Gabrielle Weyhrich was named NAIA Women's Wrestling Coach of the Year after guiding Southern Oregon to a national title in her first season with the program.

ASHLAND — Southern Oregon University first-year leader Gabrielle Weyhrich has been named the NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coach of the Year after guiding the Raiders to a national title over the weekend in Jamestown, N.D.

After entering the inaugural NAIA Championships with a No. 3 ranking, SOU captured the title by a margin of 20.5 team points behind individual champs Grace Kristoff (191 pounds), Carolina Moreno (123) and Emily Se (143).

They left with a total of seven All-Americans, a group that also included second-place Joye Levendusky (170), third-place Esthela Trevino (101), and fourth-place Bella Amaro (136) and Natalie Reyna (109).

Weyhrich, who officially joined SOU on May 31, 2022, took the Raiders to new heights in her first-ever head coaching gig.

Over the last four months, they completed their first undefeated dual season at 8-0; they won their first NWCA National Duals championship, upsetting No. 2-ranked Grand View (Iowa) in the final; they claimed their first Cascade Conference title, knocking off back-to-back champion and rival Menlo (Calif.); and they finished the job at the NAIA Championships, producing three more top-four placers than any other team.

Weyhrich, a product of Fremont, Neb., spent four seasons as an assistant at her alma mater, McKendree University (Ill.), before arriving in Ashland.

She is now among three head coaches currently on staff at SOU who have earned NAIA Coach of the Year honors, Grier Gatlin (cross country/track and field) and Jessica Pistole (softball) being the others.