#WomensWednesday: Watch out for Xochitl Mota-Pettis
Share:
by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
Matches below.
Though she has been successful as a youth athlete for years, Xochitl Mota-Pettis, who trains with Rise Wrestling in Texas, put the country on notice in October when she made it to the finals of the 2020 Senior Nationals Championships, one of her first Senior-level tournaments.
In the quarterfinals at 57 kg, Mota-Pettis faced two-time Senior World silver medalist Alli Ragan. Mota-Pettis showed off her strength, putting Ragan to her back and eventually getting the pin.
Ultimately, Mota-Pettis took second at the event, dropping her finals match to Lauren Louive.
The next month, she competed at the U23 and Junior Nationals, entering both divisions and reaching the finals in both tournaments.
At the Junior division, she teched and pinned her way to the gold-medal match but came up short in the finals to Cam Guerin. However, at the U23 division, Mota-Pettis dominated her way to the national title, including a 12-1 win over Senior National Team member and two-time U23 World Team member Abby Nette.
Yesterday, she nearly downed Jane Valencia of Mexico in an exhibition match last night at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club event. Valencia became the first woman to qualify Mexico for the Olympic Games with a gold-medal performance at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in March.
While she may not be winning every match, Mota-Pettis is proving herself as a viable threat on the U.S. Senior level.
Other accolades on her resume include Fargo champion, Junior Folkstyle Nationals champion and multiple-time Women’s Nationals placer.
Below are her matches against Ragan and Nette.
