Four returning World medalists reach U17 semifinals at USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Maisie Elliott works for a turn against Jasmine Brucato in the U17 46 kg quarterfinals at the 2026 USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals.
SPOKANE, Washington – The U17 women’s freestyle semifinals are set after Saturday’s action at the 2026 USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals, with returning U17 World medalists Maisie Elliott (46 kg), Madison Healey (46 kg), Epenesa Elison (57 kg) and Taina Fernandez (69 kg) still in the hunt for repeat bids.
As a two-time reigning U17 World champion and yesterday’s U20 division champion, Fernandez is the headliner of the U17 division in Spokane. She logged two pins in two matches, totaling 2:17 of match time on Saturday at The Podium. Her semifinal opponent is 2025 16U Freestyle Nationals champion Janiya Johnson.
Elison was a silver medalist at last year’s U17 World Championships in Athens, Greece. She notched four shutout technical falls to qualify for the semifinal round against 2026 U17 Pan American Team Trials runner-up Sobina Clendaniel.
Elliott and Healey will be the marquee semifinal showdown tomorrow morning. The two have outpaced the field so far, Elliot with a pair of eight-point wins, and Healey with two technical falls. The winner moves on to the championship match against either 2025 U17 Pan American silver medalist and No. 1 seed Abigail Peterson or two-time 16U Freestyle Nationals champion Justice Gutierrez.
Eight members of the 2026 U17 Pan American Team that competed last week in Panama City, Panama, have navigated to the semifinals—Peterson, Sophia Valdez (40 kg), Aubree Gutierrez (53 kg), Aleia Apostol (57 kg), Landri Von Gonten (61 kg), Eve Skrocki (65 kg), Matilda Hruby (69 kg) and Alexis Penley (73 kg).
The other two members of the U17 Pan American Team, Hailey Delgado (53 kg) and Olivia Hernandez (46 kg), were upended in the quarterfinals. Delgado fell 9-2 to Reagan Mathers, while Hernandez was topped by Justice Gutierrez, 7-6.
Speaking of upsets, the top four seeds at 43 kg were all defeated before the semifinals, blowing the door wide open for someone to take command of the weight class. The four semifinalists at 43 kg are Olivia Maya Felix, Lilly Lundy, Emily Hamil and Lindsey Lau.
The USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals conclude at 10 a.m. (PT) on Sunday with the remaining rounds of the U23 and U17 tournaments.
Watch the action from Spokane live or on-demand on FloWrestling. Brackets and live results are available on USA Bracketing.
Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) vs. Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon WC)
McKenzie Astorino (Team Pennsylvania) vs. Kadence Juarez (Cowboy/Cowgirl WC)
Olivia Maya Felix (Golden Tribe Wrestling) vs. Lilly Lundy (Motown Wrestling)
Emily Hamil (Okie Girls) vs. Lindsey Lau (Golden Back MRTC)
Abigail Peterson (Big Game WC) vs. Justice Gutierrez (Pomona Elite)
Maisie Elliott (Mat Demon WC) vs. Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary)
Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) vs. Gabriella Conte (New Jersey)
Peggy Susan Dean (Betterman Elite Wrestling) vs. Bella Manno (Valiant WC)
Reagan Mathers (Valiant College Preparatory) vs. Hepua Salter (Hawaii Wrestling Academy)
Marlee Solomon (Wrestling Chix) vs. Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling)
Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) vs. Sobina Clendaniel (Marathon WC)
Aleia Apostol (Titan Mercury / Poway RTC) vs. Marie Sharp (New Jersey)
Landri VonGonten (Boneyard Wrestling Academy) vs. Rachel Garcia (Cowboy WC)
Caroline Hilton (Tennessee) vs. Isabella Miller (Big Game WC)
Eve Skrocki (Valiant WC) vs. Audrey Robinson (Legacy Elite WC)
