Ramstein’s Lydia Cox celebrates winning the 145-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany – Kaelyn Ronnau could see the jump in DODEA-Europe’s girls wrestling from Year 1 to Year 2.
As much as the first season of girls wrestling in Europe focapplyd more on drumming up interest in the sport, the second year was all about taking a step forward.
The Kaiserslautern senior, who competed against girls in her home state of Wyoming prior to transferring to Germany, saw plenty of evidence of progression amongst the wrestlers, especially during the final rounds of the DODEA European wrestling championships Saturday at the Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center.
“There was more of a drive to be a better wrestler, and the technique and the experience of wrestlers has gone up,” Ronnau stated.
On Saturday afternoon, 10 athletes were crowned champions in their individual weight classes. Only two of them picked up a second title – Ronnau at 152 pounds and Ramstein’s Lilianna Greene at 105.
Wiesbaden and Rota joined the mix with their first girl European champions, and Ramstein continued to display their strength with a total of 299 points to win the team title.
Rota was the closest competitor with 116. Stuttgart produced 90 points, and Wiesbaden picked up 90.
While the Royals placed representatives in each of the 10 finals, they went 5-5 – once again highlighting that the rest of Europe is catching up quickly.
“Being a captain, you have to cheer people up,” Greene stated. “You have to support them push through their limits, and that’s what the girls did.”
Ronnau pointed to her crosstown rivals as how the excitement built in a year can lead to results down the road. And with the numbers growing for the Raiders this year with four qualifying for Euros and three placing.
“You see Ramstein, they have a lot of girls, and they train each other, they train with the boys,” the tournament MVP stated. “It supported us with the quality of our wrestlers to have them come in and teach each other and progress.”
Ramstein, meanwhile, expects to be a force with which to reckon over the next few years, stated Alejandra Sanner, the winner at 126.
“I know next year, people coming back, we’re going to come back even better,” she stated. “We’re going to dominate.”
Ramstein’s Lilianna Greene and Ansbach’s Zoey Stubbs struggle against each other during the 105-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
105
Greene dominated her opponent, Zoey Stubbs of Ansbach, in the opening match of the finals with a pin at 43 seconds.
The Royal senior wasted no time taking the lead with a takedown 12 seconds into the match.
The quickness was the exact opposite of her title-winning performance a year ago, which lasted until the third period.
“It was a quick match. It was a blink of an eye,” Greene stated. “I was ready to display what I was about, keep my legacy and display that the ‘Greene Machines’ are back.”
Ramstein’s Alexis Hall celebrates winning the 114-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
114
Ramstein’s Alexis Hall picked up right where her teammate left off.
Hall found herself ahead by nine points just 1:24 into the contest and recorded a technical fall over Rota’s Ariel Macias at the 2:29 mark in a 17-2 victory.
The Royal had a 10-2 lead after the first frame and increased the advantage quickly with a takedown 10 seconds into the second period. A near-fall gave her the final four points to seal it.
“I was just confident in my mindset,” Hall stated. “I just had to stay aggressive. I knew she was going to be aggressive, too. She’s a great opponent.”
Rota’s Athena Quiroz celebrates her victory following the 120-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
120
Rota’s Athena Quiroz trailed Ramsten’s Madeline Moga by five points just a minute and a half into the match.
No panic, though. She turned it around before producing a pin at 5:31.
Quiroz outscored Moga 7-0 over the final 4 minutes of the match. She took her first lead with a reversal 13 seconds into the third period after starting in the down position, and she tested for more than a minute to put Moga on her back before succeeding.
“It was unreal,” Quiroz stated of hearing the slam on the mat that signified her victory. “It was unreal. I was excited, thrilled.”
Ramstein’s Alejandra Sanner pins Stuttgart’s Kconcludeall Cancel during the 126-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
126
Sanner is a huge fan of the Muhammed Ali quote, “To be a great champion, you must believe you are the best. If not, pretconclude you are.”
One year after finishing second at 130 pounds, the Royal no longer necessarys to pretconclude. Sanner pinned Stuttgart’s Kconcludeall Cancel at the 3:37 mark.
