WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Oct. 31) – The Waynesburg University women's wrestling team is getting a bit of a reboot for the 2026-27 campaign under the leadership of first-year head coach Leilah Castro. However, with its new leader at the helm, the future of the program looks bright.
 
Castro brings an impeccable resume with her from Otterbein, where she spent two years as an assistant with the Cardinals after they began their program prior to the 2024-25 campaign.  During that brief time, Castro helped build a 24-woman roster from scratch that included 2025 103-pound national champion Olivia Shore. Shore was one of four Otterbein wrestlers to qualify for the national tournament.
 
Otterbein posted a 9-8 record in dual matches during the 2025-26 season and placed fifth out of 18 teams at the NCAA Women's Region III Championships.
 
The Cardinals also succeeded in the classroom, as six women's grapplers were honored as NCAA Women's Scholar All-Americans by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
 
Prior to her time in the wrestling room at Otterbein, Castro wrestled for NAIA powerhouse Campbellsville (Ky.). Her time with the Tigers was highlighted by her 2021-22 season, during which she placed second in the nation at 123 pounds and was a part of the 2022 NAIA national championship team. That same season saw her win the 123-pound Mid-South Conference championship while the Tigers took the conference team crown.
 
Castro was also a member of the 2021 national championship squad.
 
This year, she will lead a quartet of competitors consisting of freshmen Jada Bert (Marysville, Pa. / Susquenita), Lydia Carnwarth (Bedford, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) and Johbrianna Long-Rodriguez (Fredericksburg, Pa. / Northern Lebanon) and the team's lone returner, sophomore Addison Soost (Uniontown, Pa. / Laurel Highlands).
 
Soost competed in 15 bouts for the Jackets and logged a pair of victories this past winter.
 
The Yellow Jackets open the season on Sunday, Nov. 1, as the first winter program to see live action. Waynesburg will compete in the Green Terror Women's Invitational, which is hosted by McDaniel College.
 
The Jackets will host their lone scheduled home event, a tri-meet, on Friday, Jan. 8 and will compete in the first-ever Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Wrestling Championships on Saturday, Feb. 6, at Washington and Jefferson College.