Day 1 preview: Massive Junior Women and 16U Women divisions to power through preliminaries

The U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in women’s freestyle will cover all the mats on the floor of the FargoDome on Saturday. Both tournaments will go advance through the round of 16 on Saturday night. We should know the quarterfinalists at the end of the evening session.

Weigh-ins are over and the brackets are posted live on USA Bracketing

https://www.usabracketing.com/events/c5d3fc33-e502-4c07-8fcd-62a2f6b338b4

The schedule is structured differently this year. Session I will be for Junior Girls only starting at 8:00 a.m. and Session II will be for 16U Girls only, starting at 3:30 p.m.

Here is a data-driven preview of each tournament separately below. This year’s USMC Junior Nationals in Fargo will be the largest female wrestling tournament ever in the United States, and perhaps in world history. The total number of girls competing in Fargo this weekend is 2,246, with 1,217 in the Junior division and 1,028 in the 16U division.

When closely reviewing the brackets, please note that many of the athletes are competing in different weight classes than where they registered. Many went up, a few went down in weight.

No. 2 Pound-For-Pound Fernandez is doubling up

Freshman Taina Fernandez, the No. 2 Pound-For-Pound wrestler in the nation, is eligible to compete at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals for the first time. She comes into Fargo as a U17 World champion. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Fernandez has decided to compete in both divisions this weekend, entered at 135 pounds in both the 16U division and the Junior division. As a freshman who is 16 years old, she is eligible for both. Based on the PIN rankings, she drew the No. 1 seed position in both brackets. Can she pull off a double title, something that has not been done since the Junior and 16U were rescheduled to compete on the same days? How many matches will Taina wrestle in the next two days? It will be fun to watch.

JUNIOR WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

Returning Junior champions – Katey Valdez of Colorado (100), Heather Crull of Indiana (105), Taylor Whiting of Wisconsin (115).

Returning Junior runners-up – Savannah Witt of Pennsylvania (120), Isabella Cepak of Michigan (135), Sarah Henckel of Connecticut (155), Kaylie Hall of West Virginia (170), Tirza Twoteeth of Oklahoma (235, now at 207).

Other returning Junior All-Americans (and current weight class) – Alexa Rodriguez Lopez of Texas (95), Mia Vazquez of Illinois (95), Navjot Waraich of California (95), Zoey Haney of Missouri (95), Kendall Moe of Indiana (110), Addie Morse of Oklahoma (110), Joely Slyter of Idaho (115), Lily Runez of Massachusetts (115), Noelani Lutz of Nevada (115),  Libby Roberts of Washington (115), Teegan Sibble of New York (115), Harley Hiller of Illinois (115), Caley Graber of Minnesota (120), Calli Gilchrist of Illinois (120), Shayna Ward of California (125), Kailey Benson of Missouri (125), Emma Chacon of Arizona (130), Carley Ceshker of Wisconsin (130), Morgan Lucio of Arizona (135), Louise Juitt of Missouri (140), Jacinda Espinosa of Missouri (140), Olivia Davis of California (145), Audrey Rogotzke of Minnesota (145), Maggie Ortmann of Missouri (145), Margaret Buurma of Michigan (155), Amelia Fawcett of Alaska (155), Jael Miller of Pennsylvania (170), Kiley Dillow of Kansas (170), Brynn Shepardson of New York (170), Josephine Larson of Illinois (190), Angel Hill of California (207), Kelikki Nau Rarick of Utah (207), Chloe Hoselton of Illinois (235),

National Girls High School Rankings Pound-4-Pound wrestlers entered: No. 2 Taina Fernandez of Maryland (135), No. 4. Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania (100), No. 5 Heather Crull of Pennsylvania (105), No. 10 Violette Lasure of Pennsylvania (145), No. 12 Emma Bacon of Pennsylvania (125), No. 15 Jael Miller of Pennsylvania (170), No. 16 Katey Valdez of Colorado (100), No. 17 Tilisa Matakaiongo of Utah (237), No. 19 Cassandra Gonzales of Minnesota (155), No. 20 Riley Hanrahan of Wisconsin (140), No. 22 Taylor Whiting of Wisconsin (115), No. 23 Harlee Hiller of Illinois (115), No. 25 Josephine Larson of Illinois (190),

