Experience highlights the U.S. U23 Women’s World Team, set to compete in Bucharest, Nov. 12-18
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by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
Becka Leathers of the USA at the 2017 World Championships. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
The USA is sending an experienced and impressive women’s freestyle team to the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 12-18.
Leading the women’s freestyle team are a pair of Senior World Team members, including 2017 World bronze medalist Becka Leathers and 2018 World fifth-placer Forrest Molinari.
Leathers is making her fifth World appearance on behalf of USA Wrestling. She is a 2013 Cadet World Team member, a two-time Junior World Team member, a 2017 Senior World Team member and a 2018 U23 World Team member. A native of Oklahoma, Leathers owns two World medals, a 2017 Senior bronze and a 2015 Junior bronze.
In addition to her World medals, Leathers has claimed several other international medals, including golds at the 2017 and 2018 Senior Pan American Championships, 2017 Grand Prix of Spain, 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International, 2016 Bill Farrell International and 2015 Junior Pan American Championships.
Earlier this summer, Leathers was a Final X runner-up, taking the No. 2 spot on the Senior National Team ladder at 55 kg. In Bucharest, she will compete at 57 kg/125 lbs.
Fresh off an impressive Senior Worlds debut, Molinari continues her quest for a World medal, travelling to the U23 World Championships.
Molinari has had a break out year this season, finishing second at the U.S. Open and following up that performance with a gold medal at the Pan American Championships. Weeks later, Molinari knocked off U.S. Open champion Julia Salata in Final X at Lehigh, two matches to none, for a bid to the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
In Budapest, Molinari fell just shy of winning a World bronze medal, taking fifth in the World at 65 kg/143 lbs. in her first Senior World outing.
Her trip to Bucharest will mark Molinari’s second-straight U23 Worlds.
Also heading to the U23 World Championships for the second-consecutive year is USA star Kayla Miracle. Overall, the Kentucky resident is making her seventh trip to an age-group World Championships.
A four-time WCWA champion for Campbellsville, Miracle is a 2012 Cadet World silver medalist, 2014 and 2016 Junior World bronze medalist, and last year, she was fifth at the U23 World Championships.
This year, she moved up to 62 kg from 58 kg and has made a huge impact. She won her second U.S. Open title in April to earn a spot in Final X. She fell short of making the Senior World Team, losing to eventual 2018 World bronze medalist Mallory Velte, two matches to one.
Next week, Miracle looks to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish.
Both Molinari and Miracle recently signed with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club in Iowa City, Iowa, as their Regional Training Center.
In addition to Leathers and Miracle, there are two other Final X runners-up, including Rachel Watters at 72 kg/158 lbs. and Korinahe Bullock at 76 kg/167 lbs.
Watters is a two-time U23 World Team member (2017, 2018) and a three-time Junior World Team member (2015-17). In all four of her Worlds appearances so far, she put together top-10 finishes in the World.
Bullock is new to the international freestyle scene as this will be her first competition for the USA outside of the country. A sophomore for McKendree, Bullock was a 2018 WCWA All-American.
Also returning to the U23 World Championships is Cody Pfau at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Dominique Parrish at 55 kg/121 lbs. Both are also two-time Senior National Team members.
Pfau is a three-time WCWA champion for Emmanuel College and Oklahoma City University and has made three trips to the Junior World Championships. In 2013 and 2015, she finished fifth in the Junior Worlds. Earlier this summer, Pfau won bronze at the Grand Prix of Spain.
Parrish is a 2018 WCWA champion and three-time All-American for Simon Fraser, who notched a second-place finish at both the U.S. Open and the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. Her international medals include a bronze at the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International and a gold at the 2016 SFU Clansmen Open.
After taking ninth at the 2017 Junior World Championships, Alex Glaude has shown great improvement and put herself on the Senior National Team this year. In addition to landing a spot on the National Team, Glaude has claimed silver at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, bronze at the Bill Farrell International and took third at the U.S. Open.
