Being a competitor on The Challenge is extremely demanding, so it’s easy to get burnt out, but there are many cast members who should seriously consider making a return to the show. Though some of these Challenge stars have been out of the game a long time, it’s never too late to take another shot at victory.
There have been many extremely capable female cast members on The Challenge over the years, and they’ve continued to impress viewers throughout the seasons. Though the show has seen its fair share of champions over the course of 37 seasons, there are a lot of female cast members who deserve another chance to win big.
These Challenge stars made a huge impression on fans, even though some were only on the show a couple of seasons. They have all proven themselves one way or another and the time is ripe for them to make a triumphant return to the competition.
Laurel Stucky
Laurel is a formidable opponent who has won a whopping nine of the 11 eliminations she’s been in and secured one season win and made it to four finals over the six seasons she was on. She was never the best at making friends, as her abrasive and confrontational attitude irritated her castmates and viewers. But Laurel is an undeniably talented and compelling competitor and her size and strength give her the upper hand most of the time. It’s no surprise that most women who step into an elimination ring with her get sent home, and it would be great to see her enter the competition again.
Nicole Zanatta
Recently-engaged Nicole has appeared on relatively few seasons, but she performed well on all of them. On Invasion of the Champions and Vendettas, she made it to the final, but during the Vendettas final, and later during the season of Double Agents, Nicole was medically disqualified. Her past unluckiness shouldn’t prevent Nicole from coming back. She’s a great competitor and could do well if she came back to the competition. Now that Nicole has a wedding to plan, she could certainly use the extra cash, and it might be time for a comeback.
Kam Williams
Killa’ Kam made a big impression when she made it to the final on her rookie season during Vendettas. But despite making it to two other finals during her Challenge career, Kam has never come in first. She brings significant strength and endurance to the competition, and it’s no surprise that she regularly goes far and puts up a heck of a fight during elimination challenges. Kam is expecting her first child with fiancé and castmate Leroy Garrett, so she probably won’t return to The Challenge any time soon, but she shouldn’t rule it out for the future.
Cara Maria Sorbello
Cara Maria has two season wins under her belt and has made it to an impressive nine finals, so she’s more than proven she has what it takes to be a Challenge champion. She doesn’t always get along with all of her castmates, but Cara Maria is an undeniably strong competitor with a great desire to win. She’s become less popular with viewers due to her controversial political views and relationship with castmate Paulie Calafiore, but if she were to return to the competition without Paulie, she could win back some of the goodwill she had built up with fans.
Emy Alupei
As one of the breakout female rookies of Spies, Lies & Allies, Emy has only just made her Challenge debut and already amassed a great deal of popularity among fans. The feisty Romanian won four eliminations her first season and after “Uncle” CT took her under his wing, Emy is a new cast member with enormous promise. If she’s not already planning to, Emy should definitely return for season 38 to prove that she has what it takes to become a true Challenge champion, and not a one-off.
Paula Meronek
In the earlier days of The Challenge, Paula was a mainstay, and her substantial running abilities combined with her team spirit got her to several finals before she won Rivals I and II. Paula wasn’t necessarily the biggest or strongest, which was often her downfall in eliminations. However, Paula possesses significant endurance, and that is one of the best qualities to have going into a final. Paula hasn’t competed since her last win on Rivals II, but if she were to return on either the main series or All Stars, Paula could go far yet again.
Jenna Compono
Though Jenna had good luck at the start of her Challenge career and made it to the final of her first three seasons, she began to stagnate in the later seasons she competed on. Many fans believe that it was Jenna’s toxic relationship with her now-husband and castmate Zach Nichols that hindered her success. She was often focused on Zach when she should have been focused on the game. Jenna and Zach recently welcomed their first child together, and though it’s unlikely that Jenna would choose now to return, if she were to come back without Zach, Jenna might secure her first win.
Sarah Rice
Sarah has always performed well, whether working alone or as a team, but her last appearance on The Challenge was heartbreaking. After mending fences with her former rival Johnny Bananas, the two made it to the final of Rivals III and as partners came in first. However, due to a twist in the competition, Bananas got to choose whether he wanted to keep the prize money all for himself, and that’s exactly what he did. Though Sarah technically came in first with Johnny, she went home with nothing, and it was hard to watch. She’s probably done with The Challenge for good, but if Sarah returned and won another season, it would be extremely satisfying.
Though some of these cast members have yet to win a season of The Challenge, that doesn’t mean they can’t, and another shot at the competition could lead them to victory. Even the competitors who have proven themselves to be champions are in high demand by viewers who would love nothing more than to see these female cast members return to kick butt yet again.