Kruse and Miller Earn 16U Girls National Titles; Championship Bouts Set for Sunday at Folkstyle Nationals

Mar 14, 2026, 8:40 PM EDT

by David Gerhart, USA Wrestling

Mercedes Kruse competing at the 2026 USA Wrestling 16U & Junior Folkstyle Nationals

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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – Mercedes Cruse and Caylee Miller were the first 16U Girls to win national titles at the 2026 USA Wrestling 16U & Folkstyle Nationals. Cruse won the round robin tournament at 207 pounds, and Caylee Miller won the 235-pound round robin at The MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex.

Kruse went 3-0 with two first-period pins to highlight her tournament. To seal the championship, Cruse picked up a 9-0 major decision. Miller won both of her round robin bouts via pin to claim her title.

Lanaia Selig and Alexis Penley are both looking for the weekend double as they are in the finals on Sunday after winning Junior national titles earlier on Saturday.

Selig pinned both of her opponents at 95 pounds to set up a battle in the championship against Piper Phillips, who is looking to repeat after winning the 2025 16U national title. Phillips also had a dominant start to the tournament with a 16-1 technical fall followed by a 48-second pin in the semifinals.

Penley’s three wins at 170 pounds to secure her championship spot came via pin. In the final, Penley faces Siobhan Flanner, who also pinned her way to the finals.

Along with Phillips, 2025 16U Folkstyle Nationals champions Mikayla Perkins and Scarlett Yeager are also back in the finals this year. At 125 pounds, Perkins went 3-0 with three pins to set up a championship match against Cora Stewart. Yeager posted a pair of first period falls to punch her ticket to the championship final at 140 pounds. Yeager now takes on Payton Helmin in the finals.

A full list of 16U Girls finals matches and semifinal results is listed below.

The 16U Girls division continues Sunday at 9 a.m. CT with championship finals and medal matches. Visit usawrestlingevents.com for a complete schedule of events for every division.

All the action from West Des Moines, Iowa, will be available to watch live or on-demand on FloWrestling. Brackets and updated match-by-match results will be available through USA Bracketing.

2026 USA Wrestling 16U & Junior Folkstyle Nationals

At West Des Moines, Iowa, March 14

Quick Links

Finals Matchups

95 pounds – Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club) vs. Piper Phillips (Immortal Athletics WC)

100 pounds – Abigail Peterson (Big Game Wrestling Club) vs. Timi Coles (Combat School)

105 pounds – Penelope Ayala (Team Nazar Training Center) vs. Hailey Estrada (Wichita Training Center)

110 pounds – Ella Neibert (Braves Wrestling Club) vs. Mabel Rogers (Rogue Warrior Wrestling)

115 pounds – Roselane D. Verrett (Monticello Wrestling Club) vs. Brielynn Jackson (Greater Heights Wrestling)

120 pounds – Mikayla Perkins (Whiteland Wrestling Club) vs. Cora Stewart (Askren Wrestling Academy)

125 pounds – Corabella Wesley (Hobart Wrestling Club) vs. Melanie Medrano (G1 Training Center)

130 pounds – Zaylyn Woods (Sisters on the Mat) vs. Madelyn Medrano (G1 Training Center)

135 pounds – Marli Woods (Contenders Wrestling Academy) vs. Annabella Nelson (Trophy Hunters Wrestling Club)

140 pounds – Scarlett Yeager (Maize Wrestling Club) vs. Payton Helmin (Minnesota)

145 pounds – Emma Antoni (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) vs. Layla Risler (Victory School of Wrestling)

155 pounds – Leolyn Karnowski (Wamego Wrestling Club) vs. Josylyn Glass (Silverback Wrestling Club)

170 pounds – Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory High School Wrestling) vs. Siobhan Flanner (Raider Wrestling Club)

190 pounds – Kaylee Thompson (Maize Wrestling Club) vs. Bryn Schmidt (Team Nazar Training Center)

Semifinal Results

95 pounds

Lanaia Selig fall Brielle Trang, 1:27

Piper Phillips fall Liliana Sharp, 0:48

100 pounds

Abigail Peterson fall Lydia Robinette, 0:46

Timi Coles tech. fall Hailey Robinson, 28-7 (4:37)

105 pounds

Penelope Ayala fall Brooklyn Smith, 2:20

Hailey Estrada fall Zivah Brown, 3:47

110 pounds

Ella Neibert dec. Allison McDaniel, 4-3

Mabel Rogers dec. Kirra Mitchell, 6-0

115 pounds

Brielynn Jackson fall Sophia Dacoco, 1:33

Roselane D. Verrett maj. dec. Saraval McGregor, 12-2

120 pounds

Cora Stewart SV Morgan Johnson, 3-0

Mikayla Perkins fall Maquelle Pace, 3:08

125 pounds

Melanie Medrano dec. Aspen Walker, 6-5

Corabella Wesley maj. dec. Harley Miller, 14-0

130 pounds

Zaylyn Woods dec. Anastasia Rodnikova, 4-2

Madelyn Medrano dec. Carleigh Clark, 6-3

135 pounds

Marli Woods fall Catherine Diehl, 3:41

Annabella Nelson tech. fall Briar Lahoe, 18-1 (2:47)

140 pounds

Scarlett Yeager fall Vanessa Takara, 0:48

Payton Helmin fall Annabelle Harmon, 3:47

145 pounds

Emma Antoni fall Allie Silcox, 0:51

Layla Risler tech. fall Katie Davidson, 15-0 (4:46)

155 pounds

Leolyn Karnowski fall Paytn Haack, 0:19

Josylyn Glass fall Kiersyn Duncombe, 5:58

170 pounds

Alexis Penley fall Madilyn Pulk, 4:52

Siobhan Flanner fall Ryeanne Fink, 2:23

190 pounds

Kaylee Thompson fall Lyla Hensen, 2:50

Bryn Schmidt fall Queen Moniz, 5:05

Round Robin Results

207 Pounds

R1 - Mercedes Kruse (West De Pere High School Wrestling) F. Graycee Simmons (Champions Wrestling Club), 1:48

R1 - Maritza Garcia (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) T.F. Sheena Locke (MATPAC Wrestling Club), 22-6 (5:54)

R2 - Mercedes Kruse (West De Pere High School Wrestling) F. Sheena Locke (MATPAC Wrestling Club), 0:52

R2 - Maritza Garcia (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) Dec. Graycee Simmons (Champions Wrestling Club), 7-5

R3 - Mercedes Kruse (West De Pere High School Wrestling) Maj. Maritza Garcia (Team Idaho Wrestling Club), 9-0

R3 - Graycee Simmons (Champions Wrestling Club) Dec. Sheena Locke (MATPAC Wrestling Club), 8-2

235 pounds

R1 - Caylee Miller (New Mexico) F. Malena Borja (Belton High School Wrestling), 3:36

R2 - Caylee Miller (New Mexico) F. Lauren Hatch (Champions Wrestling Club), 4:53

R3 - Malena Borja (Belton High School Wrestling) Dec. Lauren Hatch (Champions Wrestling Club), 9-4