2024 16U National champions moving up into Juniors – Lily Enos of Illinois (88, now at 95), Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania (100), Julia Horger of Pennsylvania (105), Charlie Wylie of New Jersey (112, now at 110), Me’Kala James of California (124, now at 125), Taina McGowan of New Jersey (130), Violette Lasure of Pennsylvania (142, now at 145), Brooke Huffman of Wisconsin (190) and Brenda Banks of Pennsylvania (235).

Triple Crown Eligible: Brooke Huffman of Wisconsin (190), Tilisa Matakaiongo of Utah (207)

2024 Top Five Junior Nationals Teams: 1. California, 2. Missouri, 3. Pennsylvania, 4. Indiana, 5. Illinois.

2025 National Duals Top Five Teams: 1. Michigan, 2. Ohio, 3. Wisconsin, 4. Pennsylvania, 5. Illinois

16U WOMEN’S NATIONALS

Returning 16U champions – Taina Fernandez of Maryland (136), Kaili Manuel of Michigan (148, now at 170) and Janiya Johnson of Tennesee (155).

Returning 16U runners-up – Victoria Carbonaro of New Jersey (125, now at 130), Caroline Hilton of Tennessee (130), Matilda Hruby of Colorado (170, now at 155) and Tevia Nau Rarick of Utah (190).

Other returning 16U All-Americans (at weight this year) – Kylee Tran of Oklahoma (95), Anabelle Wessel of New York (95), Makayla Smith of Pennsylvania (100), Ryleigh Sturgill of Tennessee (100), Alicia Kenfack of North Dakota (105), Chloe Skiles of Illinois (105), Aubree Gutierrez of California (110), Abigail Gonzalez of Florida (120), Marie Sharp of New Jersey (120), Carolyn Geckler of Ohio (120), Ariella Dobin of Illinois (125), Olivia Bezdicek of Idaho (130), Isabella Miller of Iowa (130), Meadow Mahlmeister of Montana (135), Harlow Skenandore of Wisconsin (140), Kelice Luker of Oklahoma (140), Victoria Alvarado of New York (145), Symone Jewell of California (155), Veronica Madrid of Kansas (170), Sara Pulk of Minnesota (170), Laila Hustoles of Oklahoma (170), Eva Garcia of California (170), Carli Vargas of Missouri (190), Blake Baker of Texas (190), Peyton Mullin of New York (235), Shelby Wells of Texas (235).

2024 14U National freestyle champions moving up into 16U Nationals: Kassidy Davis of Washington (95), Alexis Penley of Illinois (170), Lyla Hensen of Michigan (190), Remington LaFlamme of Pennsylvania (170)

National Girls High School Rankings Pound-4-Pound wrestlers entered: No. 2 Taina Fernandez of Maryland (135)

Triple Crown eligible: Lyric Hetzer of Ohio (110), Eve Skrocki of Iowa (145), Janiya Johnson of Tennessee (155)

2024 Top Five 16U Nationals Teams: 1. Pennsylvania, 2. New Jersey, 3. California, 4. Michigan, 5. Wisconsin

2025 16U National Duals Top Five Teams: 1. Pennsylvania, 2. Wisconsin, 3. California, 4. Illinois, 5. Ohio.

FloWrestling is once again the broadcaster for the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals. See it live on FloWrestling.

Saturday, July 12

8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Session I

Junior Girls - Championship (4 rounds) and Consolation (6 rounds)

3:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Session II

16U Girls - Championship (4 rounds) and Consolation (6 rounds)