Maroulis remains No. 1 as seven U.S. women appear in March UWW rankings

Helen Maroulis after beating Saori Yoshida from Japan at 53 kg to win gold at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Seven U.S. women found a place in the World rankings released by United World Wrestling today with Olympic champion Helen Maroulis (Rockville, M.D./Sunkist Kids) holding the highest ranking at No. 1 at 53 kg/116 lbs. 

Maroulis became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling last August. The year prior she won her first World title in Las Vegas, Nev. at 55 kg/121 lbs. Maroulis started off the year by wrestling at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial International up at 60 kg/130 lbs., where she was a bronze medalist.

Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 2016 World silver medalist, remains at No. 2 in the rankings at 60 kg/132 lbs. Ragan last competed at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial International, where she was a took home a silver medal.

Four of the seven U.S. Women are ranked in the top 10 rankings of their weight class. Moving up two spots in this month’s rankings is Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury) at No. 6 at 69 kg/152 lbs. Mensah won the respected Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia, where she became the first U.S. woman to win the tournament since 2010.

Victoria Anthony (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) remains at No. 8 at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. after winning a gold medal at the Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial. She also won her second WCWA Women’s College Nationals for Wayland Baptist.

Coming in at No. 14 is 2016 World Team member Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Hildebrandt last competed at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial International, where she did not medal.

Dropping two spots from last month’s rankings to claim a spot at No. 16 is Haley Augello (Lockport, Ill./New York AC) at 48 kg. This month, Augello competed in the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial International, where she took home a bronze medal at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. She also won her third WCWA Women’s Nationals title for King University.

Joining this month’s rankings at No. 17 is Becka Leathers at 55 kg/121 lbs. Leathers dominated in her weight class at the Dave Schultz Memorial International this past month. She also competed in the Klippan Lady Open, where she did not place.

Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) and Adeline Gray (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) were both featured in the top 10 of their respective weight classes in last month’s rankings but did not make an appearance this month. Gray is recovering from injury this year. Pirozhkova last wrestled in the Dave Schultz Memorial in February, where she was a bronze medalist.

U.S. women's freestyle wrestlers ranked in the UWW March 2017 rankings

No. 1 at 53 kg – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, M.D. (Sunkist Kids)
No. 2 at 60 kg – Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

No. 6 at 69 kg – Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC)
No. 8 at 48 kg – Victoria Anthony, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
No. 14 at 55 kg – Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
No. 16 at 48 kg – Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC)

No. 17 at 55 kg- Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)