Saige McCleery (Mat Demon WC) vs. Clover Williams (Husky WC)
Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Janiya Johnson (Wyoming Seminary)
Julia Araujo (MATPAC WC) vs. Matilda Hruby (Colorado)
Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary) vs. Sarah Pulk (Frontier WC)
Symone Jewell (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus Wrestling) vs. Kaili Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy)
Emily Hamil (Okie Girls) inj. def. Makella Taggart (WhiteRiver Highschool), 0:56
Lilly Lundy (Motown Wrestling) dec. Piper Phillips (Immortal Athletics WC), 7-2
Lindsey Lau (Golden Back MRTC) tech. fall Mia Pardo (All-American WC), 11-0
Olivia Maya Felix (Golden Tribe Wrestling) tech. fall Leivelle Alejado (Grapplers HI), 10-0
Abigail Peterson (Big Game WC) tech. fall Sophia Lazaro (Titan Mercury WC), 10-0
Maisie Elliott (Mat Demon WC) dec. Jasmine Brucato (Pit Crew WC), 18-10
Justice Gutierrez (Pomona Elite) dec. Olivia Hernandez (Beaver Dam WC), 7-6
Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary) tech. fall Olivia Munson (Titan Mercury WC), 12-2
Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) tech. fall Ella Neibert (Braves WC), 10-0
Gabriella Conte (New Jersey) dec. Riley Karwowski (Wyoming Seminary), 8-1
Bella Manno (Valiant WC) tech. fall Summer Mutschler (Cavalier WC), 11-0
Peggy Susan Dean (Betterman Elite Wrestling) dec. Alexa Thomas (Avila Combat Laboratories), 6-2
Reagan Mathers (Valiant College Preparatory) dec. Hailey Delgado (NXT Level Wrestling Academy), 9-2
Hepua Salter (Hawaii Wrestling Academy) fall Erica Irvine (Immortal Athletics WC), 3:09
Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling) tech. fall Mikayla Perkins (Contenders Wrestling Academy), 11-0
Marlee Solomon (Wrestling Chix) dec. Trinity Garza (SilvaBack Training Center), 8-0
Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) tech. fall Ariella Dobin (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy), 11-0
Sobina Clendaniel (Marathon WC) fall Neve O'Byrne (Black Sheep WC), 0:59
Aleia Apostol (Titan Mercury / Poway RTC) fall Claire Lancaster (Okie Girls), 0:59
Marie Sharp (New Jersey) fall Cameron Leng (Team Miron), 3:16
Caroline Hilton (Tennessee) fall Addison Brown (Waynesville Tigers WC), 0:42
Landri VonGonten (Boneyard Wrestling Academy) fall Sophia Fodera (Poway Wrestling), 1:36
Rachel Garcia (Cowboy WC) dec. Olivia Bezdicek (Team Idaho WC), 14-12
Isabella Miller (Big Game WC) fall Chloe Wehry (Pinnacle WC), 1:29
Eve Skrocki (Valiant WC) dec. Harlow Skenandore (Wisconsin), 4-2
Audrey Robinson (Legacy Elite WC) fall Gray Joyce (Wichita Training Center), 3:33
Saige McCleery (Mat Demon WC) tech. fall Ava Johnson (Mayhem WC), 11-0
Clover Williams (Husky WC) fall Layla Risler (Victory School of Wrestling), 0:54
Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury WC) fall Maddison Miller (Team Pennsylvania), 1:53
Janiya Johnson (Wyoming Seminary) tech. fall Claire Guydon (The Woodlands Highlander WC), 13-2
Julia Araujo (MATPAC WC) dec. Emily Beckley (Team Tulsa WC), 7-4
Matilda Hruby (Colorado) tech. fall Mia O’Farrill (M2 Training Center), 10-0
Sarah Pulk (Frontier WC) dec. Juliet Alt (Team Pennsylvania), 4-0
Symone Jewell (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus Wrestling) dec. Christal Desir (M80 WC), 11-9
Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Mya Dobrinski (Cowboy WC), 7-3
Kaili Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Ciyanna Okocha (Wyoming Seminary), 11-1
Rodriguez, Nwachukwu repeat in U23 division, Turner named OW at USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals
Fernandez, Elison, Healey score return trip to U17 Worlds with titles in Spokane
USA Wrestling job opportunity: National Events Manager
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