Menlo puts eight into finals to clinch the first NAIA Women’s National Invitational team title
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Alleida Martinez (left) and Gracie Figueroa (right) of Menlo win their semifinal bouts, Video capture from FloWrestling stream.
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Coming into the historic first NAIA Women’s National Invitational, Menlo College was a favorite to win the title, after claiming the WCWA Nationals in February, and holding the No. 1 NAIA ranking at the end of the dual meet season.
The team, coached by Joey Bareng, came in with a lot of confidence and high expectations. Their performance on Saturday at the Newman Arena at Jamestown University has been nothing short of spectacular.
The Oaks pushed eight athletes into the gold-medal round and added four other All-Americans on the back side, heading into the medal match rounds. At the end of the consolation semifinals, Menlo had 196.5 points, with a big 52 point lead over Oklahoma City with 144.5 points. Rounding out the top five were third-place Jamestown, fourth-place Campbellsville and fifth-place Univ. of Cumberlands.
All three of the Oaks who were WCWA national champions in February made the finals, Alleida Martinez (109), Gracie Figueroa (109) and Solin Pearcy of Menlo (136).
Menlo won all three of their head-to-head semifinals against Oklahoma City. At 116 pounds, Figueroa pinned Cassidy Jasperson of OCU at 2:32. Both of the semifinals at 143 pounds were Menlo vs. OCU showdowns. Marilyn Garcia knocked off No. 1 seed Maggie Douma of OCU, 8-1. Angela Peralta also beat her OCU opponent, Cierra Foster, 7-0.
The other Menlo finalists include Tiana Jackson at 123, Iman Kazem at 155 and Precious Bell at 170.
Oklahoma City had only one reach the finals, Chi Chi Nwankwo at 191 pounds, but had seven other All-Americans. Jamestown has had a great day, with nine overall All-Americans, including finalist Cara Romeike at 130 pounds.
Two of the highly regarded teams had strong individual efforts but did not show the depth needed to battle for top honors. Campbellsville, in fourth place, has three finalists in McKayla Campbell (109), Koral Sugiyama (123) and Andribeth Rivera (130) and four other All-Americans. Sitting in seventh place is Wayland Baptist, which has an impressive four finalists, Asia Ray (101), Nina Pham (101), Jathiya Isaac (116) and Paige Baynes (191), but just one other All-American.
The gold-medal finals are set for 7:00 p.m. Central. The event is being streamed live on FloWrestling.
NAIA WOMEN’S NATIONAL INVITATIONAL
At Jamestown, N.D., March 16
Finals pairings
101 - Asia Ray (Wayland Baptist) vs. Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist)
109 - Alleida Martinez (Menlo College) vs. McKayla Campbell (Campbellsville)
116 - Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College) vs. Jathiya Isaac (Wayland Baptist)
123 - Tiana Jackson (Menlo College) vs. Koral Sugiyama (Campbellsville)
130 - Andribeth Rivera (Campbellsville) vs. Cara Romeike (Jamestown)
136 - Solin Piearcy (Menlo College) vs. Erica Sotelo (Life)
143 - Marilyn Garcia (Menlo College) vs. Angela Peralta (Menlo College)
155 - Iman Kazem (Menlo College) vs. Anna Naylor (Univ of Cumberlands)
170 - Dymond Guilford (Missouri Baptist) vs. Precious Bell (Menlo College)
191 - Chi Chi Nwankwo (Oklahoma City) vs. Paige Baynes (Wayland Baptist)
Semifinal results
101 pounds
Asia Ray (Wayland Baptist) pin Junnette Caldera (Jamestown), 2:23
Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist) tech. fall Hiba Salem (Menlo College), 12-1
109 pounds
Alleida Martinez (Menlo College) pin Tyesha Topps (Life), 1:42
McKayla Campbell (Campbellsville) tech. fall Raven Guidry (Oklahoma City), 12-2
116 pounds
Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College) pin Cassidy Jasperson (Oklahoma City), 2:32
Jathiya Isaac (Wayland Baptist) tech. fall Glory Konecny (Southern Oregon), 10-0
123 pounds
Tiana Jackson (Menlo College) tech. fall Victoria Norris (Ottawa), 11-0
Koral Sugiyama (Campbellsville) dec. Dajan Treder (Providence), 5-2
130 pounds
Andribeth Rivera (Campbellsville) tech. fall Anesia Ramirez (Southern Oregon), 10-0
Cara Romeike (Jamestown) pin Julissa Taitano (Southern Oregon), 2:31
136 pounds
Solin Piearcy (Menlo College) dec. Bridgette Duty (Univ of Cumberlands), 9-4
Erica Sotelo (Life) dec. Elissa Douglass (Lyon College), 7-0
143 pounds
Marilyn Garcia (Menlo College) dec, Maggie Douma (Oklahoma City), 8-1
Angela Peralta (Menlo College) dec. Cierra Foster (Oklahoma City), 7-0
155 pounds
Iman Kazem (Menlo College) pin Gabriela Hunter (Midland), 1:00
Anna Naylor (Univ of Cumberlands) dec. Shamera McTier (Missouri Valley College), 16-7
170 pounds
Dymond Guilford (Missouri Baptist) tech. fall Rachel Watters (Oklahoma City), 10-0
Precious Bell (Menlo College) dec. Mariah Harris (Campbellsville), 4-0
191 pounds
Chi Chi Nwankwo (Oklahoma City) pin Leilani Camargo-Naone (Midland), 1:22
Paige Baynes (Wayland Baptist) dec. Agatha Andrews (Jamestown), 8-2
Team Standings as medal matches began
1 Menlo College 196.5
2 Oklahoma City University 144.5
3 University of Jamestown 127
4 Campbellsville University 119.5
5 University of Cumberlands 102.5
6 Life University 98
7 Wayland Baptist University 86
8 Southern Oregon 62.5
9 Midland University 41
10 Missouri Valley College 39
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Coming into the historic first NAIA Women’s National Invitational, Menlo College was a favorite to win the title, after claiming the WCWA Nationals in February, and holding the No. 1 NAIA ranking at the end of the dual meet season.
The team, coached by Joey Bareng, came in with a lot of confidence and high expectations. Their performance on Saturday at the Newman Arena at Jamestown University has been nothing short of spectacular.
The Oaks pushed eight athletes into the gold-medal round and added four other All-Americans on the back side, heading into the medal match rounds. At the end of the consolation semifinals, Menlo had 196.5 points, with a big 52 point lead over Oklahoma City with 144.5 points. Rounding out the top five were third-place Jamestown, fourth-place Campbellsville and fifth-place Univ. of Cumberlands.
All three of the Oaks who were WCWA national champions in February made the finals, Alleida Martinez (109), Gracie Figueroa (109) and Solin Pearcy of Menlo (136).
Menlo won all three of their head-to-head semifinals against Oklahoma City. At 116 pounds, Figueroa pinned Cassidy Jasperson of OCU at 2:32. Both of the semifinals at 143 pounds were Menlo vs. OCU showdowns. Marilyn Garcia knocked off No. 1 seed Maggie Douma of OCU, 8-1. Angela Peralta also beat her OCU opponent, Cierra Foster, 7-0.
The other Menlo finalists include Tiana Jackson at 123, Iman Kazem at 155 and Precious Bell at 170.
Oklahoma City had only one reach the finals, Chi Chi Nwankwo at 191 pounds, but had seven other All-Americans. Jamestown has had a great day, with nine overall All-Americans, including finalist Cara Romeike at 130 pounds.
