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Led by two champs and 12 All-Americans, McKendree wins third straight NCWWC National title for NCAA women

by Gabrielle Lord Klein, Special to TheMat.com

McKendree University, 2022 NCWWC National Champions. Photo by Jim Thrall, MatFocus.


ADRIAN, Michigan — The strength of NCAA women’s wrestling was showcased this weekend at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships. The two-day event was complete with finals matches contested under spotlight.


Led by two champions, the McKendree Bearcats secured a third consecutive team title with 188 points. King University was second with 166 points, and Simon Fraser was third with 145.5.


McKendree, who came in ranked No. 2 after falling to King in the National Duals finals, came into the weekend ready to battle. They pulled out to a 26-point lead at the conclusion of the semifinals and maintained the gap through the finals.


Both of McKendree’s champions went through the tournament without surrendering a single point. Cameron Guerin, now a two-time champion at 130-pounds, was awarded the NCWWC Outstanding Wrestler Award. Teammate Sydnee Kimber, who wrestled in an all-McKendree final at 191 pounds, earned her third consecutive NCWWC title.


Felicity Taylor (116), Alara Boyd (143), Kayla Marano (155), Joye Levendusky (170) and Jaycee Fuller (191) placed runners up for McKendree. Lizette Rodriguez wrestled back for a third place finish at 101 pounds after a tightly contested quarterfinal loss on day one.


King University placed five wrestlers in the top three. After an opening day consisting of three 10-0 tech falls, Ashlynn Ortega captured the individual title in the 143-pound weight class by defeating the 2021 champion from McKendree, Alara Boyd. Cheyenne Sisenstein finished second at 123, while teammates Samara Chavez (109), Sage Mortimer (116) and Ana Luciano (136) all battled back for third.


Simon Fraser went three-for-three in the finals with Karla Godinez-Gonzalez and Alex Hedrick winning back-to-back at 116 and 123 pounds, and Alyvia Fiske inserting herself atop the podium at 155. The lighter weights reclaimed top spots after a year without competing at the college national championships. Lauren Mason (130) and Emily Cue (191) worked back to third place finishes after losses on day one.


The four remaining individual champions come from a mix of programs.


Olivia Shore, a freshman at Tiffin University in Ohio, earned her first collegiate title, defeating the 2021 national champion Angelina Gomez of Emmanuel with an 11-0 tech fall in the 101-pound weight class. Shore joins Emily Shilson and Cameron Guerin as wrestlers from this tournament that are positioned to seek four titles in four consecutive years.


Emily Shilson, now a three-time NCWWC champion for Augsburg, left no doubt in the 109-pound final. With stellar par terre offense, she separates herself from the competition. She beat Sydney Petzinger (North Central College in the finals by technical fall. She now owns four college national titles, as she also won a WCWA title earlier in her college career.


Arguably the loudest reaction in the gymnasium came at 136 pounds when Adrian’s Zoe Nowicki won over Nina Kemu Makem on a home stage surrounded by family and friends. The multiple-time All-American locked in the program’s first individual national title.


North Central’s Yelena Makoyed earned her second title at 170 pounds, completing the weekend without giving up a single point. Freshman teammates Sydney Petzinger (109) and Niya Gaines (130) had standout performances and finished runner up. The Cardinals head coach, Joe Norton, was awarded NCWWC Coach of the Tournament, leading the team to a fourth place finish.



Handing out awards was USA Wrestling’s Executive Director Rich Bender. He was joined in attendance by Head Women’s National Team Coach Terry Steiner, Wrestle Like A Girl’s Julia Salata, and multiple representatives from the National Wrestling Coaches Association, including Executive Director Mike Moyer.


The top two wrestlers in each weight class who are U.S. citizens qualify for the 2022 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Coralville, Iowa, May 21-22. A total of 15 athletes who had not yet qualified for the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament were determined today. They can compete in whatever Senior World Championships weight class they choose.


Complete results from the 2022 NCWWC are below. All matches are archived on FloWrestling.