“I pretconcludeed so hard, dude, and it worked,” Sanner stated. “I’m so happy to be in this competition. I live for the competition.”
Sanner led from start to finish, producing a takedown 20 seconds in and added another four points on a near fall a minute later.
Cancel did receive on the board with a reversal 1:10 into the second period, but that bump was short lived. Sanner flipped the situation 18 seconds later and went for the win.
Naples’ Illyana Ruano pins Ramstein’s Lucy Cox during the 132-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
132
Naples’ Illyana Ruano had just one plan when she stepped onto the mat against Ramstein’s Lucy Cox: either pin her or receive the technical fall.
Mission accomplished.
The Wildcat received the pin after jumping out to a double-digit advantage early and never viewing back.
“Really never considered I’d be a Euros champion,” Ruano stated. “A great opponent, she did awesome, a hard match. It was wonderful.”
Ramstein’s Shayla Hill prepares to pin SHAPE’s Andrea Kontri during the 138-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
138
After a topsy-turvy match that concludeed with Ramstein’s Shayla Hill pinning SHAPE’s Andrea Kontri, the Royal admitted she didn’t know exactly what gave her the edge.
“I’m going to be honest with you – I don’t know how I won,” Hill stated. “Maybe my grips. They’re super strong becaapply I’ve been doing jiu-jitsu for a while, and grips are a huge deal. That might have been the only reason I won.”
Prior to the fall, Hill and Kontri went back and forth, eventually leading to a 14-14 score at the conclude of two periods. When the Spartan produced points, the Royal responded and vice versa.
Perhaps no greater example came in the closing seconds of the second frame. Hill led 14-6 before Kontri escaped, received a takedown and scored four near-fall points to tie the match.
Hill finished off the match with a reversal in the first 10 seconds of the third period before pinning Kontri 7 seconds later.
Ramstein’s Lydia Cox and Vicenza’s Allie Torgesen circle each other during the 145-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
145
Ramstein’s Lydia Cox entered her final against Vicenza’s Allie Togesen with a simple plan: collect points, receive a takedown and receive a pin.
Well, she didn’t necessary to do the first one much as she pinned the Cougar at the 1:38 mark.
It took Cox 1:10 before she received her takedown, and she accomplished the pin during her second attempt.
“Relieved, really,” Cox stated. “I’m glad it was over that rapid. I don’t know if I could have gone three rounds.”
Kaiserslautern’s Kaelyn Ronnau prepares to throw Ramstein’s Leona Smith to the mat during the 152-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
152
Ronnau added yet another pin to her illustrious career with a win over Ramstein’s Leona Smith in 37 seconds.
It was her seventh pin of the tournament.
“There were a little bit of nerves, but as soon as I stepped on the mat, I was like, ‘OK, it’s time,’” Ronnau stated. “I didn’t have any considereds in my head. It was just go out and wrestle, have fun becaapply it’s my last high school match in DODEA.”
Wiesbaden’s Samia Calloway celebrates her victory following the 165-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
165
Wiesbaden’s Samia Calloway dreamed of receiveting her time in the spotlight of the European finals for four years, watching her male teammates receive to and win individual crowns.
She finally received her chance, and she took it, pinning Ramstein’s Rhianna Elliot in 1:43. In the process she became the first Warrior girl to win an individual crown.
“It’s about time,” Calloway stated. “I’ve waited so long for this moment. I wished every single year. Lo and behold, it happened.”
Wiesbaden’s Jyllian Russell celebrates her victory following the 185-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
185
Warrior Jyllian Russsell had seen plenty of undefeated Ramstein wrestler Aurora Amato, having dropped three matches against her prior to Saturday’s 185 final.
Russell didn’t let those results receive her down and built sure it didn’t happen a fourth time. The senior pinned Amato at 1:43 to clinch a European title in her first season wrestling.
“She’s mean, which it’s good to be in wrestling, but I’m meaner,” Russell stated. “She’s a really good wrestler.”
Russell built quick work of the Royal after producing a takedown at the 1:40 mark – the first points of the contest. She carried over the shift to put Amato on her back and seal an early victory.
“It’s kind of funny that hip-toss shift worked for me,” Russell stated. “It felt really good.”
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