Wyoming Seminary vs. USA All-Stars high school girls dual set for NCAA Fan Festival on Saturday, March 23 in Pittsburgh
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
A special event, featuring many of the nation’s best high school girl wrestlers, will be held as part of the NCAA Fan Festival between sessions at the 2019 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Saturday, March 23.
The Wyoming Seminary vs. USA All-Star Dual will be hosted at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Hall A, which is the site of this year’s NCAA Fan Festival. This exciting freestyle wrestling event will begin at approximately 4:15 p.m. ET, at the conclusion of the USA Wrestling Freestyle Practice and Autograph Session. It is free to the general public.
Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School is located in Kingston, Pa. Its girls high school wrestling team is one of the strongest in the nation, coached by former Women’s Team USA athlete and coach Erin Vandiver. The young women train and compete in freestyle, the international style. The program is supported by USA Wrestling as an accelerated elite girl’s developmental program.
All of the athletes on Wyoming Seminary’s team are ranked in the top 20 in the nation in their weight class, and hail from many states.
“Wyoming Seminary, together with SportsPITTSBURGH, the NCAA and USA Wrestling, is excited to present this historic event showcasing top high school wrestlers. The amount of opportunities for girls are increasing exponentially at all levels - we believe it is important to keep a focus on Freestyle for young women. The dual will feature competitive match ups between girls from coast to coast with many USA World/National Team members and All Americans represented,” said Wyoming Seminary’s Women’s Head Wrestling Coach Erin Vandiver.
The USA All-Stars team will include many of the top girl wrestlers from across the nation, all who have major achievements in USA Wrestling’s age-group programs. The lineup is currently being completed and will be announced at a later date. So far, athletes from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Maryland, Colorado, California, Oregon and Illinois are on either the Wyoming Seminary team or the USA All-Star Teams.
Among the expected athletes for Wyoming Seminary are Caitlyn Walker, Vayle Baker and Kennedy Blades.
Walker, a Pennsylvania native, is currently ranked No. 2 in the USA at 106 pounds. She was a 2018 Junior Nationals runner-up and was a member of two U.S. Cadet World Teams. Baker, also from Pennsylvania, is also ranked No. 2 in the nation at 117 pounds. A 2018 Junior Nationals Champion, Baker also made two U.S. Cadet World Teams. Blades, who hails from Illinois, is ranked No. 2 in the USA at 152 pounds and was a 2018 Cadet Nationals Champion.
Among the USA All-Stars expected to compete are Mia Palumbo of Illinois, Alexys Zepeda of Oregon and Amit Elor of California. Palumbo is ranked No. 1 in the nation at 106 pounds, and won 2018 Junior Nationals and Cadet Nationals titles. Zepeda holds a No. 1 national ranking at 122 pounds, and also won 2018 Junior and Cadet Nationals gold medals. Elor is ranked No. 3 at 152 pounds as a freshman, and was a 2018 U15 Pan American Champion.
“Pittsburgh is excited to host this incredible and historic event showcasing these elite female athletes,” said Jennifer Hawkins, executive director, SportsPITTSBURGH. “SportsPITTSBURGH believes in fostering the growth of women and girls in sports to advance and compete at the highest level possible. And, we are honored to bring these gifted athletes to the City of Champions, all while creating a legendary event.”
Girls high school wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. There are 14 states which have official girls high school championships, with many more going through the process to receive official status. Women’s wrestling is also being considered as an NCAA Emerging Sport.
The Wyoming Seminary vs. USA All-Star Dual will be hosted at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Hall A, which is the site of this year’s NCAA Fan Festival. This exciting freestyle wrestling event will begin at approximately 4:15 p.m. ET, at the conclusion of the USA Wrestling Freestyle Practice and Autograph Session. It is free to the general public.
Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School is located in Kingston, Pa. Its girls high school wrestling team is one of the strongest in the nation, coached by former Women’s Team USA athlete and coach Erin Vandiver. The young women train and compete in freestyle, the international style. The program is supported by USA Wrestling as an accelerated elite girl’s developmental program.
All of the athletes on Wyoming Seminary’s team are ranked in the top 20 in the nation in their weight class, and hail from many states.
“Wyoming Seminary, together with SportsPITTSBURGH, the NCAA and USA Wrestling, is excited to present this historic event showcasing top high school wrestlers. The amount of opportunities for girls are increasing exponentially at all levels - we believe it is important to keep a focus on Freestyle for young women. The dual will feature competitive match ups between girls from coast to coast with many USA World/National Team members and All Americans represented,” said Wyoming Seminary’s Women’s Head Wrestling Coach Erin Vandiver.
The USA All-Stars team will include many of the top girl wrestlers from across the nation, all who have major achievements in USA Wrestling’s age-group programs. The lineup is currently being completed and will be announced at a later date. So far, athletes from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Maryland, Colorado, California, Oregon and Illinois are on either the Wyoming Seminary team or the USA All-Star Teams.
Among the expected athletes for Wyoming Seminary are Caitlyn Walker, Vayle Baker and Kennedy Blades.
Walker, a Pennsylvania native, is currently ranked No. 2 in the USA at 106 pounds. She was a 2018 Junior Nationals runner-up and was a member of two U.S. Cadet World Teams. Baker, also from Pennsylvania, is also ranked No. 2 in the nation at 117 pounds. A 2018 Junior Nationals Champion, Baker also made two U.S. Cadet World Teams. Blades, who hails from Illinois, is ranked No. 2 in the USA at 152 pounds and was a 2018 Cadet Nationals Champion.
Among the USA All-Stars expected to compete are Mia Palumbo of Illinois, Alexys Zepeda of Oregon and Amit Elor of California. Palumbo is ranked No. 1 in the nation at 106 pounds, and won 2018 Junior Nationals and Cadet Nationals titles. Zepeda holds a No. 1 national ranking at 122 pounds, and also won 2018 Junior and Cadet Nationals gold medals. Elor is ranked No. 3 at 152 pounds as a freshman, and was a 2018 U15 Pan American Champion.
“Pittsburgh is excited to host this incredible and historic event showcasing these elite female athletes,” said Jennifer Hawkins, executive director, SportsPITTSBURGH. “SportsPITTSBURGH believes in fostering the growth of women and girls in sports to advance and compete at the highest level possible. And, we are honored to bring these gifted athletes to the City of Champions, all while creating a legendary event.”
Girls high school wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. There are 14 states which have official girls high school championships, with many more going through the process to receive official status. Women’s wrestling is also being considered as an NCAA Emerging Sport.
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