#WomensWednesday: Maya Nelson makes big statement with explosive effort at Dave Schultz Memorial
Share:
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Maya Nelson of the Sunkist Kids controls an opponent during the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com
One of the bright stars coming out of the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial Championships was 2017 Junior World champion Maya Nelson, who defeated a strong field to win the gold medal at 65 kg/143 pounds.
In her first tournament since coming back from shoulder surgery, Nelson won all four matches in her round robin, beating two tough Americans, 2018 World bronze medalist Mallory Velte and 2016 U.S. Open champion Amanda Hendey, plus two competitive international athletes in Lais Nunez of Brazil and Indira Moores of Canada.
“I was out all of last year, and I wanted to come out as strong as I have ever been. I wanted to show people that I haven’t fallen off. This isn’t a comeback. It is just me getting back to wrestling and doing what I love. I am just happy to compete. It is a blessing to be able to do what I love,” said Nelson.
Her victory over Velte was in her first match of the tournament, after receiving a first-round bye. Velte was competing shortly after a one-point loss to Hendey. Nelson took control of the action, hitting a four-point hip toss, and went on to an 8-1 win.
Nelson kept up her momentum. Next, she beat Moores in a 12-0 technical fall. She added a pair of decisions to finish unbeaten, stopping Nunes, 6-2 and Hendey, 5-0.
“I was telling myself to take it one match at a time, one period at a time, one minute at a time, just do my best. I want to be explosive out there on the mat. I want to be someone that people want to watch wrestle, someone who is exciting and strong. I don’t compare myself to other people. I want to be better than the last time I wrestled. I did a pretty good job being explosive, doing my best and having fun,”
The word explosive comes out a lot when people talk about Maya Nelson. Assistant National Women’s Coach Clarissa Chun often tells Nelson that her explosiveness is a weapon that she needs to own.
“Maya was very explosive in the way she wrestled at Schultz. There were a lot of things she had to overcome at the time. It was great to see her work through all of that and wrestle in the moment. That contributed to her being able to get the win,” said Chun.
National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner didn’t hesitate when asked what Nelson’s best attributes are as a wrestler.
“It is her explosiveness and power. She is hard to move. She is hard to block,” Steiner said.
Coaches Chun and Steiner, who see her daily in training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, have noticed a change in Nelson since her return from injury. There is a spark there, a new approach, perhaps an increased love and respect for the sport. It showed in her performance at the Dave Schultz Memorial.
“She has this attitude. She brought that with her to the mat at Schultz. I have spoken with her that there is a fine line with the attitude, where it can work against her. She kept her composure and still brought that attitude with her. Technically, she is using what she wants and what she has been working on,” said Chun.
Nelson has decided to compete at non-Olympic 65 kg this year. Based upon her Schultz performance, her past successes, her improvements and her preparation, she becomes a serious threat to make a Senior World Team this year.
“I know it isn’t an Olympic weight class. I am going to go there and do my best this year, then next year, I’ll go down to 62 kg. I want to do my best wherever I am at. To be the best in the world, I have to beat the best in the world. Every day, I am striving to be a World champion. That is my goal whenever I step on the mat,” said Nelson.
There was a bit of drama in her victory at Schultz. The match against Velte was held before Mallory had the full 20 minute rest period, and a decision was made by event officials to re-wrestle the match the next day. Nelson decided not to wrestle Velte again and forfeited. When the tournament ended, she was handed a silver medal. The entire situation was reviewed by the UWW representative there, and it was decided that the Nelson victory over Velte would count, which gave her the gold medal. It was not announced until well after Nelson had left the gym.
“I was going out to eat with my mom and dad. I am from Denver and a lot of people came out to watch me. One of my coaches, Ike Anderson, called me and he said, ‘You won.’ I was, like, ‘What?’ I told him I have the silver medal right here. He said I had to bring that back,” Nelson said the next day.
Although she is proud of her Schultz performance, Nelson is already focusing on the next task at hand, the next chance to show how she has continued to improve and grow as a wrestler.
