Latifah McBryde (Life) battles Erin Martin (Tiffin) at the Soldier Salute.

Latifah McBryde (Life) battles Erin Martin (Tiffin) at the Soldier Salute. Photo by Mark Lundy, LutteLens

CORALVILLE, Iowa – The team competition is very balanced after the first day of action in women’s freestyle at the inaugural Soldier Salute on Friday.

With a military theme for the competition, the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program was invited to compete against college wrestlers.

Army WCAP placed the most wrestlers into the semifinals with five wrestlers: Aleeah Gould (116), Estrella Dorado Marin (123), Vanessa Ramirez (123), Bridgette Duty (136) and Brenda Reyna (143).

Duty was an 2021 NAIA national champion for the University of the Cumberlands. Reyna was a 2021 NCWWC champion for McKendree. Gould was an NCWWC runner-up for King University in 2021.

The mission of the event is to recognize and honor our former, current, and future service members. Tournament proceeds will be split between the United Service Organizations (USO) and a development fund targeted towards the continued growth of high school girls wrestling.

The University of Iowa, the nation’s first Power Five Division I women’s wrestling program, is competing unattached this year and does not score points in the team race.

Unattached Iowa wrestlers in the semifinals are Sterling Dias (101), Felicity Taylor (116) and Reese Larramendy (143). Taylor, a U.S. Senior Nationals champion, was a 2021 NCWWC national champion at McKendree, before transferring to the Hawkeye program.

Two unattached Iowa wrestlers are unbeaten in their round robins. Unattached Iowa wrestler Kylie Welker (170), a 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up, is 2-0 in her roundrobin, with both victories by technical fall. Unattached Iowa wrestler Bella Mir (155), has a 4-0 record in her eight-athlete roundrobin.

NAIA No. 3 Life leads the team standings after day one by a half-point over Army WCAP. Life has 59.5 points, while Army WCAP has 59 points.

Life semifinalists include Anna Krejsa (123), Sarah Savidge (136) and Jamilah McBryde (143). In addition, Latifah McBryde of Life has a 4-0 record in her eight-athlete roundrobin at 155 pounds.

NAIA No. 12 Iowa Wesleyan also has three semifinalists: Alaina Sunlin (101), Faith Cole (116) and 2022 NAIA national champion Adaugo Nwachukwu (136).

NAIA No. 10 Indiana Tech also has three semifinalists: Taylor Wilson (101), Emma Jones (116) and Andrea Hernandez (123). Also, Riley Dempewolf of Indiana Tech has a 2-0 record in the round robin competition at 191 pounds.

On Friday, session three, which includes the semifinals, are set for 12:00 noon CT, while the finals will be held at 6:00 p.m. CT.

Soldier Salute is being streamed live on BTN+ which is a paid subscription service. Live results will be available via TrackWrestling

There is also a men’s folkstyle division of Soldier Salute, which will be covered in a different article.

SOLDIER SALUTE
At Coralville, Iowa, December 29

Women’s freestyle

Semifinal pairings

101
Sterling Dias (Unattached) vs. Alaina Sunlin (Iowa Wesleyan)
Taylor Wilson (Indiana Tech) vs. Emilie Gonzalez (Unattached)

116
Felicity Taylor (Unattached) vs. Emma Jones (Indiana Tech)
Faith Cole (Iowa Wesleyan) vs. Aleeah Gould (Army WCAP)

123
Estrella Dorado Marin (Army WCAP) vs. Andrea Hernandez (Indiana Tech)
Anna Krejsa (Life University) vs. Vanessa Ramirez (Army WCAP)

136
Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) vs. Sarah Savidge (Life University)
Bridgette Duty (Army WCAP) vs. Emily Neumann (Iowa Wesleyan)

143
Reese Larramendy (Unattached) vs. Jamilah McBryde (Life University)
Brenda Reyna (Army WCAP) vs. Maya Letona (Columbia)

Quarterfinal results

101
Sterling Dias (Unattached) won by tech fall over Anika Barker (William Penn) TF 10-0
Alaina Sunlin (Iowa Wesleyan) won by fall over Sydney Kutzke (Indiana Tech) Fall 1:51
Taylor Wilson (Indiana Tech) won by fall over Devyn Gomez (Life University) Fall 0:42
Emilie Gonzalez (Unattached) won by tech fall over Mya Turnmire (Iowa Wesleyan) TF 12-0