Glaude will compete at 68 kg/150 lbs. in Bucharest.
Making their first World Championships trips are WCWA stars Charlotte Fowler of Campbellsville at 53 kg/117 lbs. and Abigail Nette of Emmanuel at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Fowler, who finished eighth at the U.S. Open, is a two-time All-American for the Tigers, while Nette claimed All-American honors for the Lions in February.
The women’s freestyle portion of the competition will take place Nov. 14-16 in Bucharest, Romania.
Fans can keep up with the action by following @USAWrestling on Twitter and watch live on Trackwrestling.com.
2018 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 12-18
U.S. women’s freestyle roster
50 kg: Cody Pfau (Brush, Colo./Titan Mercury WC)
53 kg: Charlotte Fowler (Katy, Texas/Campbellsville)
55 kg: Dominique Parrish (Scotts Valley, Calif./Sunkist Kids)
57 kg: Becka Leathers (Choctaw, Okla./Titan Mercury WC/ Tarheel WC)
59 kg: Abigail Nette (Saint Rose, La./Lion WC)
62 kg: Kayla Miracle (Campbellsville, Ky./Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC)
65 kg: Forrest Molinari (Benicia, Calif./Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
68 kg: Alexandria Glaude (West Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC/Bearcat WC)
72 kg: Rachel Watters (Ankeny, Iowa/Aries WC)
76 kg: Korinahe Bullock (Cahokia, Ill./Bearcat WC)
Coach - Kristie Davis, Franklin Springs, Ga.
Schedule (six hours ahead of U.S. ET)
Monday, Nov. 12
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
6 p.m. - Semifinals (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
Tuesday, Nov. 13
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
4:45 p.m. – Opening ceremonies
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
Wednesday, Nov. 14
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
Thursday, Nov. 15
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
Friday, Nov. 16
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
Saturday, Nov. 17
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
Sunday, Nov. 18
4 p.m. – Repechage (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
The USA is sending an experienced and impressive women’s freestyle team to the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 12-18.
Leading the women’s freestyle team are a pair of Senior World Team members, including 2017 World bronze medalist Becka Leathers and 2018 World fifth-placer Forrest Molinari.
Leathers is making her fifth World appearance on behalf of USA Wrestling. She is a 2013 Cadet World Team member, a two-time Junior World Team member, a 2017 Senior World Team member and a 2018 U23 World Team member. A native of Oklahoma, Leathers owns two World medals, a 2017 Senior bronze and a 2015 Junior bronze.
In addition to her World medals, Leathers has claimed several other international medals, including golds at the 2017 and 2018 Senior Pan American Championships, 2017 Grand Prix of Spain, 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International, 2016 Bill Farrell International and 2015 Junior Pan American Championships.
Earlier this summer, Leathers was a Final X runner-up, taking the No. 2 spot on the Senior National Team ladder at 55 kg. In Bucharest, she will compete at 57 kg/125 lbs.
Fresh off an impressive Senior Worlds debut, Molinari continues her quest for a World medal, travelling to the U23 World Championships.
Molinari has had a break out year this season, finishing second at the U.S. Open and following up that performance with a gold medal at the Pan American Championships. Weeks later, Molinari knocked off U.S. Open champion Julia Salata in Final X at Lehigh, two matches to none, for a bid to the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
In Budapest, Molinari fell just shy of winning a World bronze medal, taking fifth in the World at 65 kg/143 lbs. in her first Senior World outing.
Her trip to Bucharest will mark Molinari’s second-straight U23 Worlds.
Also heading to the U23 World Championships for the second-consecutive year is USA star Kayla Miracle. Overall, the Kentucky resident is making her seventh trip to an age-group World Championships.
A four-time WCWA champion for Campbellsville, Miracle is a 2012 Cadet World silver medalist, 2014 and 2016 Junior World bronze medalist, and last year, she was fifth at the U23 World Championships.
