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Women’s college post season continues with four NAIA Conference Championships set for this weekend
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Action image courtesy of Grand View Athletics
Women college wrestlers take to the mat in the post season again this weekend, with the hosting of four more NAIA conference championship events.
Last week, the Mid-South Conference held its women’s championship. This week, NAIA conference hosting their championships include the Heart of America Conference, the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Sooner Athletic Conference and the Cascade Conference.
These events are not qualifiers for the NAIA Women’s Invitational on March 11-12 in Jamestown, N.D., March 11-12, where NAIA women’s teams can bring as many as 12 athletes to compete there. The conference meets will be a major factor in the seeding of athletes at the national event, as well as perhaps helping the NAIA women’s coaches to determine which of their athletes will attend the nationals in two weeks.
Among the teams competing this weekend are No. 1 Grand View, No. 2 Menlo College, No. 5 Texas Wesleyan and No. 6 Southern Oregon.
There are six NAIA No. 1 ranked wrestlers expected to wrestle this weekend, Iverly Navarro of Providence (No. 1 at 101), Alleida Martinez of Menlo (No. 1 at 116), Nanea Estrella of Menlo (No. 1 at 130), Destiny Lyng of Oklahoma City (No. 1 at 143), Sienna Ramirez of Southern Oregon (No. 1 at 155) and Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson of Menlo (No. 1 at 191).
We will take a closer look at each of these tournaments this weekend.
NAIA Heart of America Conference at Baldwin City, Kansas, Saturday February 26
Ranked Teams: No. 1 Grand View, No. 9 Baker, No. 15 Iowa Wesleyan
Other Teams: Central Methodist, Waldorf, William Penn, Missouri Valley
Defending champion: Grand View
Returning Regional champions: Emma Cochran of Grand View (109), Nichole Moore of Baker (116, now at 123), Mami Selamani of William Penn (123), Isabella Gonzalez of Grand View (130), Andrea Schlabach of Grand View (136, now at 130), Nancy Beccera of Missouri Valley (143), Morgan Mayginnes of Baker (155), Hunter Robinson of Grand View (170), Elisa Robinson of Baker (191, now at 170)
High National Ranking: Nichole Moore of Baker (No. 1 at 123), Abby McIntyre of Grand View (No. 1 at 170), Andrea Schlabach of Grand View (No. 3 at 130), Adaugo Nwachukwu of Iowa Wesleyan (No. 3 at 136), Alexis Gomez of Grand View (No. 3 at 143)
NAIA Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference at Leavenworth, Kansas, Saturday February 26
Ranked Teams: No. 12 Jamestown, No. 16 Midland, No. 19 Hastings,
Other Teams: Avila, Friends, Ottawa, St. Mary, York
Defending champion: Jamestown
Returning Regional champions: Esther Walker of Midland (101), Rayana Sahagun of Jamestown (109), Josie Bartishofski of Jamestown (116, now at 123), Arianna Marrufo of Jamestown (123, now at 116), Alexandria Baudhuin of Jamestown (130), Luisita Jara of Jamestown (136), Waipuilani Estrella-Beachamp of Midland (143), Mahea Lewis of Midland (155), Siera Talmage of Jamestown (170), Kelly LaCost of Jamestown (191)
High National Ranking: Esther Walker of Midland (No. 2 at 101), Sierra Talmadge of Jamestown (No. 3 at 170)
NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference Championships at Oklahoma City, Okla., Saturday February 26
Ranked Teams: No. 5 Texas Wesleyan, No. 8 Wayland Baptist, No. 13 Lyon, No. 20 Oklahoma City,
Defending champion: Wayland Baptist
Returning Regional champions: Nina Pham of Wayland Baptist (101, now at 109), Ovieonce Ray of Wayland Baptist (109), Jasmine Hernandez of Lyon (123), Mea Mohler of Texas Wesleyan (130), Olivia Ricci of Wayland Baptist (170)
High National Ranking: Destiny Lyng of Oklahoma City (No. 1 at 143), Ovieonce Ray of Wayland Baptist (No. 2 at 109), Lexi Basham of Texas Wesleyan (No. 2 at 130), Jordan Suarez of Wayland Baptist (No. 2 at 136), Kelani Corbett of Lyon (No. 2 at 191), Nina Pham of Wayland Baptist (No. 3 at 109)
NAIA Cascade Conference Championships at Great Falls, Montana, Sunday February 27
Ranked Teams: No. 2 Menlo, No. 6 Southern Oregon, No. 10 Univ. of the Providence, No. 17 Eastern Oregon
Other Teams: Corban, Life Pacific, Simpson, Warner Pacific
Defending champion: No event in 2021. Menlo was the 2020 champion
Returning Regional champions: No event in 2021. The 2020 champions still competing include Iverly Navarro of Providence (101), Alleida Martinez (109, now at 116), Gracie Figueroa (130, now at 143)
High National Ranking: Iverly Navarro of Providence (No. 1 at 101), Alleida Martinez of Menlo (No. 1 at 116), Nanea Estrella of Menlo (No. 1 at 130), Sienna Ramirez of Southern Oregon (No. 1 at 155), Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson of Menlo (No. 1 st 191), Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon (No. 2 at 123), Karrah Smith of Southern Oregon (No. 3 at 191)
Women college wrestlers take to the mat in the post season again this weekend, with the hosting of four more NAIA conference championship events.