116
Felicity Taylor (Unattached) won by fall over Leah Pekar (Tiffin University) Fall 1:01
Emma Jones (Indiana Tech) won by tech fall over Paige Denke (Life University) TF 12-1
Faith Cole (Iowa Wesleyan) won by fall over Brianna Funakoshi (Life University) Fall 0:45
Aleeah Gould (Army WCAP) won by fall over Grecia Martinez (William Penn) Fall 1:11

123
Estrella Dorado Marin (Army WCAP) won by decision over Katrina Kling (Columbia) Dec 6-2
Andrea Hernandez (Indiana Tech) won by fall over Brittany Cotter (William Penn) Fall 2:36
Anna Krejsa (Life University) won by tech fall over Aubree Kuhns (Indiana Tech) TF 10-0
Vanessa Ramirez (Army WCAP) won by tech fall over Alejandra Hernandez (Tiffin University) TF 12-0

136
Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) won by fall over Victoria Ngai (Columbia) Fall 0:40
Sarah Savidge (Life University) won by tech fall over Valerie Hamilton (Unattached) TF 11-1
Bridgette Duty (Army WCAP) won by tech fall over Riley Dalrymple (Life University) TF 10-0
Emily Neumann (Iowa Wesleyan) won by no contest over Nanea Estrella (Unattached) NC

143
Reese Larramendy (Unattached) won by fall over Elleni Johnson (Army WCAP) Fall 1:50
Jamilah McBryde (Life University) won by tech fall over Marisol Nugent (North Carolina) TF 11-0
Brenda Reyna (Army WCAP) won by tech fall over Samantha Snow (Indiana Tech) TF 12-1
Maya Letona (Columbia) won by tech fall over Zoey Smalley (Umpqua Community College) TF 12-0

Round robin results so far

109 - Seven athlete roundrobin (through four rounds)
Round 1 - Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin University) won by tech fall over Brianna Gonzalez (Unattached) TF 10-0
Round 1 - Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) won by fall over Kory Phillips (Life University) Fall 0:45
Round 1 - Ava Bayless (Unattached) won by tech fall over Destiny Carranza (Iowa Wesleyan) TF 11-0
Round 2 - Brianna Gonzalez (Unattached) won by fall over Ava Bayless (Unattached) Fall 2:51
Round 2 - Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) won by decision over Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin University) Dec 6-2
Round 2 - Tehani Soares (Indiana Tech) won by fall over Destiny Carranza (Iowa Wesleyan) Fall 1:36
Round 3 - Brianna Gonzalez (Unattached) won by tech fall over Kory Phillips (Life University) TF 10-0
Round 3 - Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) won by decision over Tehani Soares (Indiana Tech) Dec 5-0
Round 3 - Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin University) won by tech fall over Destiny Carranza (Iowa Wesleyan) TF 10-0
Round 4 - Ava Bayless (Unattached) won by decision over Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) Dec 4-1
Round 4 - Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin University) won by tech fall over Tehani Soares (Indiana Tech) TF 10-0
Round 4 - Kory Phillips (Life University) won by fall over Destiny Carranza (Iowa Wesleyan) Fall 1:56

