by Ben Zacher '20 M'25, Associate Director of Athletic Communications

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University women's wrestling program made history in December 2024 as the first varsity women's wrestling program at a senior military college or federal service academy.  Fourteen months later, the Cadets have added another landmark to their inaugural season, as freshman Ay'Seante Ross (Wilmington, N.C.) has become the program's first-ever NCAA Championship qualifier.

Ross secured her spot on the national stage with a third-place finish in the 180-pound class at the two-day NCAA Northeast Region I Championships at Elmira College on Saturday, Feb. 21, and Sunday, Feb. 22.  She will now compete at the inaugural 2026 National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship, held March 6-7 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.

Ross was one of the 18 wrestlers in her weight class to qualify for the championship field.  The 2026 event marks the first National Collegiate championship for women's wrestling after the sport was added as the NCAA's 91st official championship sport in January 2025, bringing Division I, II, and III institutions together in a single national bracket.

On the mat in Elmira, Ross delivered Norwich's top finish of the weekend in emphatic fashion.  She went 4-1 overall, earning four victories by fall, and opened the tournament with back-to-back pins over opponents from Centenary and Wilkes to reach the semifinals.  After a semifinal setback, Ross responded with consecutive falls in the consolation bracket to clinch her berth, capped by a 1:33 pin over Fabiana Josa of New Jersey City in the third-place match.

"Becoming the first NCAA qualifier in Norwich University women's wrestling history means more to me than I can fully put into words," Ross said.  "When I made the decision to come here and join a brand-new program, I didn't just want to compete at a collegiate level – I wanted to make history."

"But it's not just my accomplishment," Ross added.  "It's proof that this program belongs and that this is only the beginning."

Ross's path to that moment was anything but linear.  She shared that her early season was interrupted by injuries and missed competition time, forcing patience and persistence before she felt her season truly began.

"It felt like every time I tried to start my season, something pulled me back," Ross said.  "So when Regionals came around, I was terrified.  I felt like time was ticking.  I questioned if I had enough mat time, if I was ready, if I'd done enough."

Even at Regionals, adversity arrived again.  After a quick semifinal loss, Ross allowed herself the emotion of the moment, then flipped the page.

"After I shook her hand and walked off the mat, I just had a mental flip," Ross said.  "There's no time to mope and cry because I'm quite literally still in this, and I still have matches to wrestle.  … I wasn't wrestling scared anymore.  I wanted it more than I've ever wanted to win, and when I stepped back on that mat, I had no intention of losing."

Head Coach Connor Keating '09, who took the helm as the program's inaugural leader after more than a decade supporting Norwich wrestling and women's rugby, said Ross's rise has been fueled by rare athletic traits, and even rarer responsiveness to coaching.

"Ay'Seante is a great all-around athlete," Keating said.  "She's fast, she's strong, and she's extremely coachable.  Often she only needs a single correction on a technique and then she does it perfectly the next time.  She's also a very hard worker and she's gutsy.  She's not afraid to go for big moves or try new things."

Keating also noted that Ross is still relatively new to the sport – a factor that has made her improvement curve startling, even within a single month.

"Ay'Seante is also relatively new to the sport, so her growth as a competitor has been incredibly fast and noticeable," Keating said.  "Two weeks ago I couldn't believe how much better she had gotten.  Last week I was blown away by how much she had improved since then.  Even today I noticed how much she had improved since yesterday."

For a first-year varsity program, Ross's qualification serves as a powerful proof point – not just of individual talent, but of the culture being built inside the wrestling room.

"It's incredibly meaningful for us to have an NCAA qualifier in our first season," Keating said.  "We've had a great first year and we have an awesome group of tight-knit, supportive athletes.  The feeling on the team all season has been that we're building something special, and having a qualifier in our first year is a great way to show that to everyone else."

Ross echoed that sentiment, describing the inaugural roster as a group defined as much by connection as competitiveness.

"When people look back at this first team years from now, I hope they say we built the foundation the right way," Ross said.  "I hope they say we were relentless.  That we competed hard, but loved harder.  That we supported each other regardless of wins or losses.  … I hope others look at this team and be like, they look like a family."