Last week, the Mid-South Conference held its women’s championship. This week, NAIA conference hosting their championships include the Heart of America Conference, the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Sooner Athletic Conference and the Cascade Conference.
These events are not qualifiers for the NAIA Women’s Invitational on March 11-12 in Jamestown, N.D., March 11-12, where NAIA women’s teams can bring as many as 12 athletes to compete there. The conference meets will be a major factor in the seeding of athletes at the national event, as well as perhaps helping the NAIA women’s coaches to determine which of their athletes will attend the nationals in two weeks.
Among the teams competing this weekend are No. 1 Grand View, No. 2 Menlo College, No. 5 Texas Wesleyan and No. 6 Southern Oregon.
There are six NAIA No. 1 ranked wrestlers expected to wrestle this weekend, Iverly Navarro of Providence (No. 1 at 101), Alleida Martinez of Menlo (No. 1 at 116), Nanea Estrella of Menlo (No. 1 at 130), Destiny Lyng of Oklahoma City (No. 1 at 143), Sienna Ramirez of Southern Oregon (No. 1 at 155) and Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson of Menlo (No. 1 at 191).
We will take a closer look at each of these tournaments this weekend.
NAIA Heart of America Conference at Baldwin City, Kansas, Saturday February 26
Ranked Teams: No. 1 Grand View, No. 9 Baker, No. 15 Iowa Wesleyan
Other Teams: Central Methodist, Waldorf, William Penn, Missouri Valley
Defending champion: Grand View
Returning Regional champions: Emma Cochran of Grand View (109), Nichole Moore of Baker (116, now at 123), Mami Selamani of William Penn (123), Isabella Gonzalez of Grand View (130), Andrea Schlabach of Grand View (136, now at 130), Nancy Beccera of Missouri Valley (143), Morgan Mayginnes of Baker (155), Hunter Robinson of Grand View (170), Elisa Robinson of Baker (191, now at 170)
High National Ranking: Nichole Moore of Baker (No. 1 at 123), Abby McIntyre of Grand View (No. 1 at 170), Andrea Schlabach of Grand View (No. 3 at 130), Adaugo Nwachukwu of Iowa Wesleyan (No. 3 at 136), Alexis Gomez of Grand View (No. 3 at 143)
NAIA Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference at Leavenworth, Kansas, Saturday February 26
Ranked Teams: No. 12 Jamestown, No. 16 Midland, No. 19 Hastings,
Other Teams: Avila, Friends, Ottawa, St. Mary, York
Defending champion: Jamestown
Returning Regional champions: Esther Walker of Midland (101), Rayana Sahagun of Jamestown (109), Josie Bartishofski of Jamestown (116, now at 123), Arianna Marrufo of Jamestown (123, now at 116), Alexandria Baudhuin of Jamestown (130), Luisita Jara of Jamestown (136), Waipuilani Estrella-Beachamp of Midland (143), Mahea Lewis of Midland (155), Siera Talmage of Jamestown (170), Kelly LaCost of Jamestown (191)
High National Ranking: Esther Walker of Midland (No. 2 at 101), Sierra Talmadge of Jamestown (No. 3 at 170)
NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference Championships at Oklahoma City, Okla., Saturday February 26
Ranked Teams: No. 5 Texas Wesleyan, No. 8 Wayland Baptist, No. 13 Lyon, No. 20 Oklahoma City,
Defending champion: Wayland Baptist
Returning Regional champions: Nina Pham of Wayland Baptist (101, now at 109), Ovieonce Ray of Wayland Baptist (109), Jasmine Hernandez of Lyon (123), Mea Mohler of Texas Wesleyan (130), Olivia Ricci of Wayland Baptist (170)
High National Ranking: Destiny Lyng of Oklahoma City (No. 1 at 143), Ovieonce Ray of Wayland Baptist (No. 2 at 109), Lexi Basham of Texas Wesleyan (No. 2 at 130), Jordan Suarez of Wayland Baptist (No. 2 at 136), Kelani Corbett of Lyon (No. 2 at 191), Nina Pham of Wayland Baptist (No. 3 at 109)
NAIA Cascade Conference Championships at Great Falls, Montana, Sunday February 27
Ranked Teams: No. 2 Menlo, No. 6 Southern Oregon, No. 10 Univ. of the Providence, No. 17 Eastern Oregon
Other Teams: Corban, Life Pacific, Simpson, Warner Pacific
Defending champion: No event in 2021. Menlo was the 2020 champion
Returning Regional champions: No event in 2021. The 2020 champions still competing include Iverly Navarro of Providence (101), Alleida Martinez (109, now at 116), Gracie Figueroa (130, now at 143)
High National Ranking: Iverly Navarro of Providence (No. 1 at 101), Alleida Martinez of Menlo (No. 1 at 116), Nanea Estrella of Menlo (No. 1 at 130), Sienna Ramirez of Southern Oregon (No. 1 at 155), Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson of Menlo (No. 1 st 191), Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon (No. 2 at 123), Karrah Smith of Southern Oregon (No. 3 at 191)