130 - Seven athlete roundrobin
Round 1 - Victoria Baez-Dillone (Umpqua Community College) won by tech fall over Mami Selemani (William Penn) TF 10-0
Round 1 - Zaynah McBryde (Life University) won by decision over JoAnna Vanderwood (Iowa Wesleyan) Dec 8-5
Round 1 - Nonnie Justice (Iowa Wesleyan) won by tech fall over Mariah Webster (William Penn) TF 14-3
Round 2 - Victoria Baez-Dillone (Umpqua Community College) won by tech fall over Mariah Webster (William Penn) TF 10-0
Round 2 - Zaynah McBryde (Life University) won by tech fall over Mami Selemani (William Penn) TF 11-0
Round 2 - Destiny Campbell (Iowa Wesleyan) won by fall over Nonnie Justice (Iowa Wesleyan) Fall 1:44
Round 3 - Victoria Baez-Dillone (Umpqua Community College) won by tech fall over JoAnna Vanderwood (Iowa Wesleyan) TF 10-0
Round 3 - Destiny Campbell (Iowa Wesleyan) won by forfeit over Zaynah McBryde (Life University) FF
Round 3 - Mami Selemani (William Penn) won by decision over Nonnie Justice (Iowa Wesleyan) Dec 6-0
Round 4 - Mariah Webster (William Penn) won by forfeit over Zaynah McBryde (Life University) FF
Round 4 - Destiny Campbell (Iowa Wesleyan) won by tech fall over Mami Selemani (William Penn) TF 12-0
Round 4 - JoAnna Vanderwood (Iowa Wesleyan) won by decision over Nonnie Justice (Iowa Wesleyan) Dec 4-2

155 - 8 athlete roundrobin
Round 1 - Latifah McBryde (Life University) won by tech fall over Grace Doering (Indiana Tech) TF 10-0
Round 1 - Bella Mir (Unattached) won by fall over Aspen Barber (Army WCAP) Fall 2:26
Round 1 - Erin Martin (Tiffin University) won by decision over Emma Cole (Iowa Wesleyan) Dec 8-2
Round 1 - Sidney Ramos (Tiffin University) won by decision over Jessica Kemgne (Columbia) Dec 2-1
Round 2 - Latifah McBryde (Life University) won by tech fall over Jessica Kemgne (Columbia) TF 10-0
Round 2 - Bella Mir (Unattached) won by tech fall over Grace Doering (Indiana Tech) TF 10-0
Round 2 - Sidney Ramos (Tiffin University) won by tech fall over Emma Cole (Iowa Wesleyan) TF 10-0
Round 2 - Aspen Barber (Army WCAP) won by decision over Erin Martin (Tiffin University) Dec 7-0
Round 3 - Latifah McBryde (Life University) won by fall over Aspen Barber (Army WCAP) Fall 1:05
Round 3 - Bella Mir (Unattached) won by fall over Emma Cole (Iowa Wesleyan) Fall 5:17
Round 3 - Grace Doering (Indiana Tech) won by decision over Sidney Ramos (Tiffin University) Dec 1-1
Round 3 - Jessica Kemgne (Columbia) won by tech fall over Erin Martin (Tiffin University) TF 14-1
Round 4 - Latifah McBryde (Life University) won by fall over Erin Martin (Tiffin University) Fall 0:45
Round 4 - Bella Mir (Unattached) won by fall over Jessica Kemgne (Columbia) Fall 0:31
Round 4 - Grace Doering (Indiana Tech) won by decision over Emma Cole (Iowa Wesleyan) Dec 7-0
Round 4 - Aspen Barber (Army WCAP) won by tech fall over Sidney Ramos (Tiffin University) TF 14-3

170 – 3 pools
170A Round 1 - Tristan Kelly (Army WCAP) won by tech fall over Catherine McNulty (Indiana Tech) TF 10-0
170B Round 1 - Kylie Welker (Unattached) won by tech fall over Catherine McNulty (Indiana Tech) TF 10-0
170C Round 1 - Kylie Welker (Unattached) won by tech fall over Tristan Kelly (Army WCAP) TF 10-0

191 – 3 pools
191A Round 1 - Grace Gray (Iowa Wesleyan) won by fall over Samantha Ruano (William Penn) Fall 5:43
191B Round 1 - Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech) won by fall over Samantha Ruano (William Penn) Fall 1:23
191C Round 1 - Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech) won by decision over Grace Gray (Iowa Wesleyan) Dec 7-0

Team standings after day one
1 Life University 59.5
2 Army WCAP 59.0
3 Indiana Tech IIT 52.5
4 Iowa Wesleyan IWU 46.5
5 Tiffin University TU 16.0
6 Columbia COL 15.5
7 Umpqua Community College UCC 12.5
8 William Penn WP 11.0
9 North Carolina NC 8.0
Note: Unattached wrestlers have scored 57.5 points.

Army WCAP puts five into women’s semifinals at Soldier Salute; Life leads the team race after day one

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