2019 WCWA Preview: Four squads expected to battle for team title

The Basics
What: 2019 WCWA National Championships
Where: Cobb Civic Center, Atlanta, Ga.
When: Feb. 8-9
How to watch: Flowrestling.org

New Year, New Host
After spending three years at Oklahoma City University, the WCWA Championships have found a new host for the 2019 tournament: Life University in Atlanta, Ga. This is Life’s first year playing host to the event.

Only eight programs have hosted a women’s college nationals:
Oklahoma City, 4 (2008, 2016, 2017, 2018)
Missouri Valley, 3 (2004, 2009, 2010)
Missouri Baptist, 2 (2014, 2015)
King 2, (2012, 2013)
Menlo College, 2 (2005, 2011)
Univ. of Pacific, 1 (2007)
Univ. of the Cumberlands, 1 (2006)
Life University, 1 (2019)

Four-Horse Team Race
There are four schools with high chances of winning the team title this year, including No. 1 Menlo College, No. 2 McKendree University, No. 3 Wayland Baptist University and No. 4 Simon Fraser. Of these schools, only Simon Fraser has previously won the WCWA title.

McKendree won its first NWCA National Duals title earlier this season, however, it’s important to note that Menlo and Simon Fraser did not attend the event.

Menlo College

• No. 1 wrestlers: 2 (Alleida Martinez at 109 and Gracie Figueroa at 116)
• Wrestlers ranked: 13
• Projected points: 105

McKendree

• No. 1 wrestlers: 1 (Alex Glaude at 155)
• Ranked wrestlers: 15
• Projected points: 93

Wayland Baptist

• Past WCWA champions: 2 (Brittany Marshall at 170 in 2018 and Paige Baynes at 191 in 2018 for Grays Harbor)
• No. 1 wrestlers: 3 (Asia Ray at 101, Marshall at 170, Baynes at 191)
• Ranked wrestlers: 8
• Projected points: 89

Simon Fraser

• Past WCWA champions: 1 (Dominique Parrish at 123 in 2018)
• Past WCWA team titles: 1 (2013)
• No. 1 wrestlers: 2 (Parrish at 123 and Nicole Depa at 136)
• Ranked wrestlers: 10
• Projected points: 86

Weight Classes to Watch
Next week’s tournament is sure to provide some exciting action. There are a few weight classes fans should look out for.

116 pounds
The top-two wrestlers at the weight are true freshman, including No. 1 Gracie Figueroa of Menlo and No. 2 Felicity Taylor of McKendree.

123 pounds
SFU teammates Dom Parrish and Alex Hedrick highlight this weight. Both met up in the 2018 WCWA finals with Parrish taking the win. Also at 123 pounds is Dajan Treder of Providence, who owns a win over Hedrick.

130 pounds
The favorite going in to next week is 2018 U23 World Team member Abby Nette from Emmanuel. Hot on her tracks is multiple-time age-group World Team member Brenda Reyna of McKendree, who was on the 2018 Junior World Team. Also looming at the weight is 2017 WCWA champion and two-time Puerto Rico Junior World Team member Andribeth Rivera of Campbellsville.

Nette is 2-1 against Rivera this year and also owns a win over Reyna, while Reyna has a win over Rivera in their only matchup of the season.

143 pounds
Similar to 116 pounds, there are two freshman at the top of the 143-pound ladder: 2018 Junior World Team member and 2018 Senior National Team member Jayden Laurent and two-time Cadet World Team member Ashlynn Ortega. They have not met up this year.

2016 Junior World bronze medalist and three-time WCWA All-American Alexis Porter, a senior for McKendree, seeks her first WCWA title.

170 pounds
It’ll be exciting to see who emerges at 170 pounds. Both of 2018’s finalists Brittany Marshall of Wayland Baptist and Mariah Harris of Campbellsville return to the field. Also at the weight is 2018 U23 World bronze medalist Korinahe Bullock from McKendree and 2018 Junior World Team member Dymond Guilford of Missouri Baptist. Looking to make an impact at the weight is Menlo junior Precious Bell, ranked No. 2, and Oklahoma City freshman Nkechinyere Nwankwo, ranked No. 3.

Returning WCWA Champions
There are only four past WCWA champions in this year’s field.

Brittany Marshall and Paige Baynes won titles in 2018 at 170 pounds and 191 pounds, respectively. Marshall won hers for Wayland Baptist, while Baynes competed for Grays Harbor.

This year, Baynes transferred to Wayland Baptist and will compete for the Pioneers in Atlanta. Both Marshall and Baynes are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes.

The reigning 123-pound champion Dom Parrish is back for Simon Fraser. She is undefeated on the year and ranked No. 1 going into the tournament.

Andribeth Rivera won the 123-pound bracket in 2017 for Campbellsville. Last year, she did not compete, taking a redshirt season. Heading into the 2019 championships, Rivera is ranked No. 3 at 130 pounds.

Fourth Time’s a Charm
Canadian Junior World Team member Nicole Depa wraps up her collegiate career for Simon Fraser next weekend, seeking her first WCWA title.

