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McKendree leads after day one of National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships at Adrian College

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by Tony Black, USA Wrestling

Jessie Lee from Tiffin University celebrates after winning by fall in the quarterfinals of the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships. Photo by Jimmy Naprstek (Trackwrestling)

Adrian, Mich. – Led by a tournament high 10 quarterfinalists, the McKendree University Bearcats raced out to a 13-point lead on day one of the Cliff Keen National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships at Adrian College with 106.5 points.

Simon Fraser University is in second place with 93.5 points. The Clan, led by 2019 World Junior bronze medalist and Canadian senior World team member Ana Godinez Gonzalez, powered seven wrestlers into the semifinals.

“When I see our girls improve on areas that we’ve spent time on, it’s rewarding for those wrestlers,” said McKendree head coach Sam Schmitz. “We try not to focus on winning this tournament or that tournament, but actually improving. It’s really encouraging as a coach.

“Though we don’t have any head-to-head matches with Simon Fraser in the semis, there are still a lot of points left to score,” he said.

At 101 pounds, the top three seeded wrestlers all breezed through opening round matches into the semifinals. Top-seeded Jaclyn McNichols from King University will take on Emmanuel College’s Iesha Washington, the No. 5 seed. In the bottom side of the bracket, Pauline Granados of McKendree will face Colorado Mesa’s Jennesis Martinez.

The historic first points of the tournament were scored on a takedown by King University’s Aleeah Gould, in a match that she won by decision, 10-2. Gould, the No. 7 seed, won her next two matches to advance to the semifinals, where she will face No. 3 seed Sugey Ceja from Tiffin University. In the top half of the bracket at 109 pounds are No 4 seed Ciara McCrae, Simon Fraser, and No. 1 seed Emily Shilson. Shilson, a freshman at Augsburg University, was 2018 Cadet World Champion and gold medalist at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

The 116 pounds weight class is the first where the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals. Simon Fraser standout and No. 1 seed Karla Godinez Gonzalez outscored her two opponents by score of 20-0, and she will face fourth-seeded Emily Se from Emmanuel College. Godinez Gonzalez placed fifth in the 2019 U23 World Championships representing Canada. Felicity Taylor from McKendree and Jaslynn Gallegos from Presbyterian College will battle on the other side of the bracket. Gallegos dominated her three opponents, winning her first two matches by fall and technical superiority, 10-0, in the quarterfinals.

King University, currently in third place, will have two of its wrestlers meet in the semifinals at 123 pounds, as top-seeded Cheyenne Sisenstein awaits her teammate Phoenix Dubose, who knocked off Augsburg’s Vayle Baker in the quarterfinals to advance. 2018 U.S. Open champion Alexandra Hedrick from Simon Fraser, the No. 2 seed at the weight, rattled off three straight victories and will face No. 3 seed Marissa Gallegos from Colorado Mesa.

At 130 pounds, 2019 Junior Nationals champion Gabby Skidmore of Augsburg University scored the biggest upset of the day. Seeded No. 8, Skidmore defeated No. 1 seed Nicole Depa of Simon Fraser, 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Skidmore will face No. 5 seed Alexia Ward from McKendree in the semifinals. In the other semifinal, No. 2 seed Allison Petix from King University will take North Central College’s Amanda Martinez, the No. 3 seed at the weight.

“It’s exciting that Alexia Ward is in the semis,” said McKendree head coach Sam Schmitz. “It’s a tough weight, and she moved up from 123.”

Another McKendree standout paced the field at 136, No. 1 Emma Bruntil won both of her matches by technical fall to advance to the semifinals. Awaiting Bruntil, the reigning U.S. Senior Open champion, is Ana Luciano from King, who defeated 2020 WCWA champion Zoe Nowicki from Adrian College, the No. 4 seed. Dalia Garibay, the No. 3 seed from Colorado Mesa, went 3-0 on the day with three victories by technical superiority. Garibay will be matched up with No. 2 seed Lauren Mason from Simon Fraser.

At 143 pounds, Simon Fraser teammates Ana Godinez Gonzalez and Sara Brinkac will face off in the semifinals. Godinez Gonzalez outscored her first two opponents 20-0, whereas Brinkac won a close quarterfinals match 7-5 to advance. On the bottom of the bracket, Ashlynn Ortega, the No. 2 seed from King, will take on 2017 Cadet World silver medalist Alara Boyd from McKendree.

In a completely loaded 155 pound weight class, the top four seeded wrestlers all advanced to the semifinals. Top seeded Alyvia Fiske, a 2019 US National team member competing collegiately for Simon Fraser, will face fellow 2019 US National team member and Junior World 5th-place finisher Jayden Laurent, the lone Lakeland University wrestler to make the semifinals. Last year, Laurent was a WCWA national champion. Second and third seeded McKendree teammates, Alexandria Glaude and Joye Levendusky, will wrestle in the semifinals tomorrow. Like Fiske and Laurent, Glaude is also a 2019 US National Team member, and won a 2018 U23 World medal.