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Adrian, Mich., March 4-5



101

1st Place Match - Olivia Shore (Tiffin University) 27-1, Fr. over Angelina Gomez (Emmanuel College) 3-1, RS Jr. (TF-1.5 4:40 (11-0))

3rd Place Match - Lizette Rodriguez (McKendree University) 5-1, So. over Jaclyn McNichols (King University) 19-5, Sr. (Dec 4-1)

5th Place Match - Samantha Miller (Presbyterian College) 19-4, So. over Maddie Mackenzie (Simon Fraser University) 15-3, Fr. (Fall 6:00)

7th Place Match - Brooke Thurber (University Of Wisconsin At Stevens Point) 16-6, over Katerina Pendergrass (Gannon University) 18-8, So. (Dec 8-7)


109

1st Place Match - Emily Shilson (Augsburg University) 25-0, Jr. over Sydney Petzinger (North Central College) 30-9, Fr. (TF-1.5 2:42 (11-0))

3rd Place Match - Samara Chavez (King University) 23-5, Fr. over Natalie Reyna (McKendree University) 3-2, Sr. (Dec 11-6)

5th Place Match - Danielle Garcia (King University) 14-8, Jr. over Alexia Seal (Simon Fraser University) 14-3, RS Fr. (Fall 5:26)

7th Place Match - Julianne Moccia (Gannon University) 24-8, Fr. over Angelina Graff (North Central College) 21-18, Jr. (Fall 3:49)


116

1st Place Match - Karla Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser University) 18-0, RS Fr. over Felicity Taylor (McKendree University) 3-1, Sr. (Dec 3-1)

3rd Place Match - Sage Mortimer (King University) 24-3, Fr. over Jaslynn Gallegos (Presbyterian College) 17-3, Jr. (Fall 2:41)

5th Place Match - Gabriela Ramos Diaz (Limestone College) 18-6, Sr. over Kendra Ryan (North Central College) 27-13, Fr. (TF-1.5 5:53 (12-2))

7th Place Match - Mateah Roehl (North Central College) 24-10, So. over Ainslie Lane (Presbyterian College) 14-5, Jr. (TF-1.5 2:20 (11-1))


123

1st Place Match - Alexandra Hedrick (Simon Fraser University) 4-0, RS Fr. over Cheyenne Sisenstein (King University) 23-1, Sr. (Fall 5:49)

3rd Place Match - Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa University) 10-1, RS Jr. over Cayden Condit (Lindenwood University) 5-2, Fr. (Fall 1:25)

5th Place Match - Amani Jones (North Central College) 35-8, Fr. over Melanie Mendoza (King University) 17-9, So. (Dec 7-6)

7th Place Match - Asia Nguyen-Smith (North Central College) 19-10, Jr. over Gabby Skidmore (Augsburg University) 20-8, Jr. (Dec 10-6)


130

1st Place Match - Cameron Guerin (McKendree University) 4-0, So. over Niya Teresita Gaines (North Central College) 26-8, Fr. (TF-1.5 1:49 (10-0))

3rd Place Match - Lauren Mason (Simon Fraser University) 11-3, . over Mia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg University) 13-3, So. (TF-1.5 3:17 (10-0))

5th Place Match - Solana Mottola (Tiffin University) 31-10, Fr. over Claire DiCugno (Colorado Mesa University) 10-4, Fr. (Dec 4-2)

7th Place Match - Montana Delawder (King University) 26-3, Fr. over Anya Knappenberger (Gannon University) 27-9, Fr. (Dec 13-4)


136

1st Place Match - Zoe Nowicki (Adrian College) 37-1, Sr. over Blanche `Nina` Kemu Makem (Augsburg University) 30-6, Fr. (Dec 4-0).

3rd Place Match - Ana Luciano (King University) 27-2, Sr. over Skye Realin (McKendree University) 4-2, Fr. (Dec 9-4)

5th Place Match - Emmily Patneaud (McKendree University) 3-2, So. over Holly Beaudoin (Colorado Mesa University) 4-3, So. (Dec 8-4)

7th Place Match - Sara Sulejmani (North Central College) 23-12, Fr. over Lana Perez (Gannon University) 18-11, So. (Fall 4:26)


143

1st Place Match - Ashlynn Ortega (King University) 20-1, Sr. over Alara Boyd (McKendree University) 3-1, Jr. (Dec 3-0)

