ATHERTON, CA – Menlo Women's Wrestling is ready to take the next step as the Oaks prepare for the 2026-27 season, their first as full NCAA Division II members and third competing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). Coming off back-to-back MPSF team championships, the Oaks enter the new campaign with championship expectations, a talented roster of returning veterans, and an exciting freshman class ready to make an impact.

Head Coach Mike Ayala enters his fifth season leading the program, joined by Assistant Coaches Alexandria Glaudé and Ashley Whetzel. With a strong foundation of returning All-Americans, accomplished newcomers, and a schedule featuring some of the nation's top collegiate competition, Menlo is prepared to continue its winning tradition while establishing itself on the NCAA Division II stage.

 

Championship Experience Returns

The Oaks bring back an impressive collection of championship experience, highlighted by seniors Alexandra Lopez, Kayla McKinley-Johnson, and Ajayzee Zaballos. The trio of former NAIA All-Americans and 2024 team national champions return to the lineup following gap seasons as they pursue NCAA eligibility. Joining them is senior Kalila Shrive, another NAIA All-American and 2024 team national champion, who put together an outstanding 2025-26 campaign with a 17-2 record. Shrive captured titles at the Menlo Open, Cerritos Open, and Sac City Open while earning a fifth-place finish at the North Central College Women's Invitational. She also claimed the MPSF Conference Championship title, helping Menlo secure its second consecutive conference team championship.

Junior Janie Houser returns after redshirting the 2025-26 season. The Aptos, California native previously posted an 11-4 record in 2024-25, highlighted by a third-place finish at the Oaks Open and a fifth-place performance at the Menlo Women's Open. Houser also earned MPSF Wrestler of the Week honors during that campaign. Junior Mikayla Lancaster will look to build on two impressive collegiate seasons. After posting a 12-3 record as a freshman and becoming the inaugural MPSF Women's Wrestling Freshman of the Year, Lancaster followed with a 20-8 sophomore campaign. She captured back-to-back MPSF individual championships, earned First Team All-MPSF recognition in both seasons, and helped the Oaks secure consecutive conference team titles. Her 2025-26 season also featured a runner-up finish at the Menlo Open and a perfect 3-0 record at the Westcliff Duals.

 

New Faces, New Opportunities

The Oaks will also welcome an impressive group of newcomers, adding talent and championship experience to an already accomplished roster. Sophia Darer, a freshman from Pacifica, CA, arrives as a CCS champion at 110 pounds and a Peninsula Athletic League Second Team selection at 112 pounds. She also placed third at the 2023 World Challenge and has competed in several USA Wrestling-sanctioned state championship tournaments.

Zaira Sugui, a freshman from Kailihi, Hawaii, joins Menlo as a three-time Hawaii High School State Champion and three-time First Team All-State selection. Her accomplishments were further recognized with her induction into the 2026 HHSAA Hall of Honor. Kiera Partello, a freshman from Naples, FL, captured the 2026 Florida State Championship at 105 pounds after finishing as the state runner-up in 2025. She was also named Southwest Florida Girls Wrestler of the Year and made history as the first female state champion at her high school.

Claudia Heeney, a freshman from Orland Park, IL, adds another decorated résumé to the incoming class. A four-time state finalist and three-time state champion, and two-team Fargo All-American. Heeney was also named the recipient of the prestigious 2026 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, recognizing her outstanding accomplishments on and off the mat. 

 

The Road Ahead: A Schedule Built for the Big Stage

The 2026-27 campaign opens with a challenging weekend November 6-7 as Menlo travels to New York, New York, for the prestigious Bill Farrell Memorial. The Oaks then return home to host the annual Menlo Open on Sunday, November 8, welcoming a competitive field to Haynes-Prim Pavilion for an all-day tournament. The team returns to the road at the end of November for the Westcliff Duals before opening December at the Raider Open in Ashland, Oregon, on December 6. One of the season's premier tests follows at the North Central College Women's Invitational in Naperville, Illinois, where the Oaks will face an elite field of collegiate competition.

The new year begins at the Vanguard Open on January 17 before Menlo returns home for Senior Night on Saturday, January 23, hosting Southern Oregon at 6 p.m. The Oaks then turn their attention to conference competition at the MPSF Championship Tournament, hosted by San Francisco State on January 30. February features two more opportunities to sharpen the lineup at the Monarch Open on February 6 and the Sacramento City College Open on February 13 before the postseason takes center stage.

The road to the national championships begins with the NCAA Super Regional in March, followed by the NCAA Division II National Championships. As the program enters its first season of full NCAA Division II membership, the Oaks will look to carry their championship tradition onto the national stage. With back-to-back MPSF team titles behind them and a roster loaded with All-American experience and emerging talent, Menlo Women's Wrestling is ready to chase another historic season.