Fulton, MO 10/13/2025 – Westminster College is proud to announce the hiring of Raena Schledwitz as the new head coach of its women's wrestling program. A former national champion and accomplished student-athlete, Schledwitz brings a wealth of experience and passion for growing women's wrestling at both the high school and collegiate levels.

Raised in Bennett, Colorado, Schledwitz is the youngest of five children. She discovered her love for wrestling in high school, joining Bennett High School's first women's wrestling team as a junior. By graduation, she was a state qualifier and eager to continue both her education and athletic career.

Schledwitz went on to wrestle at North Central College, a division III institution in Naperville, Illinois, where she earned her B.S. in Exercise Science with a Minor in Entrepreneurship. During her collegiate career, she was named a Scholar All-American, qualified for nationals, and helped lead her team to a national championship.

Following her college career, Schledwitz returned to her hometown to coach middle school volleyball and high school wrestling for both boys and girls. Under her guidance, the program celebrated multiple milestones, including two male state placers and the school's first-ever female state wrestling champion.

"I am excited to be continuing the growth of women's wrestling at the collegiate level by providing athletes with opportunities to further their education and achieve All-American status through hard work, determination, and commitment," said Schledwitz. "As the new female Head Coach of the program, I recognize the importance of continuing to increase the presence of female coaches in college athletics—especially in women's wrestling—as this growth is essential for both athletes and school programs across all divisions. I'm honored to be part of that progress, and the day will come when Westminster College will be in the race for a National Championship."

Athletic Director Dr. Jessica Brown expressed enthusiasm about the hire: "Raena Schledwitz is the right leader to take our women's wrestling program to the next level. Her experience as a national champion, her coaching success, and her commitment
to athlete development make her an outstanding role model for our student-athletes. We look forward to watching her build a championship-caliber program here at Westminster."
Westminster College launched its women's wrestling program during the 2017–2018 season, continuing its proud tradition of supporting student-athletes in both academic and athletic pursuits.