The ISU boxing club will be hosting the Midwest Regional Boxing tournament this weekend.

In the mix for a national championship bid are junior Olivia Meyer and Josue Avila. Meyer is the defending national champion in the 147 weight class after defeating Sabrina Kehr of West Virginia.

The national championship tournament, which was held at West Point last year, was the first year that the National Collegiate Boxing Association opened the ring up for women. Overall, women from five weight classes were able to call themselves national champions for the first time in NCBA history.

Meyer is the first boxer from Iowa State to claim national champion honors. In order for Meyer to win last year, she had to sacrifice several hours in the gym.

The ISU boxing club was a gray area for women a few years ago, but Meyer has changed everything about the sport of boxing on campus for her gender. In only her third year of boxing, Meyer could end up as one of Iowa State’s most decorated boxers once her career is finished.

The Midwest Regional is comprised of eight clubs: Miami (Ohio), North Carolina, U.S. Naval Academy, Xavier, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Wabash and of course, Iowa State. The top boxers from each school and weight class will then move onto the national tournament that is to be held April 10-12, in Sunrise, Florida.

In the meantime boxers from all over the country will make State Gym their home as they gear up for a run at the national championship trophy. This is the first time that Iowa State has hosted a boxing tournament, let alone one of this caliber.

Meyer and Avila will attempt to wreak havoc on their opponents as they hope to qualify for nationals and bring back a trophy to Ames.