Turner, Fernandez lead skilled women’s freestyle team at U17 World Championships in Athens, Greece

The 2025 U17 World Championships, hosted at the Ano Liosia Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece, kick off on July 28. Team USA’s women’s freestyle squad begins competition on Wednesday, July 30, and features a strong group of U17 World medalists and U17 Pan American champions.

A pair of U17 World champions lead the team set to compete in Athens, Greece. At 49 kg, Morgan Turner of Sunkist Kids is one of the most decorated athletes in the lineup. Turner is a two-time U17 World medalist, winning gold in 2023 and bronze in 2024. She is also a three-time age-group Pan American champion, claiming two U15 titles and a U17 gold in 2025.

Taina Fernandez of DMV RTC is slated to compete at 61 kg. Fernandez captured the 2024 U17 World Championship title and has earned four Pan American age-group titles, along with two more in beach wrestling. She claimed national titles in both the 16U and Junior divisions in 2025, adding to her 16U national title in 2024.

2023 U17 World bronze medalist Jaclyn Bouzakis of Wyoming Seminary joins the lineup and will compete at 46 kg in Greece. Bouzakis is a two-time age-group Pan American champion, winning U15 gold in 2022 and U17 gold in 2025. Bouzakis also brings a national title at both the 16U and Junior levels in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

In the same elite tier, Emma Bacon of Wyoming Seminary (57 kg) and Violette Lasure of Team Pennsylvania (65 kg) each boast two Pan American titles and back-to-back national championships at both the 16U and Junior levels. Both are coming off of a successful summer which saw them earn gold at the U17 Pan American Championships, and Junior National titles in Fargo, North Dakota.

Maisie Elliott of Mat Demon WC (40 kg) holds titles from both the U15 and U17 Pan American Championships, while Epenesa Elison of Monster Garage Wrestling (53 kg) is a two-time U15 Pan American champion.

At 69 kg, Cassandra Gonzales of MN Elite WC and at 73 kg, Ella Poalillo of Iron Horse WC each won U17 Pan American gold in 2025. Gonzales is also a three-time national placer in Fargo, and Poalillo finished as the runner-up at the 2024 16U Nationals.

Madison Healey of Wyoming Seminary (43 kg) will make her international debut in Greece. Healey secured a top finish at the U17 World Team Trials apart of the 2025 Women’s Nationals in Spokane, Washington, in April.

For live results and updates from the tournament in Athens, follow along with USA Wrestling’s social channels and article updates on TheMat.com. Results, brackets, and mat assignments from the U17 World Championships will be available on UWW Arena.

A stream of the event will be available on FloWrestling for fans in the United States.

Monday, July 28

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

Tuesday, July 29

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg) & Qualification Rounds (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

Wednesday, July 30

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg) & Qualification Rounds (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

Thursday, July 31

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg) & Qualification Rounds (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg)

Friday, August 1

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg) & Qualification Rounds (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg)

Saturday, August 2

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg) & Qualification Rounds (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

Sunday, August 3

4:30 p.m. – Repechages (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

*All times listed local to Athens, Greece, which is 7 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time

40 kg: Maisie Elliott (Puyallup, Wash./Mat Demon WC)

43 kg: Madison Healey (Luzerne, Pa./Wyoming Seminary)

46 kg: Jaclyn Bouzakis (Shavertown, Pa./Wyoming Seminary)

49 kg: Morgan Turner (Lockport, Ill./Sunkist Kids)

53 kg: Epenesa Elison (Downey, Calif./Monster Garage)

57 kg: Emma Bacon (Dallas, Pa./Wyoming Seminary WC)

61 kg: Taina Fernandez (Bowie, Md./DMV RTC)

65 kg: Violette Lasure (New Paris, Pa./Team Pennsylvania)

69 kg: Cassandra Gonzales (Apple Valley, Minn./MN Elite WC)

73 kg: Ella Poalillo (Wantage, N.J./Iron Horse WC)

Coach: Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Coach: Geneva (Gray) Brown, Herriman, Utah

Coach:  Julia Salata, Canton, Mich.

Personal: Kirk Elliott, Puyallup, Wash.

Personal: Troy Bouzakis, Shavertown, Pa.

Personal: Nikki Thompson

Personal: Ruben Valencia, Pico Rivera, Calif.

Personal: Bret Fry, Tunkhannock, Pa.

Personal: Kareem Fernandez, Bowie, Md.

Personal: Aaron Alt, New Paris, Pa.

Personal: Jeremiah Gonzales, Shakopee, Minn.

Personal: Joe Poalillo, Wantage, N.J.

Medical ATC: Amber Helphenstine, Washington, Pa.

Medical ATC: Bruce Ferratt, Fairfax, Va.

MD: Jesse Shaw, Pullman, Wash.

Official: Andrew Mullet, Metairie, La.

Official: Na Humma, McKinney, Texas

Official: Brock Zollinger, Rexburg, Idaho

NF Secretary General: Rich Bender, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Team Leader: Christina Hargrove, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Greco-Roman Team Leader: James Foster, Clarksville, Md.

Women’s Freestyle Team Leader: Jeff Waters, Short Hills, N.J.

MFS Chaplain: Tim Hess, Beaverton, Ore.

NF Official: Michelle Bender, Colorado Springs, Colo.

NF Media: SJ Asmann, Colorado Springs, Colo.

NF Media: Justin Hoch, Astoria, N.Y.