Arelys Valles enters her 8th season with the Grand View University Women's Wrestling program.
During her tenure, Valles has helped coach 39 NAIA All-Americans, including four national finalists, and more than 65 Heart of America Athletic Conference placers and NAIA National qualifiers, highlighted by 22 conference champions and 18 conference runners-up.
As a member of the coaching staff, she has helped guide the Vikings to:
· Six NAIA National Team trophies, including the 2025 NAIA National Runner-Up finish and third-place finishes in 2023 and 2026.
· Five NWCA National Duals Team trophies, including National Dual Runner-Up finishes in 2023 and 2025 and a third-place finish in 2026.
· Five consecutive Heart of America Athletic Conference Team Championships (2021-25) and a conference runner-up finish in 2026.
Valles has also coached numerous athletes to success on the national and international levels, including:
· One USA U20 National Champion
· Four USA U20 All-Americans
· One USA U23 National Runner-Up
· Five USA U23 All-Americans
· One USA Senior National Runner-Up
· Seven USA Senior National All-Americans
· Seven USA Senior World Team Trials qualifiers
· One fourth-place finisher at the USA Senior World Team Trials
· One Puerto Rico U20 and Senior National Champion
· One Puerto Rico U23 National Runner-Up
· Puerto Rico U20 and Senior World Team members
· One Uruguay Senior World Team member
· One Brazil U20 World Team member
· One U20 Pan American Championships silver medalist
· Two Bill Farrell International champions
Internationally, Valles has represented multiple national programs. In 2023, she served as a coach for Team Uruguay at both the Pan-American Championships in Argentina and the Pan American Games in Chile, coaching Grand View alumna Mahealani Ramirez ('24). She also coached Team Puerto Rico at the Central American and Caribbean Games Qualifier in Panama, where, Mayangelie Colon, earned a silver medal.
Valles was also selected as the Head Women's Coach for Team USA at the ISF U15 Gymnasiade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the girls' team captured the team championship.
Her coaching accomplishments have earned numerous honors. Valles was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021, 2023, 2025, and 2026. In 2023, she was also recognized as the AAU Iowa Women's Wrestling Coach of the Year.
Outside of Grand View, Valles serves as the Head Girls Coach and Director of the Grand View Wrestling Club in Des Moines, Iowa. Along, as the Director of the Grand View Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Prior to joining Grand View, Valles was the Head Women's Wrestling Coach at Brewton-Parker College. In her first season, she coached the program's:
· First WCWA All-American
· First Mid-South Conference Champion
· Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year
· Puerto Rico Senior World Team member
As an athlete, Valles enjoyed success at both the collegiate and senior levels. Her accomplishments include:
· 2x WCWA All-American
· 4x WCWA National qualifier
· 2018 Bill Farrell International Open Champion
· 2023 Bill Farrell International Open bronze medalist
· 3x USA Senior National All-American
· 4x Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament qualifier
· New York Athletic Club sponsored athlete
Valles competed collegiately at the University of the Cumberlands, where she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She received a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science and Public Health in 2017, followed by a Master of Science in Coaching in 2018.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Valles was raised in Clewiston, Florida, which she proudly calls her hometown.
