Fernandez, Elison, Healey score return trip to U17 Worlds with titles in Spokane
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
2026 USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals U17 division champions. Front row (L-to-R): Marlee Solomon, Lilly Lundy, Sophia Valdez, Madison Healey, Isla Silva. Back row (L-to-R): Landri VonGonten, Eve Skrocki, Epenesa Elison, Taina Fernandez, Kaili Manuel.
SPOKANE, Washington – A trio of 2025 U17 World medalists—Taina Fernandez (69 kg), Epenesa Elison (57 kg) and Madison Healey (46 kg)—have secured repeat appearances at the big show after winning U17 division titles at the 2026 USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals.
Fernandez, the two-time reigning U17 World champion, made quick work of Matilda Hruby in the 69 kg best-of-three championship series, posting two 10-0 technical falls. She ended the U17 tournament with five wins, two pins and three shutout techs. Fernandez also won the U20 division on Friday, giving her two age-group World Team berths this year.
The Outstanding Wrestler award went to Elison, who was a silver medalist at last year’s U17 World Championships in Athens, Greece. Elison earned two technical falls (10-0, 12-2) on Marie Sharp in the 57 kg finals. She outscored the opposition 73-2 throughout her seven matches.
Healey won the battle of returning U17 World bronze medalists against Maisie Elliott in the 46 kg semifinals, 13-2, setting up a championship series against 2026 U17 Pan American silver medalist Abigail Peterson. It was all Healey in the finals. She won in two straight bouts, 10-0 and 14-4.
The 10 U17 champions from Spokane have qualified to compete for Team USA at the 2026 U17 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, this July.
2024 U17 World Team member Kaili Manuel qualified for her second age-group World Team with a pair of shutout technical falls against Alexis Penley in the 73 kg finals.
Three members of the 2026 U17 Pan American Team earned a trip to Baku—Sophia Valdez at 40 kg, Landri Von Gonten at 61 kg and Eve Skrocki at 65 kg. Skrocki won the only championship series to go three matches, besting Clover Williams by 9-0 decision in the third and final match.
The remaining U17 champions were Lilly Lundy at 43 kg, Isla Silva at 49 kg and Marlee Solomon at 53 kg.
Watch all the matches from this weekend on-demand at FloWrestling. Brackets and final results are available on USA Bracketing.
Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) defeats Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon WC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Valdez tech. fall Selig, 11-0
Round 2 – Valdez dec. Selig, 8-0
Lilly Lundy (Motown Wrestling) defeats Lindsey Lau (Golden Back MRTC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Lundy dec. Lau, 10-7
Round 2 – Lundy fall Lau, 1:48
Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary) defeats Abigail Peterson (Big Game WC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Healey tech. fall Peterson, 10-0
Round 2 – Healey tech. fall Peterson, 14-4
Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) defeats Bella Manno (Valiant WC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Silva dec. Manno, 5-1
Round 2 – Silva dec. Manno, 8-4
Marlee Solomon (Wrestling Chix) defeats Reagan Mathers (Valiant College Preparatory), two matches to none
Round 1 – Solomon fall Mathers, 2:50
Round 2 – Solomon dec. Mathers, 8-4
Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) defeats Marie Sharp (New Jersey), two matches to none
Round 1 – Elison tech. fall Sharp, 10-0
Round 2 – Elison tech. fall Sharp, 12-2
Landri VonGonten (Boneyard Wrestling Academy) defeats Isabella Miller (Big Game WC), two matches to none
Round 1 – VonGonten fall Miller, 2:00
Round 2 – VonGonten dec. Miller, 8-3
Eve Skrocki (Valiant WC) defeats Clover Williams (Husky WC), two matches to one
Round 1 – Williams dec. Skrocki, 4-3
Round 2 – Skrocki dec. Williams, 7-2
Round 3 – Skrocki dec. Williams, 9-0
Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury WC) defeats Matilda Hruby (Colorado), two matches to none
Round 1 – Fernandez tech. fall Hruby, 10-0
Round 2 – Fernandez tech. fall Hruby, 10-0