The top four-seeded wrestlers at both 170 and 191 pounds advanced to the semifinals. Leading the way at 170 pounds was McKendree’s Korinahe Bullock, who will face off against University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Jessika Rottier. Bullock was a 2018 Final X finalist and a U23 World medalist, while Rottier is a past WCWA national champion when she attended the University of the Cumberlands. Bullock’s McKendree teammate, Andrea Sennett, the third seed, will take on North Central College’s Yelena Makoyed, seeded No. 2

Syndee Kimber of McKendree, the No. 1 seed at 191 pounds, made quick work of her quarterfinals opponent winning by fall in just 36 seconds. Kimber will wrestle No. 4 seed Cristina Santoyo from Emmanuel College. The final quarterfinalist winners who advanced to the semifinals were Tiffin University’s Jessie Lee and King’s Tavi Heidelberg.

Wrestling will resume with the semifinals at 10:00 AM Eastern Time, Saturday, March 7th. Be sure to tune in to watch on Saturday at Trackwrestling.

Semifinalists by school:
• McKendree University – 10
• King University – 8
• Simon Fraser University – 7
• Colorado Mesa University – 3
• Emmanuel College – 3
• Augsburg University – 2
• North Central College – 2
• Tiffin University – 2
• Lakeland College – 1
• Presbyterian College – 1
• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – 1

Quick facts about the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships
• Nineteen teams have competitors in this historic first event
• Hosted by Adrian College in Adrian, MI
• Viewed as unofficial NCAA championship for women’s wrestling
• Athletes competing in event represent 32 different states and three countries
• Women’s wrestling recognized for Full Emerging Sport Status in Divisions II and III since January 2020

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Adrian College, Adrian, Mich.

Semifinal pairings


101 pounds
No. 1 Jaclyn McNichols (King) vs. No. 5 Iesha Washington (Emmanuel)
No. 2 Pauline Granados (McKendree) vs. No. 3 Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa)

109 pounds
No. 1 Emily Shilson (Augsburg) vs. Ciara McCrae (Simon Fraser)
No. 3 Sugey Ceja (Tiffin) vs. No. 7 Aleeah Gould (King)

116 pounds
No. 1 Karla Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 4 Emily Se (Emmanuel)
Felicity Taylor (McKendree) vs. No. 3 Jaslynn Gallegos (Presbyterian)

123 pounds
No. 1 Cheyenne Sisenstein (King) vs. No. 5 Phoenix Dubose (King)
No. 2 Alexandra Hedrick (Simon Fraser) vs. Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa)

130 pounds
No. 5 Alexia Ward (McKendree) vs. No. 8 Gabby Skidmore (Augsburg)
No. 2 Allison Petix (King) vs. No. 3 Amanda Martinez (North Central)

136 pounds
No. 1 Emma Bruntil (McKendree) vs. No. 5 Ana Luciano (King)
No. 2 Lauren Mason (Simon Fraser) vs. Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa)

143
No. 1 Ana Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 5 Sara Brinkac (Simon Fraser)
No. 2 Ashlynn Ortega (King) vs. No. 3 Alara Boyd (McKendree)

155 pounds
No. 1 Alyvia Fiske (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 4 Jayden Laurent (Lakeland)
No. 2 Alexandria Glaude (McKendree) vs. No. 3 Joye Levendusky (McKendree)

170 pounds
No. 1 Korinahe Bullock (McKendree) vs. No. 4 Jessika Rottier (UW-Stevens Point)
No. 2 Yelena Makoyed (North Central College) vs. No. 3 Andrea Sennett (McKendree)

191 pounds
No. 1 Sydnee Kimber (McKendree) vs. No. 4 Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel)
No. 2 Tavi Heidelberg (King) vs. Jessie Lee (Tiffin)

Quarterfinal results

101
Jaclyn McNichols (King University) pin Alisha Elizalde (Ferrum College), 1:28
Iesha Washington (Emmanuel College) pin Johnvanique Porter (MacMurray College), 1:42
Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa University) tech. fall Trinity Oredina (Tiffin University), 10-0, 1:59
Pauline Granados (McKendree University) tech. fall Alice Todryk (UW-Stevens Point), 12-2, 3:18