This year, she moved up to 62 kg from 58 kg and has made a huge impact. She won her second U.S. Open title in April to earn a spot in Final X. She fell short of making the Senior World Team, losing to eventual 2018 World bronze medalist Mallory Velte, two matches to one.
Next week, Miracle looks to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish.
Both Molinari and Miracle recently signed with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club in Iowa City, Iowa, as their Regional Training Center.
In addition to Leathers and Miracle, there are two other Final X runners-up, including Rachel Watters at 72 kg/158 lbs. and Korinahe Bullock at 76 kg/167 lbs.
Watters is a two-time U23 World Team member (2017, 2018) and a three-time Junior World Team member (2015-17). In all four of her Worlds appearances so far, she put together top-10 finishes in the World.
Bullock is new to the international freestyle scene as this will be her first competition for the USA outside of the country. A sophomore for McKendree, Bullock was a 2018 WCWA All-American.
Also returning to the U23 World Championships is Cody Pfau at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Dominique Parrish at 55 kg/121 lbs. Both are also two-time Senior National Team members.
Pfau is a three-time WCWA champion for Emmanuel College and Oklahoma City University and has made three trips to the Junior World Championships. In 2013 and 2015, she finished fifth in the Junior Worlds. Earlier this summer, Pfau won bronze at the Grand Prix of Spain.
Parrish is a 2018 WCWA champion and three-time All-American for Simon Fraser, who notched a second-place finish at both the U.S. Open and the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. Her international medals include a bronze at the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International and a gold at the 2016 SFU Clansmen Open.
After taking ninth at the 2017 Junior World Championships, Alex Glaude has shown great improvement and put herself on the Senior National Team this year. In addition to landing a spot on the National Team, Glaude has claimed silver at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, bronze at the Bill Farrell International and took third at the U.S. Open.
Glaude will compete at 68 kg/150 lbs. in Bucharest.
Making their first World Championships trips are WCWA stars Charlotte Fowler of Campbellsville at 53 kg/117 lbs. and Abigail Nette of Emmanuel at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Fowler, who finished eighth at the U.S. Open, is a two-time All-American for the Tigers, while Nette claimed All-American honors for the Lions in February.
The women’s freestyle portion of the competition will take place Nov. 14-16 in Bucharest, Romania.
Fans can keep up with the action by following @USAWrestling on Twitter and watch live on Trackwrestling.com.
2018 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 12-18
U.S. women’s freestyle roster
50 kg: Cody Pfau (Brush, Colo./Titan Mercury WC)
53 kg: Charlotte Fowler (Katy, Texas/Campbellsville)
55 kg: Dominique Parrish (Scotts Valley, Calif./Sunkist Kids)
57 kg: Becka Leathers (Choctaw, Okla./Titan Mercury WC/ Tarheel WC)
59 kg: Abigail Nette (Saint Rose, La./Lion WC)
62 kg: Kayla Miracle (Campbellsville, Ky./Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC)
65 kg: Forrest Molinari (Benicia, Calif./Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
68 kg: Alexandria Glaude (West Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC/Bearcat WC)
72 kg: Rachel Watters (Ankeny, Iowa/Aries WC)
76 kg: Korinahe Bullock (Cahokia, Ill./Bearcat WC)
Coach - Kristie Davis, Franklin Springs, Ga.
Schedule (six hours ahead of U.S. ET)
Monday, Nov. 12
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
6 p.m. - Semifinals (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
Tuesday, Nov. 13
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
4:45 p.m. – Opening ceremonies
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)
Wednesday, Nov. 14
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 60 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)
Thursday, Nov. 15
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg)
Friday, Nov. 16
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
Saturday, Nov. 17
10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
10:30 a.m. – Repechage (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
5:15 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (MFS 57 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg)
Sunday, Nov. 18
4 p.m. – Repechage (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (MFS 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)
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