Miracle, Mensah, Francis repeat as Women’s University National champions
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by USA Wrestling
Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids squares off with Becka Leathers of the Titan Mercury WC in the 58 kg finals at the Women's University Nationals. Photo courtesy of OWrestle.com
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Three wrestlers repeated as champions with victories in the finals of the Women’s University Nationals at Oklahoma City University’s Freede Center on Saturday.
Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids, a 2014 Junior World medalist, defeated 2015 Junior World medalist Becka Leathers of the Titan Mercury WC in the finals at 58 kg/128 lbs. in an 11-1 technical fall. Miracle got her offense going, and was especially effective with her counter offense. Both athletes were 2015 WCWA women’s college national champions at different weights. Miracle wrestles for Campbellsville University, while Leathers competes for Oklahoma City University.
Miracle was named Outstanding Wrestler for the Women’s University Nationals based upon her performance.
Tarkiya Mensah of Wayland Baptist University won a wild finals match at 55 kg/121 lbs. to repeat as University Nationals champion. She edged Rachel Archer of OKCU/Gator WC, 12-8. Mensah got the early lead and was effective on her takedown attacks. Archer hit two big throws and almost pinned Mensah on one of her moves.
Victoria Francis of the Titan Mercury WC repeated as champion at 75 kg/165 lbs. in a close 3-2 decision over Jessika Rottier of the University of the Cumberlands. Francis is a two-time WCWA women’s college national champion for Lindenwood University.
In a rematch of last year’s University Nationals finals, as well as the finals at the 2016 U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Erin Golston of the NYAC scored a 12-2 technical fall over Cody Pfau of the OKCU/Gator RTC.
In last year’s University Nationals finals, Pfau pinned Golston in 1:51. In the 2016 U.S. Open finals, Golston jumped to an 8-0 lead on Pfau, but on a scramble, Pfau turned and pinned Golston to win her first Senior Nationals title. Golston was a University Nationals champion in 2014. She and Pfau have wrestled many times in the past.
At, 53 kg/116.5 lbs., Haley Augello of the New York AC scored a technical fall over returning University Nationals champion Amy Fearnside of the Titan Mercury WC, 12-2. Augello, a 2015 WCWA national champion for King Univ., is taking an Olympic redshirt year and is training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Fearnside competed for Jamestown University.
At 63 kg/138.75 lbs., 2015 WCWA college national champion Mallory Velte of the Titan Mercury WC defeated Shai Mason of Titan Mercury WC, 3-0. Velte wrestles for Simon Fraser University in college, and was a member of the 2015 U.S. Junior World Team.
At 69 kg/152 lbs, Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC edged Julia Salata of the New York AC, 3-0 in the finals. Page normally competes at 63 kg, but had travel problems which caused her to move up a weight class. Page and Salata won the University Nationals in 2014 in different weight classes, Page at 60 kg and Salata at 75 kg.
Winning her first University Nationals title was Maya Nelson of the Sunkist Kids, who scored an 11-1 technical fall over Francesca Giorgio of Burnaby Mountain in the finals at 60 kg/132 lbs. Nelson competes for the University of the Cumberlands, while Giorgio wrestles for Simon Fraser University.
The top two athletes in each weight class qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. If any of these athletes have already qualified for Iowa City, that spot will go unfilled.
There were four wrestlers who had not already qualified who reached the finals and punched their ticket to Iowa City. They were
• Amy Fearnside (Jamestown, N.D./Titan Mercury WC)
• Tarkiya Mensah (Katy, Texas/Wayland Baptist)
• Rachel Archer (Winlock, Wash./Oklahoma City Univ.)
• Shai Mason (Jamestown, N.D./Titan Mercury WC)
WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY NATIONALS
At Oklahoma City, Okla., March 26
48 kg /105.5 lbs.