Kaili Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy) defeats Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary), two matches to none
Round 1 – Manuel tech. fall Penley, 10-0
Round 2 – Manuel tech. fall Penley, 11-0
3rd - Leivelle Alejado (Grapplers HI) dec. Mia Pardo (All-American WC), 8-6
5th - Emily Hamil (Okie Girls) forfeit Olivia Maya Felix (Golden Tribe Wrestling)
7th - Emma Martinez (California) fall Piper Phillips (Immortal Athletics WC), 2:59
3rd - Justice Gutierrez (Pomona Elite) dec. Olivia Hernandez (Beaver Dam WC), 9-4
5th - Maisie Elliott (Mat Demon WC) dec. Olivia Munson (Titan Mercury WC), 10-2
7th - Sophia Lazaro (Titan Mercury WC (TMWC)) tech. fall Jasmine Buck (RBY WC), 12-2
3rd - Amaya Hoku Kapihe (Golden Back MRTC) dec. Gabriella Conte (New Jersey), 10-5
5th - Summer Mutschler (Cavalier WC) dec. Peggy Susan Dean (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 5-5
7th - Ella Neibert (Braves WC) dec. Dilynn Albrecht (Avila Combat Laboratories), 7-4
3rd - Hailey Delgado (NXT Level Wrestling Academy) dec. Abigail Gonzalez (Miami WC), 5-0
5th - Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling) dec. Hepua Salter (Hawaii Wrestling Academy), 6-2
7th - Mikayla Perkins (Contenders Wrestling Academy) dec. Auriana Wakinekona (Grapplers HI), 15-11
3rd - Sobina Clendaniel (Marathon WC) dec. Neve O'Byrne (Black Sheep WC), 3-2
5th - Aleia Apostol (Titan Mercury / Poway RTC) fall Cameron Leng (Team Miron), 0:20
7th - Ariella Dobin (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Claire Lancaster (Okie Girls), 13-3
3rd - Caroline Hilton (Tennessee) dec. Chloe Wehry (Pinnacle WC), 8-0
5th - Rachel Garcia (Cowboy WC) dec. Sophia Fodera (Poway Wrestling), 6-2
7th - Mila Mantanona (Mantanona TC) dec. Olivia Bezdicek (Team Idaho WC), 15-10
3rd - Gray Joyce (Wichita Training Center) dec. Audrey Robinson (Legacy Elite WC), 6-3
5th - Saige McCleery (Mat Demon WC) tech. fall Ava Johnson (Mayhem WC), 10-0
7th - Harlow Skenandore (Wisconsin) tech. fall Layla Risler (Victory School of Wrestling), 10-0
3rd - Julia Araujo (MATPAC WC) fall Mia O’Farrill (M2 Training Center), 1:43
5th - Janiya Johnson (Wyoming Seminary) tech. fall Maddison Miller (Team Pennsylvania), 10-0
7th - Julie Cimarusti (Legacy Wrestling Center) fall Emily Beckley (Team Tulsa WC), 2:47
3rd - Ciyanna Okocha (Wyoming Seminary) fall Symone Jewell (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus Wrestling), 3:55
5th - Sarah Pulk (Frontier WC) dec. Juliet Alt (Team Pennsylvania), 9-2
7th - Christal Desir (M80 WC) dec. Mya Dobrinski (Cowboy WC), 6-6
Lilly Lundy (Motown Wrestling) forfeit Olivia Maya Felix (Golden Tribe Wrestling)
Lindsey Lau (Golden Back MRTC) tech. fall Emily Hamil (Okie Girls), 12-1
Abigail Peterson (Big Game WC) dec. Justice Gutierrez (Pomona Elite), 5-1
Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary) tech. fall Maisie Elliott (Mat Demon WC), 13-2
Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) tech. fall Gabriella Conte (New Jersey), 11-1
Bella Manno (Valiant WC) tech. fall Peggy Susan Dean (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 12-1
Reagan Mathers (Valiant College Preparatory) dec. Hepua Salter (Hawaii Wrestling Academy), 6-0
Marlee Solomon (Wrestling Chix) dec. Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling), 4-2
Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) fall Sobina Clendaniel (Marathon WC), 2:17
Marie Sharp (New Jersey) dec. Aleia Apostol (Titan Mercury / Poway RTC), 3-2
Landri VonGonten (Boneyard Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Rachel Garcia (Cowboy WC), 11-1
Isabella Miller (Big Game WC) fall Caroline Hilton (Tennessee), 3:53
Eve Skrocki (Valiant WC) dec. Audrey Robinson (Legacy Elite WC), 3-1
Clover Williams (Husky WC) dec. Saige McCleery (Mat Demon WC), 6-0
Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Janiya Johnson (Wyoming Seminary), 11-0
Matilda Hruby (Colorado) tech. fall Julia Araujo (MATPAC WC), 12-5
Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Sarah Pulk (Frontier WC), 4-2
Kaili Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy) tech. fall Symone Jewell (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus Wrestling), 10-0
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