Two of the highly regarded teams had strong individual efforts but did not show the depth needed to battle for top honors. Campbellsville, in fourth place, has three finalists in McKayla Campbell (109), Koral Sugiyama (123) and Andribeth Rivera (130) and four other All-Americans. Sitting in seventh place is Wayland Baptist, which has an impressive four finalists, Asia Ray (101), Nina Pham (101), Jathiya Isaac (116) and Paige Baynes (191), but just one other All-American.
The gold-medal finals are set for 7:00 p.m. Central. The event is being streamed live on FloWrestling.
NAIA WOMEN’S NATIONAL INVITATIONAL
At Jamestown, N.D., March 16
Finals pairings
101 - Asia Ray (Wayland Baptist) vs. Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist)
109 - Alleida Martinez (Menlo College) vs. McKayla Campbell (Campbellsville)
116 - Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College) vs. Jathiya Isaac (Wayland Baptist)
123 - Tiana Jackson (Menlo College) vs. Koral Sugiyama (Campbellsville)
130 - Andribeth Rivera (Campbellsville) vs. Cara Romeike (Jamestown)
136 - Solin Piearcy (Menlo College) vs. Erica Sotelo (Life)
143 - Marilyn Garcia (Menlo College) vs. Angela Peralta (Menlo College)
155 - Iman Kazem (Menlo College) vs. Anna Naylor (Univ of Cumberlands)
170 - Dymond Guilford (Missouri Baptist) vs. Precious Bell (Menlo College)
191 - Chi Chi Nwankwo (Oklahoma City) vs. Paige Baynes (Wayland Baptist)
Semifinal results
101 pounds
Asia Ray (Wayland Baptist) pin Junnette Caldera (Jamestown), 2:23
Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist) tech. fall Hiba Salem (Menlo College), 12-1
109 pounds
Alleida Martinez (Menlo College) pin Tyesha Topps (Life), 1:42
McKayla Campbell (Campbellsville) tech. fall Raven Guidry (Oklahoma City), 12-2
116 pounds
Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College) pin Cassidy Jasperson (Oklahoma City), 2:32
Jathiya Isaac (Wayland Baptist) tech. fall Glory Konecny (Southern Oregon), 10-0
123 pounds
Tiana Jackson (Menlo College) tech. fall Victoria Norris (Ottawa), 11-0
Koral Sugiyama (Campbellsville) dec. Dajan Treder (Providence), 5-2
130 pounds
Andribeth Rivera (Campbellsville) tech. fall Anesia Ramirez (Southern Oregon), 10-0
Cara Romeike (Jamestown) pin Julissa Taitano (Southern Oregon), 2:31
136 pounds
Solin Piearcy (Menlo College) dec. Bridgette Duty (Univ of Cumberlands), 9-4
Erica Sotelo (Life) dec. Elissa Douglass (Lyon College), 7-0
143 pounds
Marilyn Garcia (Menlo College) dec, Maggie Douma (Oklahoma City), 8-1
Angela Peralta (Menlo College) dec. Cierra Foster (Oklahoma City), 7-0
155 pounds
Iman Kazem (Menlo College) pin Gabriela Hunter (Midland), 1:00
Anna Naylor (Univ of Cumberlands) dec. Shamera McTier (Missouri Valley College), 16-7
170 pounds
Dymond Guilford (Missouri Baptist) tech. fall Rachel Watters (Oklahoma City), 10-0
Precious Bell (Menlo College) dec. Mariah Harris (Campbellsville), 4-0
191 pounds
Chi Chi Nwankwo (Oklahoma City) pin Leilani Camargo-Naone (Midland), 1:22
Paige Baynes (Wayland Baptist) dec. Agatha Andrews (Jamestown), 8-2
Team Standings as medal matches began
1 Menlo College 196.5
2 Oklahoma City University 144.5
3 University of Jamestown 127
4 Campbellsville University 119.5
5 University of Cumberlands 102.5
6 Life University 98
7 Wayland Baptist University 86
8 Southern Oregon 62.5
9 Midland University 41
10 Missouri Valley College 39
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