The Open Mat presents awards annually in three categories for each division of college wrestling at the conclusion of the season. Awards are presented for Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year and Wrestler of the Year.

Bella Ngo of Umpqua dominated her competition all season long and shined brightest when it mattered most, winning a national title at 131 pounds without surrendering a point at the 2026 NJCAA Women's Wrestling Invitational.

On Friday, Ngo was named 2026 NJCAA Women's Wrestler of the Year by The Open Mat.

After starting her college wrestling career at the University of Iowa, where she posted a 10-5 record, Ngo eventually found her way to Umpqua in 2026.

It did not take long for Ngo to make her mark at the junior college level.

Ngo opened her season with a third-place finish at the Falcon Open, which she followed up with a runner-up finish at the Mike Clock Open.

In early December, Ngo competed at the BVU Open in Iowa, where she won the title with a 10-0 technical fall over then-No. 1 Annabelle Petsinger of Iowa Central.

Ngo added two more tournament titles in January, winning the Mat Cat Women's Open and York University Women's Open.

She posted a 17-0 combined record en route to winning those three tournament titles, with all 17 wins coming by technical fall or fall. In addition, she did not surrender a single point in those three tournaments.

In early February, Ngo won a Region 18 title without surrendering a point, getting two technical falls and a 35-second fall.

Ngo continued her domination at the 2026 NJCAA Women's Wrestling Invitational in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She went 4-0 with four technical falls. In the finals, Ngo needed just 38 seconds to earn a 10-0 technical fall over Kaylea Beauchamp of Indian Hills. Ngo scored an early takedown off a single leg before locking up a leg lace and turning Beauchamp four times to earn the quick technical fall.