Complete preview of women’s freestyle team headed to U17 Worlds in Rome, July 25-31

U17 World Team member Audrey Jimenez at the U.S. Open finals. Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

The 2022 U.S. U17 women’s freestyle World Team is set to compete in Rome, Italy at the World Championships, July 25-31.
Leading the charge for Team USA is returning 2021 U17 World champion Erica Pastoriza at 40 kg. Pastoriza will look for a second-straight gold medal, this year at 43 kg. The Phoenix, Arizona native attends Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania and has won the last six USA Wrestling tournaments she’s participated in.
Another athlete in the mix with a World medal is Audrey Jimenez of Tucson, Arizona at 49 kg. Jimenez took bronze at the 2021 U17 World Championships. She has some of the most international experience on the roster as a 2019 U15 Pan American champion and will gain even more this year as she made both the 2022 U17 and U20 World Teams.
Also leading the squad is Jasmine Robinson of Allen, Texas. In 2021, Robinson won two stop signs at the USMC 16U and Junior Nationals in Fargo at 152 pounds. Robinson put on a dominating performance to make the team, defeating 2022 Cadet Pan American champion Mishell Rebisch in two straight matches at the 2022 USMC Women’s Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas in May.
At 73 kg, Kaiulani Garcia of Stockton, California will bring international experience with her to Rome. Garcia was the 2022 U17 Pan American bronze medalist. She is replacing World Team Trials champion Amarisa Manuel. 
2021 USMC 16U National champion Shelby Moore at 57 kg will represent the Stars and Stripes next week. Moore, of Buckley, Washington, took out 2022 U17 Pan American runner-up Skylar Little Solider to punch her ticket to Rome. She finished at the top of the podium at several of her recent competitions including the Girls National High School Recruiting Showcase at the U.S. Open and Folkstyle Nationals.
Three 2021 16U USMC national runners-up will also represent Team USA in Rome including Valerie Hamilton, Gabriella Gomez and Elena Ivaldi.
Hamilton, at 61 kg, hails from Gridley, Illinois and was the 2019 U15 World Combat Games champion. At 46 kg, Gomez, a native of Carol Steam, Illinois, was the 2022 National High School Recruiting Showcase champion. From Newcastle, California, Ivaldi brings a California state title and will compete at 53 kg.
Rounding out the squad are 2021 USMC 16U Nationals All-Americans Megan Valdez of San Jacinto, California and Sydney Perry at 65 kg. Perry, of Batavia, Illinois, took silver at the 2022 U17 Pan American Championships and earned All-American status twice at USMC 16U Nationals, in 2022 with third-place and in 2021 with second-place. Perry is the alternate for World Team Trials champion Lizzie Shunn. 
Valdez, who will complete at 40 kg, earned All-American status in 2021 with a strong fifth-place finish.
This powerhouse team will be coached by National Women’s Development coach Jessica Bunker and Jacque Davis.
Women’s freestyle competition begins Wednesday, July 27 with Pastoriza, Jimenez, Moore, Perry and Garcia. Valdez, Gomez, Ivaldi, Hamilton and Robinson will wrestle on Thursday, July 28.

All action will be live on FloWrestling. USA Wrestling will live tweet the matches and provide daily updates on TheMat.com.


U17 World Championships

Rome, Italy | July 25-31

U17 women’s freestyle roster

40 kg: Megan Valdez (San Jacinto, Calif.)
43 kg: Erica Pastoriza (Phoenix, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club)
46 kg: Gabriella Gomez (Carol Stream, Ill.)
49 kg: Audrey Jimenez (Tucson, Ariz. /Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club)
53 kg: Elena Ivaldi (Newcastle, Calif./MatTime)
57 kg: Shelby Moore (Buckley, Wash./Takedown Express Wrestling Club)
61 kg: Valerie Hamilton (Gridley, Ill./SOT-C)
65 kg: Sydney Perry (Batavia, Ill./Batavia WC)
69 kg: Jasmine Robinson (Allen, Texas /Best Trained Wrestling)
73 kg: Kaiulani Garcia (Stockton, Calif./NorCal Queens Wrestling Club)
Schedule (7 hours ahead of U.S. EST)

Monday, July 25
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110kg)
6 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110kg)
Tuesday, July 26
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92kg), repechage (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110kg)
6 p.m.
4:15 p.m. – Opening Ceremony
5 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110kg)
Wednesday, July 27
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73kg), repechage (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92kg)
5 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92kg)
Thursday, July 28
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 40 46 53 61 69kg), repechage (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73kg)
5 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 40 46 53 61 69kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73kg)

Friday, July 29
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (FS 48 55 65 80 110kg), repechage (WFS 40 46 53 61 69kg)
5 p.m. – Semifinals (FS 48 55 65 80 110kg)
6 p.m. – (WFS 40 46 53 61 69kg)
Saturday, July 30
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (FS 45 51 60 71 92kg), repechage (FS 48 55 65 80 110kg)
5 p.m. – Semifinals (FS 45 51 60 71 92kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (FS 48 55 65 80 110kg)

Sunday, July 31
4:30 p.m. – Repechage (FS 45 51 60 71 92kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (FS 45 51 60 71 92kg