Lockport’s Claudia Heeney is the 2026 Herald-News Girls Wrestler of the Year

See who made the cut for the 2026 Herald-News Girls Wrestling All-Area team.

Meet the 2026 Northwest Herald All-Area girls wrestling team.

Hampshire's Matt Todd, whose Whip-Purs brought home four state medals and won McHenry County's first team state girls wrestling championship, is the 2026 Northwest Herald Girls Wrestling Coach of the Year.

Huntley senior Janiah Slaughter, who went 37-2 and became the first girls wrestler in McHenry County to win an IHSA individual state championship, is the 2026 Northwest Herald Girls Wrestler of the Year.

Take a look at the boys and girls wrestlers named to the Daily Journal All-Area team for the 2025-26 season,

After winning the first state title in program history and going 40-0 on the season, Clifton Central-Irqouois West junior Payton Temple has been named the Daily Journal Girls Wrestler of the Year for the second year in a row.

Here is the 2025-26 All-Kishwaukee River Conference girls wrestling team, as voted on by KRC coaches.

Here is the 2025-26 All-Interstate 8 girls wrestling team, as voted on by I-8 coaches.

Check out photos from Saturday's IHSA individual girls state wrestling meet

Lockport's Claudia Heeney won her third consecutive state championship to close out her outstanding career.

Newman's Blair Grenann won four straight matches to take third Saturday at the state championship, including beating the wrestler who beat her in the quarterfinals. Erie's Michelle Naftzger took fourth.

Glenbard East's Nadiia Shymkiv won in overtime to claim the 105-pound championship during the IHSA state girls wrestling finals at the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington. Defending Hinsdale South champion Callie Carr medaled in third at 155.

Hampshire landed four medalists and won its first team championship, while Huntley's Janiah Slaughter earned her school's first individual championship during the IHSA state girls wrestling finals at the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

In her third straight trip to the IHSA Girls Wrestling State Finals, Clifton Central junior Payton Temple became the school's first state champion on Saturday, winning the 170-pound title.

Seven McHenry County athletes, including four from Hampshire, qualified for the semifinal round of the IHSA girls wrestling individual state tournament. In the boys dual team state finals, Marian Central lost to Providence in the Class 2A quarterfinals.

Payton Temple is now two wins away from an IHSA Girls Wrestling State championship in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Will McHenry County crown its first state champion? How many girls are competing at state for the first time? Which schools have the most representation? Here are key IHSA state girls wrestling storylines to watch.

The fifth IHSA girls state wrestling tournament is this weekend and as per usual, there are a ton of wrestlers from the Herald-News area to keep an eye on. Here is the preview.

Hampshire freshman Stella Piazza won the 115-pound title at the Hampshire Regional and advanced to this weekend's IHSA Girls Wrestling Individual State Tournament. Piazza is the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

Area athletes compete in the IHSA Schaumburg Sectional girls wrestling on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Schaumburg High School.

Clifton-Central's Payton Temple was crowned sectional champion and will be joined at state by Bradley-Bourbonnais Sophia Domont. The Boilers' Kayden Roach is also state-bound on the boys side, girls regional basketball action began and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Hampshire qualified four individuals, including two champions, for the state tournament to lead all area schools during Saturday's IHSA girls wrestling sectional in Schaumburg. Six McHenry County teams qualified wrestlers for state.

Will Marian Central's postseason dominance continue? Which classes have the most area representation? How many returning state medalists are still in the hunt? Here are top sectional wrestling storylines to watch in McHenry County.

Romeoville's Daniela Santander hadn't wrestled all season before the conference tournament due to an arm injury. Now, she's heading to sectional after winning a regional championship.

Bradley-Bourbonnais tied for second in the co-ed division at the IHSA Competitive Cheer State Finals, Clifton Central/Iroquois West's Payton Temple won the 170-pound title at the Normal Community West Regional and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Lincoln-Way scored 271 points at the East Aurora girls wrestling regional, 131.5 points ahead of second.

Hampshire led the McHenry County area with four champions, while Huntley, McHenry and Jacobs also landed champions during the IHSA girls wrestling regional at Hampshire High School on Saturday.

Area wrestlers compete in the IHSA Hampshire Regional girls wrestling championship matches on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Hampshire High School.

The IHSA girls wrestling postseason opens this weekend, with Herald-News area wrestlers facing two separate and distinct roads to the finals in Bloomington.

Meet the Daily Journal's Athlete of the Week, Bradley-Bourbonnais girls wrestler Aubrianna Rapier.

Richmond-Burton's Madelyn Peterie, who helped the Rockets qualify for the state meet in cross country earlier this school year, is using her improved conditioning and offseason training to make major strides in the wrestling room.

Kaneland, Princeton and L-P girls and boys wrestling teams competed duing a wrestling meet on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P Hich School.

Woodstock co-op senior Eva Hermansson, who has pushed through adversity and drawn inspiration through her faith, has ascended into a leadership role for the girls wrestling team. Now, she's pushing to become a state qualifier.

Bradley-Bourbonnais saw four girls wrestlers win individual titles on the way to a Rantoul Invite championship, Bishop McNamara's girls basketball team trounced Aurora Christian and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Huntley's Janiah Slaughter, a two-time IHSA state medalist in wrestling who grew up playing tackle football, is leaving no doubt after missing her entire junior season. "I want to prove to people that I’m back and I’m better."

All but one individual match between Joliet West and Joliet Central's girls wrestling squads was decided by pin, with only one more making it to the third round. The Steelmen came out on top of a tight battle.

Crystal Lake Central's Cait Jones, who was diagnosed with epilepsy after a seizure during her freshman year, is back on the mat and enjoying a strong start to her senior season.

McHenry senior Natalie Corona, a three-time state qualifier, earned the 100th win of her high school wrestling career during McHenry's dual tournament last weekend. 'It’s definitely a goal I’ve been trying to achieve for four years, and I’m glad that I got it done."

The Kaneland girls wrestling teams met Wednesday night at DeKalb High School.

Coal City's boys wrestling team dominated its way to a first-place finish at Abe's Rumble in Springfield, a pair of local girls wrestlers finished second at the Ottawa Holiday Hootenanny and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Take a look back at some of the top sports stories from the Daily Journal area in 2025.

Four area wrestlers took first place finishes at the Boilermaker Battle, with host Bradley-Bourbonnais also placing second as a team, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Kankakee's boys basketball team went to St. Louis and downed five-time reigning Missouri state champs Vashon 60-53, the Kays' girls blew out Comer 76-20 in tournament play and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Area wrestlers compete in the Whip-Pur Women’s Classic girls wrestling tournament on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Hampshire High School.

La Salle-Peru's Kiely Domyancich and Ottawa's Lily Gwaltney each won titles at the Princeton Invitational Tournament on Saturday.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' boys wrestling team downed Bishop McNamara, Kankakee and Manteno to claim its 20th straight All-City crown Wednesday, while the girls team beat Kankakee 23-10 for the title.

Bradley-Bourbonnais hosted Kankakee, Bishop McNamara and Manteno in All-City wrestling on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.

Lincoln-Way co-op had seven wrestlers make their respective first-place matches to dominate the Minooka Thanksgiving Throwdown

See how the girls wrestling teams around the Will and Grundy county area are expected to do this year.