Ross's national berth also continues a milestone first season for Norwich women's wrestling, which completed the 2025-26 dual slate with a 7-5 record.  The Cadets earned their first win in program history in the season opener at Western New England on Nov. 9, 2025, defeating the University of Bridgeport, 29-14, and later hosted the first home women's wrestling meet in Norwich history on Jan. 10, 2026, sweeping a tri-meet against Springfield Technical Community College and Kean University inside Plumley Armory.

As women's wrestling continues to gain momentum nationally, Keating believes moments like this broaden opportunity in meaningful ways, from recruiting to representation.

"We're opening doors," Keating said.  "Our sport is growing fast, and well established teams across the country are showing just how tough women's wrestling really is.  For us to punch our ticket to nationals in our first year shows our current wrestlers what's possible, and it also demonstrates to prospective student-athletes that we are a serious and up-and-coming program.  I also think it helps prove to girls in Vermont that they can have a future in this sport."

Ross will now represent Norwich at the first NCAA National Collegiate championship, embracing the significance of the moment, and the responsibility of carrying the program's name onto a new stage as the program's first national qualifier.

"It honestly means everything to represent Norwich University at the inaugural NCAA Women's Wrestling Championship," Ross said.  "This isn't just another tournament, it's history.  … Wearing Norwich across my chest is something I wear with confidence because it's bigger than medals.  It's about proving we belong here and setting the standard for the wrestlers who will come after us."

Keating said success in Iowa will be defined by more than results alone, emphasizing composure, confidence, and competing freely against the nation's best.

"Outside of results, success for Ay'Seante will be going out and showcasing her skills and her wrestling," Keating said.  "It will look like her using the mental tools we've worked on to manage her nerves so she can wrestle open and free.  Most of all, success will look like Ay'Seante stepping off the mat feeling proud of her effort and feeling like she wrestled well."

Ross's championship path is now set.  The NCAA released the 2026 NC Women's Wrestling bracket last week, and Ross will open her national tournament in a play-in match against Journey Land of Mount Olive, with the winner advancing to face seventh-seeded Isabella Phillips of Gannon University.

Her breakthrough arrives at a meaningful moment for Norwich, a university built on perseverance, leadership development, and the enduring spirit of its motto, "I Will Try."  In the span of one season, a brand-new varsity program has established competitive footing, built a culture, and now earned a place on the NCAA stage, an early sign of what women's wrestling can become at the nation's oldest private military college.

For Keating, the milestone represents something deeper than results on a bracket sheet.

"This milestone will be the first of many, but it's incredibly meaningful," Keating said.  "Qualifying for nationals has been Ay'Seante's number one goal all year.  Being able to help her reach that goal and watch her hard work pay off is a moment I wouldn't trade for any personal accomplishment."

The achievement reflects the values Keating hoped to instill when Norwich announced the addition of women's wrestling in December 2024, creating an opportunity for student-athletes who embody resilience, discipline, grit, and leadership – qualities long associated with both the sport and the university itself.

Ross believes those same qualities helped carry her through a season filled with challenges, setbacks, and uncertainty before ultimately reaching the national stage.

"Every setback forced me to keep going and made me even stronger," Ross said.  "Looking back, I wouldn't change a single thing."

For Ross, representing Norwich at the national championship carries significance beyond the individual opportunity to compete against the best wrestlers in the country.  It represents the teammates, coaches, and community that helped bring the program to life in its first year.

"Norwich builds leaders," Ross said.  "When I step onto that mat, I'm not just representing myself or my team.  I'm representing a culture of grit, discipline, and resilience."

For Norwich's first women's wrestling team, Ross's qualification represents more than a single achievement.  It marks the beginning of a program still writing its opening chapter, one built on perseverance, shared belief, and the determination to keep pushing forward.

And as Ross prepares to step onto the mat in Coralville, the message from Norwich's first women's wrestling team is already clear – this program arrived ready to compete, ready to lead, and ready to try.