3rd Place Match - Madison Sandquist (Sacred Heart University) 29-7, Fr. over Kaylee Lacy (Colorado Mesa University) 13-3, Sr. (Fall 5:19)

5th Place Match - Avia Bibeau (East Stroudsburg University) 11-4, So. over Riley Aamold (North Central College) 23-14, Fr. (Fall 0:23)

7th Place Match - Kim Nunez (North Central College) 25-13, Jr. over Khadijah Sanusi (Sacred Heart University) 15-11, Fr. (Dec 3-1)


155

1st Place Match - Alyvia Fiske (Simon Fraser University) 12-0, RS Fr. over Kayla Marano (McKendree University) 3-1, RS Jr. (Dec 3-2)

3rd Place Match - Marlynne Deede (Augsburg University) 25-5, Jr. over Nyla Burgess (Adrian College) 32-11, Fr. (TF-1.5 2:15 (10-0))

5th Place Match - Tiera Jimerson (North Central College) 20-7, Fr. over Taylor Hites (Tiffin University) 31-12, Sr. (Dec 8-0)

7th Place Match - Tiffani Baublitz (King University) 25-7, Fr. over Skylah Chakouian (Elmira College) 19-7, Fr. (Fall 1:06)


170

1st Place Match - Yelena Makoyed (North Central College) 27-1, Jr. over Joye Levendusky (McKendree University) 3-1, Sr. (TF-1.5 3:34 (11-0))

3rd Place Match - Emily Cue (Simon Fraser University) 18-1, Sr. over Grace Kristoff (McKendree University) 4-2, Sr. (Dec 4-1)

5th Place Match - Cheyenne Bowman (King University) 25-4, Fr. over Jade Herzer (University Of Wisconsin At Stevens Point) 23-11, Fr. (Dec 3-0)

7th Place Match - Tatum Heikkila (Colorado Mesa University) 7-3, Fr. over Jacklyn Smith (Sacred Heart University) 14-11, Fr. (Dec 9-3)


191

1st Place Match - Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University) 4-0, Sr. over Jaycee Foeller (McKendree University) 3-1, Fr. (Fall 1:18)

3rd Place Match - Jayleen Sekona (Colorado Mesa University) 9-4, Fr. over Nia Crosdale (King University) 25-6, Sr. (Dec 4-1)

5th Place Match - Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel College) 3-2, Jr. over Katja Osteen (Simon Fraser University) 10-6, Fr. (Fall 3:59)

7th Place Match - Sandra Guerrero (New Jersey City University) 18-8, So. over Journey Land (Limestone College) 15-16, Fr. (Fall 1:07)

2022 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament Qualifiers

101 – Olivia Shore (Tiffin University)

101 - Angelina Gomez (Emmanuel College)

109 –Sydney Petzinger (North Central College)

116 - Felicity Taylor (McKendree University)

123 – Alexandra Hedrick (Simon Fraser University)

123 - Cheyenne Sisenstein (King University)

130 – Niya Teresita Gaines (North Central College)

136 – Blanche `Nina` Kemu Makem (Augsburg University)

136 - Zoe Nowicki (Adrian College)

143 – Ashlynn Ortega (King University)

155 – Kayla Marano (McKendree University)

155 - Alyvia Fiske (Simon Fraser University)

170 – Joye Levendusky (McKendree University)

191 – Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University)

191 - Jaycee Foeller (McKendree University)

Final Standings

1 McKendree University 188.0

2 King University 166.0

3 Simon Fraser University 145.5

4 North Central College 128.0

5 Colorado Mesa University 89.0

6 Augsburg University 82.0

7 Tiffin University 75.5

8 Adrian College 42.5

9 Emmanuel College 38.5

9 Gannon University 38.5

11 Lindenwood University 38.0

12 Limestone College 32.5

13 East Stroudsburg University 31.5

14 Sacred Heart University 30.5

15 Presbyterian College 29.5

16 University Of Wisconsin At Stevens Point 27.0

17 New Jersey City University 22.0

18 Elmira College 11.0

19 William Jewell College 9.0

20 Trine University 5.5

21 Albion College 5.0

22 Lock Haven University 4.5

23 Delaware Valley University 3.0

23 Emory and Henry College 3.0

25 Schreiner University 2.5

26 Chadron State College 1.0

(of 32 teams)