1st -. Erin Golston (NYAC) tech. fall Cody Pfau (OKCU/Gator RTC), 12-2
3rd - Breonnah Neal (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Marina Doi (Titan Mercury WC), 7-1
5th - Sarah Allen (High Altitude WC) inj. dft. over Regina Doi (Titan Mercury WC)
53 kg/116.5 lbs
1st - Haley Augello (NYAC) tech. fall Amy Fearnside (Titan Mercury WC), 12-2
3rd - Lindsey Spjut (McKendree University) dec. Ricki Liang (King University), 9-2
5th - Cindy Calixto (Lion WC) pin Daisy Santos (King University), 4:00
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Tarkyia Mensah (Wayland Baptist University) dec. Rachel Archer (OKCU/Gator RTC), 12-8
3rd - Shelby Morrison (OKCU/Gator RTC) dec. Hailee Lilly (McKendree University), 6-6
5th - Madelynn McIlwain (Washougal) pin Jathiya Isaac (Wayland Baptist University), 2:10
58 kg/128 lbs.
1st – Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Becka Leathers (Titan Mercury WC), 11-1
3rd - Megan Black (McKendree University) tech fall Dominique Parrish (Burnaby Mountain), 13-3
5th - Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP) forfeit Lauren Louive (Hawkeye WC))
60 kg/132 lbs
1st - Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Francesca Giorgio (Burnaby Mountain), 11-1
3rd - Koral Sugiyama (Campbellsville University) tech fall Axa Molina (Lindenwood Women`s WC), 12-2
5th - Carla Ponce (OKCU/Gator RTC) injury default Natalia Hinojo (OKCU/Gator RTC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
1st- Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Shai Mason (Titan Mercury WC), 3-0
3rd - Olivia Seppinni (McKendree University) forfeit Alexis Porter (McKendree University)
5th - Maggie Douma (OKCU/Gator RTC) pin Rachel McFarland (Titan Mercury WC), 2:31
69 kg/152 lbs
1st - Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Julia Salata (NYAC), 3-0
3rd - Forrest Molinari (King University) dec. Lorie Ramos (Titan Mercury WC), 4-4
5th - Lisa Gonzalez (Lindenwood Women`s WC) tech fall Michelle Organ (Campbellsville University), 12-2
75 kg/165.5 lbs
1st – Victoria Francis (Lindenwood Women`s WC) dec. Jessika Rottier (University of the Cumberlands), 3-2
3rd - Niauni Hill (Lynx Wrestling) pin Brittany Marshall (Wayland Baptist University), 5:23
5th - Mary Westman (Jimmie Wrestling Club) injury default Brandy Lowe (McKendree University)
Outstanding Wrestler – Kayla Miracle, Sunkist Kids, 58 kg
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Three wrestlers repeated as champions with victories in the finals of the Women’s University Nationals at Oklahoma City University’s Freede Center on Saturday.
Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids, a 2014 Junior World medalist, defeated 2015 Junior World medalist Becka Leathers of the Titan Mercury WC in the finals at 58 kg/128 lbs. in an 11-1 technical fall. Miracle got her offense going, and was especially effective with her counter offense. Both athletes were 2015 WCWA women’s college national champions at different weights. Miracle wrestles for Campbellsville University, while Leathers competes for Oklahoma City University.
Miracle was named Outstanding Wrestler for the Women’s University Nationals based upon her performance.
Tarkiya Mensah of Wayland Baptist University won a wild finals match at 55 kg/121 lbs. to repeat as University Nationals champion. She edged Rachel Archer of OKCU/Gator WC, 12-8. Mensah got the early lead and was effective on her takedown attacks. Archer hit two big throws and almost pinned Mensah on one of her moves.
Victoria Francis of the Titan Mercury WC repeated as champion at 75 kg/165 lbs. in a close 3-2 decision over Jessika Rottier of the University of the Cumberlands. Francis is a two-time WCWA women’s college national champion for Lindenwood University.
In a rematch of last year’s University Nationals finals, as well as the finals at the 2016 U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Erin Golston of the NYAC scored a 12-2 technical fall over Cody Pfau of the OKCU/Gator RTC.
In last year’s University Nationals finals, Pfau pinned Golston in 1:51. In the 2016 U.S. Open finals, Golston jumped to an 8-0 lead on Pfau, but on a scramble, Pfau turned and pinned Golston to win her first Senior Nationals title. Golston was a University Nationals champion in 2014. She and Pfau have wrestled many times in the past.
At, 53 kg/116.5 lbs., Haley Augello of the New York AC scored a technical fall over returning University Nationals champion Amy Fearnside of the Titan Mercury WC, 12-2. Augello, a 2015 WCWA national champion for King Univ., is taking an Olympic redshirt year and is training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Fearnside competed for Jamestown University.