Ranked No. 1 at 136 pounds, Depa is a three-time WCWA finalist. In each of her gold-medal bouts, Depa has matched up with some very strong competitors.

In 2016, Depa fell to 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial International bronze medalist Natalia Hinojo of Oklahoma City University at 130 pounds. In 2017, Depa tried her hand at 136 pounds but came up short against 2016 Junior World bronze medalist and eventual four-time WCWA champion Kayla Miracle of Campbellsville. Last year, Depa went back down to 130, dropping the title match to 2018 U23 World champion Grace Bullen of Norway, who wrestled for Campbellsville.

This season, Depa is primed to make another finals appearance and has a strong chance of winning her first WCWA title.

Last Time Out
In 2018, Campbellsville University won its first WCWA team title, edging out Simon Fraser by five points in the team race. Sealing the win for the Tigers was Kayla Miracle at 136 pounds, who was the final bout of the event. Miracle won her fourth WCWA title, propelling Campbellsville over SFU.

Another champion for CU was freshman Grace Bullen at 130 pounds.

SFU also had multiple champions, including Abby Lloyd at 116 pounds, Dominique Parrish at 123 pounds and Mallory Velte at 143 pounds.

Five other schools earned champions last season, counting King, Emmanuel, Lindenwood-Belleville, Wayland Baptist and Grays Harbor.

Coming For Ya
Should Simon Fraser outperform Oklahoma City next weekend, it is likely that the Clansmen will take over as the program with the most WCWA champions in history.

OCU boasts 28 individual champions, with SFU close behind with 26. Rounding out the top-five for most champs is University of the Cumberlands with 20, King with 20 and Missouri Valley with 16.

WCWA Team Champions
Overall, only six schools have won a WCWA team title, including Campbellsville, King, Simon Fraser, Oklahoma City University, University of the Cumberlands and Missouri Valley.

Of the programs, King (4), Oklahoma City (4), Cumberlands (3) and Missouri Valley (2) have multiple titles. Campbellsville won in 2018, while Simon Fraser won its title in 2013.

Year-by-year team champions*
2018 – Campbellsville
2017 – King
2016 – King
2015 – King
2014 – King
2013 – Simon Fraser
2012 – Oklahoma City
2011 – Oklahoma City
2010 – Oklahoma City
2009 – Oklahoma City
2008 – Cumberlands
2007 – Cumberlands
2006 – Cumberlands
2005 – Missouri Valley
2004 – Missouri Valley

*The Women’s College Nationals was renamed to WCWA Nationals in 2008.

World-Class Wrestlers
There are seven past age-group World medalists in the WCWA field and several more who have made a World Team. McKendree has three World medalists, Menlo has two and Wayland Baptist and Emmanuel College each have one.

USA medalists

• Asia Ray, Wayland Baptist (101) – 2017 Junior World bronze
• Alleida Martinez, Menlo College (109) – 2015 Cadet World silver, 2016 Cadet World bronze, 2018 Junior World Team
• Gracie Figueroa, Menlo College (116) – 2016 Cadet World bronze, 2015 and 2017 Cadet World Team, 2017 Junior World Team
• Kayla Marano, Emmanuel College (136) – 2015 Cadet World bronze
• Alexis Porter, McKendree (143) – 2016 Junior World bronze, 2013 Cadet World Team, 2014 Junior World Team
• Alex Glaude, McKendree (155) – 2018 U23 World bronze, 2017 Junior World Team
• Korinahe Bullock, McKendree (170) – 2018 U23 World bronze

USA World Team members

• McKayla Campbell, Campbellsville (109) – 2015 Cadet World Team, 2016 and 2017 Junior World Team
• Theresa Rankin, McKendree (116) – 2014 Cadet World Team
• Dominique Parrish, Simon Fraser (123) – 2017 and 2018 U23 World Team
• Alex Hedrick, Simon Fraser (123) – 2018 Junior World Team
• Koral Sugiyama, Campbellsville (123) – 2014 Cadet World Team
• Abby Nette, Emmanuel College (130) – 2018 U23 World Team
• Brenda Reyna, McKendree (130) – 2016 and 2018 Junior World Team
• Jayden Laurent, Lakeland (143) – 2018 Junior World Team
• Ashlynn Ortega, King (143) – 2015 and 2016 Cadet World Team
• Alyvia Fiske, Simon Fraser (155) – 2018 Junior World Team
• Dymond Guilford, Missouri Baptist (170), 2018 Junior World Team
• Emily Cue, Simon Fraser (170) – 2016 Cadet World Team

Canada World Team members

• Alexia Seal, Simon Fraser (109) – 2015 and 2016 Cadet World Team, 2017 Junior World Team
• Nicole Depa, Simon Fraser (136) – 2017 Junior World Team
• Sara Brinkac, Simon Fraser (143) – 2018 Junior World Team

Puerto Rico World Team members

• Andribeth Rivera, Campbellsville (130) – 2016 Cadet World Team, 2017 and 2018 Junior World Team