“I am going on a double tour to Sweden and Germany. I get to go out there and have some hard competition. I am ready for it,” she said.
WOMEN’S WRESTLING NOTES
SIGN THE PETITION – Today, the non-profit Wrestle Like A Girl initiated a new project entitled Wrestle The Gap. The campaign notes that currently there is only one NCAA Div. I wrestling program in women’s wrestling. Supporters are asked to sign a petition seeking more opportunities for female wrestlers on the NCAA Div. I level, as well as providing support for the effort of the wrestling community to secure emerging sport status for girls wrestling within the NCAA. To sign the petition, go to
https://www.wrestlelikeagirl.org
The girls wrestling team at Wyoming Seminary, coached by former USA Wrestling Assistant National Coach Erin Vandiver, focuses on freestyle wrestling and recruits many of the top young female wrestlers in the nation. With a freestyle focus, the Wyoming Seminary schedule includes a number of international competitions. A contingent of SEM wrestlers competed against Senior women at the Dave Schultz Memorial in January, with medals from Amanda Walker (silver at 57 kg) and Vayle Baker (bronze at 55 kg). This weekend, 11 members of the team will compete in the Flatz Open in Austria, with some athletes in the UWW Cadet division and others in the combined UWW Junior/Senior division. Earlier this year, SEM athletes competed in Japan at the Yoshida Cup.
In keeping with the busy girls high school state post-season schedule, girls state championships (both official and unofficial) were held in Kentucky, North Carolina and Michigan last weekend. Here are a list of nationally ranked high school girls who won a state high school title last week.
No. 17 at 106 lbs. - Rayana Sahagun of Sparta High School, Michigan state champion at 105
No. 19 at 138 lbs. - Courtney Pittman of Anderson County High School, Kentucky state champion at 138
No. 20 at 200 - Myranda Johnson of North Iredell High School, North Carolina state champion at 195
One of the bright stars coming out of the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial Championships was 2017 Junior World champion Maya Nelson, who defeated a strong field to win the gold medal at 65 kg/143 pounds.
In her first tournament since coming back from shoulder surgery, Nelson won all four matches in her round robin, beating two tough Americans, 2018 World bronze medalist Mallory Velte and 2016 U.S. Open champion Amanda Hendey, plus two competitive international athletes in Lais Nunez of Brazil and Indira Moores of Canada.
“I was out all of last year, and I wanted to come out as strong as I have ever been. I wanted to show people that I haven’t fallen off. This isn’t a comeback. It is just me getting back to wrestling and doing what I love. I am just happy to compete. It is a blessing to be able to do what I love,” said Nelson.
Her victory over Velte was in her first match of the tournament, after receiving a first-round bye. Velte was competing shortly after a one-point loss to Hendey. Nelson took control of the action, hitting a four-point hip toss, and went on to an 8-1 win.
Nelson kept up her momentum. Next, she beat Moores in a 12-0 technical fall. She added a pair of decisions to finish unbeaten, stopping Nunes, 6-2 and Hendey, 5-0.
“I was telling myself to take it one match at a time, one period at a time, one minute at a time, just do my best. I want to be explosive out there on the mat. I want to be someone that people want to watch wrestle, someone who is exciting and strong. I don’t compare myself to other people. I want to be better than the last time I wrestled. I did a pretty good job being explosive, doing my best and having fun,”
The word explosive comes out a lot when people talk about Maya Nelson. Assistant National Women’s Coach Clarissa Chun often tells Nelson that her explosiveness is a weapon that she needs to own.
“Maya was very explosive in the way she wrestled at Schultz. There were a lot of things she had to overcome at the time. It was great to see her work through all of that and wrestle in the moment. That contributed to her being able to get the win,” said Chun.
National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner didn’t hesitate when asked what Nelson’s best attributes are as a wrestler.
“It is her explosiveness and power. She is hard to move. She is hard to block,” Steiner said.