At 63 kg/138.75 lbs., 2015 WCWA college national champion Mallory Velte of the Titan Mercury WC defeated Shai Mason of Titan Mercury WC, 3-0. Velte wrestles for Simon Fraser University in college, and was a member of the 2015 U.S. Junior World Team.
At 69 kg/152 lbs, Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC edged Julia Salata of the New York AC, 3-0 in the finals. Page normally competes at 63 kg, but had travel problems which caused her to move up a weight class. Page and Salata won the University Nationals in 2014 in different weight classes, Page at 60 kg and Salata at 75 kg.
Winning her first University Nationals title was Maya Nelson of the Sunkist Kids, who scored an 11-1 technical fall over Francesca Giorgio of Burnaby Mountain in the finals at 60 kg/132 lbs. Nelson competes for the University of the Cumberlands, while Giorgio wrestles for Simon Fraser University.
The top two athletes in each weight class qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. If any of these athletes have already qualified for Iowa City, that spot will go unfilled.
There were four wrestlers who had not already qualified who reached the finals and punched their ticket to Iowa City. They were
• Amy Fearnside (Jamestown, N.D./Titan Mercury WC)
• Tarkiya Mensah (Katy, Texas/Wayland Baptist)
• Rachel Archer (Winlock, Wash./Oklahoma City Univ.)
• Shai Mason (Jamestown, N.D./Titan Mercury WC)
WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY NATIONALS
At Oklahoma City, Okla., March 26
48 kg /105.5 lbs.
1st -. Erin Golston (NYAC) tech. fall Cody Pfau (OKCU/Gator RTC), 12-2
3rd - Breonnah Neal (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Marina Doi (Titan Mercury WC), 7-1
5th - Sarah Allen (High Altitude WC) inj. dft. over Regina Doi (Titan Mercury WC)
53 kg/116.5 lbs
1st - Haley Augello (NYAC) tech. fall Amy Fearnside (Titan Mercury WC), 12-2
3rd - Lindsey Spjut (McKendree University) dec. Ricki Liang (King University), 9-2
5th - Cindy Calixto (Lion WC) pin Daisy Santos (King University), 4:00
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Tarkyia Mensah (Wayland Baptist University) dec. Rachel Archer (OKCU/Gator RTC), 12-8
3rd - Shelby Morrison (OKCU/Gator RTC) dec. Hailee Lilly (McKendree University), 6-6
5th - Madelynn McIlwain (Washougal) pin Jathiya Isaac (Wayland Baptist University), 2:10
58 kg/128 lbs.
1st – Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Becka Leathers (Titan Mercury WC), 11-1
3rd - Megan Black (McKendree University) tech fall Dominique Parrish (Burnaby Mountain), 13-3
5th - Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP) forfeit Lauren Louive (Hawkeye WC))
60 kg/132 lbs
1st - Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Francesca Giorgio (Burnaby Mountain), 11-1
3rd - Koral Sugiyama (Campbellsville University) tech fall Axa Molina (Lindenwood Women`s WC), 12-2
5th - Carla Ponce (OKCU/Gator RTC) injury default Natalia Hinojo (OKCU/Gator RTC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
1st- Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Shai Mason (Titan Mercury WC), 3-0
3rd - Olivia Seppinni (McKendree University) forfeit Alexis Porter (McKendree University)
5th - Maggie Douma (OKCU/Gator RTC) pin Rachel McFarland (Titan Mercury WC), 2:31
69 kg/152 lbs
1st - Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Julia Salata (NYAC), 3-0
3rd - Forrest Molinari (King University) dec. Lorie Ramos (Titan Mercury WC), 4-4
5th - Lisa Gonzalez (Lindenwood Women`s WC) tech fall Michelle Organ (Campbellsville University), 12-2
75 kg/165.5 lbs
1st – Victoria Francis (Lindenwood Women`s WC) dec. Jessika Rottier (University of the Cumberlands), 3-2
3rd - Niauni Hill (Lynx Wrestling) pin Brittany Marshall (Wayland Baptist University), 5:23
5th - Mary Westman (Jimmie Wrestling Club) injury default Brandy Lowe (McKendree University)
Outstanding Wrestler – Kayla Miracle, Sunkist Kids, 58 kg
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