Audrey Jimenez has had quite a year. The Tucson, Arizona, native has wrestled 16 times, outscoring her opponents by a 165-14 count. 

She won the U20 World Team Trials, the US Open, the Pan-American Championships, and, most recently, Final X to secure her first Senior World Team spot. Only one match — a 10-2 win over Erin Golston — lasted a full six minutes. 

The 19-year-old has four age-level World medals and is poised to add more. She is an offensive juggernaut, scoring takedowns and transitioning to turns. 

At 4’11, Jimenez competes at 50 kg (110 lbs) — the lightest international weight class — but her sparkling personality makes her seem bigger than that. Always smiling, always engaging, and always having fun. 

And she is exactly what women’s college wrestling needs. 

The NCAA added women’s freestyle wrestling as its 91st championship sport on January 17, 2025. 

There are six Division I programs that offer women’s wrestling, and Iowa is the only Power Four school. Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was the most recent to add — an important step for competitive balance as the Hawkeyes appear to be pulling away from the field.

Iowa had five women compete for a Senior World Team spot this season, and three — Brianna Gonzalez, Kennedy Blades, and Kylie Welker — return to the line-up. Their talented roster and global brand turn heads everywhere they compete. 

Wrestling Is A Religion At Lehigh

Lehigh is not a Power Four program, but it's a reputable wrestling school. Gerry Leeman, who coached the men’s team from 1953 to 1970, called Lehigh wrestling a religion — a telling statement for a private school with an undergraduate enrollment of less than 6,000. 

Current men’s coach Pat Santoro understands the passion and expectations that come with leading the program.

“Wrestling is the number one sport at Lehigh,” Santoro said. “And that’s something we’re proud of.

“I’m in awe of this place. It is humbling to be the coach here. Every day I learn something new about the history of this program.”

Billy Sheridan, a world-renowned boxer and wrestler, landed in the United States from Scotland. He coached at Lehigh from 1912 through 1952 and revolutionized college wrestling.

In 1935, he started the nation’s first wrestling clinic. 

In 1939, he produced a five-minute promotional video that was shown in 5,000 theaters nationwide.

In 1950, he became the first coach to have a major wrestling dual televised. Channel 9 in New York broadcast Lehigh’s victory over the New York Athletic Club.

“Time Life” ran a story about the program in 1955. 

“Newsweek” ran a story in 1965. 

And “The New York Times” ran a story several years ago.

Lehigh, formerly nicknamed the Engineers and now the Mountain Hawks, became the little engine that could. Jimenez could become the little wrestler who leads a new women's team to the promised land.

The Legendary Snake Pit

Then there is the legendary Snake Pit. That’s the nickname for Grace Hall, the facility where most wrestling duals take place. Grace Hall is known for its high decibel levels during meets.

In 1950, Penn State fans attempted to insult Lehigh by referring to Grace Hall as “The Snake Pit,” a nod to the 1948 movie about an insane asylum. Lehigh took the name as a compliment, and the name stuck.

Grace Hall (also known as the Leeman-Turner Arena) has a listed seating capacity of 1,788. During the peak years, 4000 people — over double the legal capacity — would cram into the gym.

Let’s just say that the fire marshal and the fire department received preferential treatment when it came to ticket consideration.

“When people say Lehigh fans are crazy, we can back that up,” said Denny Diehl, a Lehigh wrestling historian who died in 2024. “We like the David versus Goliath mentality here. We may not beat all the top ten teams every time out, but we love to try.”

Toppling the Iowa women’s team will take more than one stone, but hurling Jimenez at anyone is a mighty blow. 

Women's college wrestling has just gained a genuine superstar as Lehigh writes a new chapter in its celebrated history.