109
Emily Shilson (Augsburg University) tech fall Carly Valleroy (McKendree University), 10-0, 2:33
Ciara McCrae (Simon Fraser University) tech fall Brooke Thurber (UW- Stevens Point), 12-2, 4:38
Sugey Ceja (Tiffin University) tech fall Natalie Reyna (McKendree University), 12-1, 1:42
Aleeah Gould (King University) dec. Tatyanna Ortiz (East Stroudsburg University), 8-7

116
Karla Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser University) tech fall Abby Nelson (UW-Stevens Point), 10-0, 1:30
Emily Se (Emmanuel College) tech fall Anja Tschohl (Colorado Mesa University), 10-0, 2:08
Jaslynn Gallegos (Presbyterian College) tech fall Aleena Gomez (Colorado Mesa University), 10-0
Felicity Taylor (McKendree University) tech fall over Mikayla Vega (Gannon University), 10-0, 2:39

116
Karla Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser University) tech. fall Abby Nelson (UW-Stevens Point), 10-0, 1:30
Emily Se (Emmanuel College) tech fall over Anja Tschohl (Colorado Mesa University), 10-0, 2:08
Jaslynn Gallegos (Presbyterian College) tech fall Aleena Gomez (Colorado Mesa University), 10-0, 1:46
Felicity Taylor (McKendree University) tech fall Mikayla Vega (Gannon University) 10-0, 2:39

123
Cheyenne Sisenstein (King University) dec. Payton Stroud (McKendree University), 9-1
Phoenix Dubose (King University) dec. Vayle Baker (Augsburg University), 10-4
Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa University) tech fall Asia Nguyen-Smith (North Central College), 12-0, 1:36
Alexandra Hedrick (Simon Fraser University) dec. Theresa Rankin (McKendree University), 4-1

130
Gabby Skidmore (Augsburg University) dec. Nicole Depa (Simon Fraser University), 3-2
Alexia Ward (McKendree University) dec. Alyssa Aceval (King University), 6-1
Amanda Martinez (North Central College) dec. Sierra Brown Ton (Colorado Mesa University), 5-4
Allison Petix (King University) dec. Cindy Zepeda (Colorado Mesa University), 12-9

136
Emma Bruntil (McKendree University) tech. fall Stephanie Floor (Gannon University), 10-0, 0:47
Ana Luciano (King University) dec. Zoe Nowicki (Adrian College), 9-5
Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa University) tech. fall Julia Padilla (Emmanuel College) 10-0, 3:38
Lauren Mason (Simon Fraser University) dec. Mia Dow (MacMurray College), 4-0

143
Ana Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser University) tech. fall Amalani Latu (Limestone College), 10-0, 0:40
Sara Brinkac (Simon Fraser University) dec. Morgan Norris (Presbyterian College), 7-5
Alara Boyd (McKendree University) tech. fall Alma Mendoza (Colorado Mesa University), 10-0, 4:03
Ashlynn Ortega (King University) tech fall Kaylee Lacy (Colorado Mesa University), 10-0, 0:55

155
Alyvia Fiske (Simon Fraser University) tech. fall Malea Palahniuk (North Central College), 10-0, 0:52
Jayden Laurent (Lakeland University) dec. Annabelle Helm (Gannon University), 3-0
Joye Levendusky (McKendree University) dec. Marlynne Deede (Augsburg University) , 9-5
Alexandria Glaude (McKendree University) tech fall Taylor Hites (Tiffin University), 10-0, 2:25

170
Korinahe Bullock (McKendree University) pin Mikayla Mata (Schreiner University), 1:31
Jessika Rottier (UW-Stevens Point) dec. Emily Cue (Simon Fraser University), 12-8
Andrea Sennett (McKendree University) tech. fall Nia Crosdale (King University), 10-0, 2:29
Yelena Makoyed (North Central College) tech. fall Rebekah Trudel (Simon Fraser University), 10-0, 3:15

191
Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University) pin Angelina Kirkpatrick (North Central College), 0:36
Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel College) pin Serena Woldring (Simon Fraser University), 4:28
Jessie Lee (Tiffin University) pin Kendall McGarity (Gannon University), 4:56
Tavi Heidelberg (King University) dec. Kaylee Seabolt (Emmanuel College), 6-4

Team Standings after day one
1 McKendree University, 106.5
2 Simon Fraser University, 93.5
3 King University, 80.0
4 Colorado Mesa University, 62.5
5 Emmanuel College, 59.5
6 North Central College, 51.5
7 Tiffin University, 48.0
8 Augsburg University, 41.0
9 Presbyterian College, 40.0
10 University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, 39.5
11 Gannon University, 24.5
12 Lakeland University, 20.0
12 MacMurray College, 20.0
14 Adrian College, 19.5
15 Ferrum College, 18.0
16 Schreiner University, 17.0
17 Lindenwood University, 16.5
18 East Stroudsburg University, 11.0
19 Limestone College, 8.5

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