWCA National Duals to help SOU take the championship, winning in the semifinals against No. 5 Menlo and the finals against No. 2 Grand View. In the CCC tournament, she helped the Raiders to a conference title with a second-place finish to Menlo’s Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson.
Kristoff ended her career leading her team, on the biggest stage, to a National Title. She was seeded as No. 10 in the tournament, and then defeated No. 7, No. 2, and No. 3 on her way to be the sole double-digit seed to reach the NAIA Champion round. In the finals, she pinned No. 5 after coming back from 1-0 down in the second period to be the lowest seed to win a title at the inaugural NAIA Women’s Wrestling Championship.
“Many were calling her the dark horse of the NAIA Championship but to me she finished right where she was supposed to, on top of the podium,” said CCC and NAIA Coach of the Year, Gabrielle Weyhrich. “I have watched her every day in the practice room and am so happy she was finally able to show everyone else her full potential. Proud is an understatement. She is a perfect example of what I want this program to be, a great person on and off the mat. Grace has a tattoo on her leg that reads, 'Be Great Today,' and great is exactly what she is.”