Coaches Chun and Steiner, who see her daily in training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, have noticed a change in Nelson since her return from injury. There is a spark there, a new approach, perhaps an increased love and respect for the sport. It showed in her performance at the Dave Schultz Memorial.
“She has this attitude. She brought that with her to the mat at Schultz. I have spoken with her that there is a fine line with the attitude, where it can work against her. She kept her composure and still brought that attitude with her. Technically, she is using what she wants and what she has been working on,” said Chun.
Nelson has decided to compete at non-Olympic 65 kg this year. Based upon her Schultz performance, her past successes, her improvements and her preparation, she becomes a serious threat to make a Senior World Team this year.
“I know it isn’t an Olympic weight class. I am going to go there and do my best this year, then next year, I’ll go down to 62 kg. I want to do my best wherever I am at. To be the best in the world, I have to beat the best in the world. Every day, I am striving to be a World champion. That is my goal whenever I step on the mat,” said Nelson.
There was a bit of drama in her victory at Schultz. The match against Velte was held before Mallory had the full 20 minute rest period, and a decision was made by event officials to re-wrestle the match the next day. Nelson decided not to wrestle Velte again and forfeited. When the tournament ended, she was handed a silver medal. The entire situation was reviewed by the UWW representative there, and it was decided that the Nelson victory over Velte would count, which gave her the gold medal. It was not announced until well after Nelson had left the gym.
“I was going out to eat with my mom and dad. I am from Denver and a lot of people came out to watch me. One of my coaches, Ike Anderson, called me and he said, ‘You won.’ I was, like, ‘What?’ I told him I have the silver medal right here. He said I had to bring that back,” Nelson said the next day.
Although she is proud of her Schultz performance, Nelson is already focusing on the next task at hand, the next chance to show how she has continued to improve and grow as a wrestler.
“I am going on a double tour to Sweden and Germany. I get to go out there and have some hard competition. I am ready for it,” she said.
WOMEN’S WRESTLING NOTES
SIGN THE PETITION – Today, the non-profit Wrestle Like A Girl initiated a new project entitled Wrestle The Gap. The campaign notes that currently there is only one NCAA Div. I wrestling program in women’s wrestling. Supporters are asked to sign a petition seeking more opportunities for female wrestlers on the NCAA Div. I level, as well as providing support for the effort of the wrestling community to secure emerging sport status for girls wrestling within the NCAA. To sign the petition, go to
https://www.wrestlelikeagirl.org
The girls wrestling team at Wyoming Seminary, coached by former USA Wrestling Assistant National Coach Erin Vandiver, focuses on freestyle wrestling and recruits many of the top young female wrestlers in the nation. With a freestyle focus, the Wyoming Seminary schedule includes a number of international competitions. A contingent of SEM wrestlers competed against Senior women at the Dave Schultz Memorial in January, with medals from Amanda Walker (silver at 57 kg) and Vayle Baker (bronze at 55 kg). This weekend, 11 members of the team will compete in the Flatz Open in Austria, with some athletes in the UWW Cadet division and others in the combined UWW Junior/Senior division. Earlier this year, SEM athletes competed in Japan at the Yoshida Cup.
In keeping with the busy girls high school state post-season schedule, girls state championships (both official and unofficial) were held in Kentucky, North Carolina and Michigan last weekend. Here are a list of nationally ranked high school girls who won a state high school title last week.
No. 17 at 106 lbs. - Rayana Sahagun of Sparta High School, Michigan state champion at 105
No. 19 at 138 lbs. - Courtney Pittman of Anderson County High School, Kentucky state champion at 138
No. 20 at 200 - Myranda Johnson of North Iredell High School, North Carolina state champion at 195
Read More#
Elections to be held for USA Wrestling Standing Committees Positions; Nomination deadline is July 20
Blades beats Welker and wins OW at USMC U20 Nationals, Elor, Jimenez, Gomez, Nwachukwu repeat as champions
USA Wrestling sets new total membership record, surpassing previous mark of 252,509, on Tuesday night
USA Wrestling Job Opportunity: Coordinator, National Teams & Regional Training Centers
