Adaugo Nwachukwu in her opening match of the 2024 USMC Women's National Championships.
Nwachukwu, Hays advance as U23 best-of-three finals are set at USMC Women’s National Championships
by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling
The U23 women’s freestyle action kicked off on Friday morning at the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Women’s National Championships in Spokane, Washington. The tournament saw all matches completed through the semifinals, setting up the medal matches and finals for Saturday morning.
The medal matches and finals are slated to begin at 10 a.m. (PDT) on Saturday. Each final will be a best-of-three championship series between the finalists.
The finals at 50 kg see Heather Crull of Indiana take on Sterling Dias of Nevada. Crull, a 2023 U17 World bronze medalist, made the jump to the U23 division for this tournament. She is also registered for U20 action, which begins on Saturday. To reach the finals, Crull defended a shot and turned her opponent on her back for the fall at 2:25. Dias is a two-time U17 World medalist, earning bronze in 2018 and silver in 2019. In her semifinal match, Dias got off to a hot start to lead 5-2 after the first period. She held on an added three more points for the 8-4 decision.
At 53 kg, it’s a battle between Elena Ivaldi of California and Jaslynn Gallegos of Colorado. Ivaldi, a 2022 U17 World Team member, bested Chloe Ayres in the semifinals, 10-2. She matches up against Gallegos, a 2021 U20 World Team member and U20 Pan American Championships silver medalist. In the semifinals, Gallegos got to work quick, defeating her opponent, 10-0, in the first period.
Two defending champions face off in the best-of-three series at 55 kg as Amani Jones of Georgia meets Montana DeLawder of Pennsylvania. Jones is last year’s champion at 55 kg in the U20 division, while DeLawder finished atop the podium at 57 kg in the U23 division last year. Jones’ tournament has been nothing short of dominant with both of her wins being 10-0 technical falls. DeLawder went 3-0 on day one, winning by 10-0 technical fall in her first match, pinning her opponent 36 seconds into the quarterfinal match and pulling out a 7-5 decision in the semifinals.
At 57 kg, it’s Sofia Macaluso of New York matching up against Carissa Quereshi of California. Macaluso is a 2022 U20 World silver medalist and earned a bronze at the 2023 Grand Prix of Spain at the Senior level. Her route to the finals saw her pin two opponents and earn a 6-3 decision in the semifinals. Quereshi used an 8-2 decision in her opening match and three consecutive falls to reach the finals.
Skye Realin of Hawaii and YeLe Aycock of New Mexico are the finalists at 59 kg. Realin, a 2019 U17 Pan American Championships gold medalist, reached the finals with three falls. Aycock used two technical falls and a 10-6 decision in the semifinals to advance best-of-three series.
Senior National Team member and three-time age-group World Team member Adaugo Nwachukwu of Colorado sees Marisol Nugent in the finals at 62 kg. Nwachukwu, last year’s champion at 62 kg, brings experience to the final series. She used a fall in the opening match and three consecutive technical falls to return to the finals. Nugent, a 2022 Bill Farrell Memorial International bronze medalist, pinned her first two opponents and scraped out a tough 6-4 decision in the semifinals.
At 65 kg, Alara Boyd of Illinois meets Aine Drury of California in the championship series. Boyd, a four-time age-group World Team member and two-time U17 World Medalist, dominated the competition with three falls leading into the best-of-three series. Drury had a similar path, using two 10-0 technical falls and a pin in the semifinals through her tournament.
Brooklyn Hays of Utah, a Senior National Team member and 2024 Pan American Championships gold medalist, faces Nina Makem of Minnesota in the best-of-three series at 68 kg. Hays went 3-0 on the first day, with a 9-2 decision in the semifinals. Makem’s tournament continued with a win by fall in just 46 seconds in her semifinal match.
It’s 2023 U17 World bronze medalist Jasmine Robinson of Texas in the final series at 72 kg. Robinson, last year’s U17 champion at 69 kg, is also registered to participate in the U20 tournament that begins Saturday. She sees London Houston of Washington in the championship series.
Tristan Kelly of Colorado, a two-time age-group World Team member, faces Bo Geibe of Michigan in the final series at 76 kg. Kelly’s two technical falls and pin in the semifinals pushed her to the best-of-three series. Geibe, a 2024 NAIA Women Mid-South Conference runner-up, went 3-0 on day one with two technical falls and a pin.
For full results and updated brackets, click here. The tournament will be broadcast live online at FloWrestling.com (subscription required). Brackets and live results will be hosted on Trackwrestling.com.
2024 U.S. Marine Corps Women’s National Championships
At Spokane, Washington, April 12-14
Finals Pairings
50 kg - Heather Crull (IN) vs. Sterling Dias (NV)
53 kg - Elena Ivaldi (CA) vs. Jaslynn Gallegos (CO)
55 kg - Amani Jones (GA) vs. Montana DeLawder (PA)
57 kg - Sofia Macaluso (NY) vs. Carissa Qureshi (CA)
59 kg - Skye Realin (HI) vs. YeLe Aycock (NM)
62 kg - Adaugo Nwachukwu (CO) vs. Marisol Nugent (MA)
65 kg - Alara Boyd (IL) vs. Aine Drury (CA)
68 kg - Brooklyn Hays (UT) vs. Nina Makem (MN)
72 kg - Jasmine Robinson (TX) vs. London Houston (WA)
76 kg - Tristan Kelly (CO) vs. Bo Geibe (MI)
Semifinal Results
50 kg
Heather Crull (IN) pin Avy Perez (CA), 2:25
Sterling Dias (NV) dec. Makenize Smith (IN), 8-4
53 kg
Elena Ivaldi (CA) dec. Chloe Ayres (CA), 10-2
Jaslynn Gallegos (CO) tech. fall Eden Hernandez (CA), 10-0
55 kg
Amani Jones (GA) tech. fall Maya Davis (IL), 10-0
Montana DeLawder (PA) dec. Mia Macaluso (NY), 7-5
57 kg
Sofia Macaluso (NY) dec. Sara Sterner (CA), 6-3
Carissa Qureshi (CA) pin Asia Nguyen-Smith (IL), 5:54
59 kg
Skye Realin (HI) pin Larissa Kaz (WI), 0:56
YeLe Aycock (NM) dec. Ngao Shoua Whitethorn (WI), 10-6
62 kg
Adaugo Nwachukwu (CO) tech. fall Niya Gaines (IL), 11-0
Marisol Nugent (MA) dec. Emmily Patneaud (CA), 6-4
65 kg
Alara Boyd (IL) pin Viktorya Torres (WA), 1:56
Aine Drury (CA) pin Emma Walker (TN), 1:36
68 kg
Brooklyn Hays (UT) dec. Liv Wieber (ID), 9-2
Nina Makem (MN) pin Chloe Ogden (FL), 0:46
72 kg
Jasmine Robinson (TX) tech. fall Lydia Krauss (MI), 13-2
London Houston (WA) tech. fall Noelle Gaffney (NJ), 10-0
76 kg
Tristan Kelly (CO) pin Kalila Shrive (CA), 2:30
Bo Geibe (MI) pin Shenita Lawson (TX), 3:00
Quarterfinal Results
50 kg
Heather Crull (IN) tech. fall Kayla McKinley-Johnson (WA), 13-3
Avy Perez (CA) tech. fall Mi Amada Lanphear Ramirez (WA), 16-6
Makenize Smith (IN) pin Karina Vang (CA), 3:00
Sterling Dias (NV) dec. Nizhoni Tallman-Olney (WA), 9-1
53 kg
Elena Ivaldi (CA) tech. fall Akeelah Moore (TX), 11-0
Chloe Ayres (CA) tech. fall Camille Fournier (TX), 10-0
Eden Hernandez (CA) pin Gigi Bragg (MI), 1:43
Jaslynn Gallegos (CO) tech. fall Dianna Holmes (GA), 12-1
55 kg
Amani Jones (GA) tech. fall Catharine Campbell (IN), 10-0
Maya Davis (IL) tech. fall Savannah Witt (PA), 14-3
Mia Macaluso (NY) pin Ella Jauregui (CA), 4:52
Montana DeLawder (PA) pin Mikayla Garcia (CA), 0:36
57 kg
Sofia Macaluso (NY) pin Ashley Whetzal (VA), 1:46
Sara Sterner (CA) dec. Payton Stroud (WA), 7-1
Asia Nguyen-Smith (IL) dec. Josie Bartishofski (WI), 6-2
Carissa Qureshi (CA) pin Hania Halverson (CO), 1:07
59 kg
Skye Realin (HI) pin Cindy Zepeda (CA), 1:50
Larissa Kaz (WI) pin Ashlee Palimoo (HI), 4:40
YeLe Aycock (NM) tech. fall Carmella Foley (CA), 10-0
Ngao Shoua Whitethorn (WI) pin Tonya Flournory (NC), 1:18
62 kg
Adaugo Nwachukwu (CO) tech. fall Samantha Barragan (CA), 13-0
Niya Gaines (IL) dec. Louisa Schwab (CA), 6-2
Marisol Nugent (MA) pin Claire DiCugno (WA), 1:44
Emmily Patneaud (CA) dec. Emma Grimm (IA), 5-2
65 kg
Alara Boyd (IL) pin Alexandra Lopez (CA), 4:33
Viktorya Torres (WA) dec. Jordan Suarez (TX), 3-2
Emma Walker (TN) tech. fall Amelia Fawcett (AK), 10-0
Aine Drury (CA) tech. fall Aevri Ciha (WI), 10-0
68 kg
Brooklyn Hays (UT) dec. Stephanie Chavez (CA), 10-1
Liv Wieber (ID) pin McKenzie Cook (AK), 1:22
Chloe Ogden (FL) tech. fall Eleni Fakaosi (CA), 11-0
Nina Makem (MN) tech. fall Isabella Morgan (UT), 10-0
72 kg
Jasmine Robinson (TX) tech. fall Skylah Chakouian (RI), 11-0
Lydia Krauss (MI) pin Desiree Jones (CA), 2:10
Noelle Gaffney (NJ) dec. Aspen Barber (CO), 10-4
London Houston (WA) tech. fall Emma E Matera (NJ), 10-0
76 kg
Tristan Kelly (CO) tech. fall Katelyn Lewis (WI), 10-0
Kalila Shrive (CA) tech. fall Liliana Vergara (CA), 11-1
Shenita Lawson (TX) dec. Katie Law (UT), 4-0
Bo Geibe (MI) tech. fall Nikita Dhaliwal (CA), 10-0
Schedule
Saturday, April 13
U23 Women and U17 Girls
Best 2 out of 3 Championship Finals and 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
10:00am to 1:00pm.
14U Girls
Session 3 - Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, and Consolation
10:00am to 1:00pm
U20 Women
Session 4 - Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Consolations
2:00pm to 8:00pm
14U Girls
Session 4 – Semifinals, Consolations & All Medals
2:00pm to 6:00pm
Sunday, April 14
U15 Women
Session 5 – Preliminaries, Consolations, All Medals, & Best 2 out of 3 Finals
10:00am to 4:00pm
U20 Women
Session 5 – Consolation, Consolation-Semi, Best 2 out of 3 Finals and Placements
10:00am to 1:00pm
8U, 10U, 12U Girls
Session 5 – Preliminaries, Consolations & All Medals
10:00am to 3:00pm
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