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No. 1 Campbellsville leads NAIA Women’s National Invitational with five semifinalists, with No. 5 Southern Oregon in second
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Action image courtesy of Campbellsville Athletics.
No. 1 Campbellsville pushed five wrestlers into Saturday morning’s semifinals and took a strong early lead after day one of the NAIA Women’s National Invitational held at Jamestown University starting Friday.
Campbellsville, the defending team champion, will have these semifinalists: No. 2 Leilah Castro (123), No. 3 Randi Robison (136). No. 1 Emma Walker (143), unseeded Kendra Thompson (155) and No. 2 Kenya Sloan (155).
Campbellsville had 131.5 points after day one, with No. 5 Southern Oregon in second with 106 points, No. 3 Menlo College in third with 103 points and No. 4 Life in fourth with 98 points.
Southern Oregon claimed three semifinalists, 116 No. 5 Tara Othman (116), No. 4 Caro Moreno (123) and No. 8 Bailey Dennis (170).
Menlo, which was the 2019 NAIA national champion, the first year of the tournament, has four in the semifinals, all seeded either first or second: Allieda Martinez (116), No. 1 Nanea Estrella (130), No. 2 Gracie Figueroa (136) and No. 1 Tavia Heildelberg-Tilliston (191). Menlo did not compete in the 2021 season due to the pandemic. Martinez was a 2019 NAIA national champion.
Life has a chance to move up in the standings, with five in the semifinals: Katalina Bartelt (101), No. 1 Peyton Prussin (109), No. 2 Salyna Shotwell (116), No. 4 Julia Vidallon (130) and No. 5 Gabrielle Hamilton (191). Prussin is a returning NAIA champion.
Wayland Baptist, which is in ninth place, has two past NAIA champions in the semifinals, Nina Pham (101) and Asia Ray (109). Pham was a 2021 NAIA champion at 101, while Ray was a 2019 NAIA champion at 101 but has moved up to 109.
One of the biggest quarterfinal matches happened at 170 pounds, when a pair of past NAIA national champions met. No. 5 seed Dymond Guilford of the University of the Cumberlands, a 2019 NAIA champion for Missouri Baptist, defeated No. 4 seed and 2021 NAIA champion Jordan Nelson of Life, 4-3. In the Mid-South tournament finals, Nelson had defeated Guilford, 8-2.
Nine No. 1 seeds advanced to the semifinals. No. 1 Sienna Ramirez of Southern Oregon was defeated in the second round by unseeded Kendra Thompson of Campbellsville, by fall in 1:37.
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.
The semifinals begin at 10:00 a.m. MT on Saturday, with the championship finals at 7:00 p.m. The event is broadcast live by FloWrestling.
NAIA NATIONAL INVITATIONAL
At Jamestown, N.D., March 11, 2022
Semifinal pairings
101 pounds
No. 1 Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist) vs. No. 4 Katalina Bartelt (Life U (Georgia))
No. 3 Esther Walker (Midland) vs. No. 2 Ivy Navarro (University of Providence)
109 pounds
No. 1 Peyton Prussin (Life U (Georgia)) vs. No. 4 Jasmine Godinez (Texas Wesleyan)
No. 3 Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) vs. No. 2 Asia (oviance) Ray (Wayland Baptist)
116 pounds
No. 1 Allieda Martinez (Menlo College) vs. No. 5 Tara Othman (Southern Oregon)
No. 6 Ashley Gooman (University of Providence) vs. No. 2 Salyna Shotwell (Life U (Georgia))
123 pounds
No. 1 Nichole Moore (Baker) vs. No. 4 Caro Moreno (Southern Oregon)
No. 3 Macy Higa (Eastern Oregon) vs. No. 2 Leilah Castro (Campbellsville)
130 pounds
No. 1 Nanea Estrella (Menlo College) vs. No. 4 Julia Vidallon (Life U (Georgia))
No. 3 Andrea Schlabach (Grand View University) vs. No. 2 Lexie Basham (Texas Wesleyan)
136 pounds
No. 1 Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) vs. No. 12 Diana Dzasezeva (Waldorf)
No. 3 Randi Robison (Campbellsville) vs. No. 2 Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College)
143 pounds
No. 1 Emma Walker (Campbellsville) vs. No. 5 Samantha Snow (Indiana Tech)
No. 3 Alexis Gomez (Grand View University) vs. No. 2 Destiny Lyng (Oklahoma City University)
155 pounds
Unseeded Kendra Thompson (Campbellsville) vs. No. 5 Kaylynn Albrecht (Baker)
No. 11 Sadie Antoque (University of Providence) vs. No. 2 Kenya Sloan (Campbellsville)
170 pounds
No. 8 Bailey Dennis (Southern Oregon) vs. No. 5 Dymond Guilford (University of the Cumberlands)
No. 6 Olivia Robinson (Eastern Oregon) vs. No. 7 Chamira Cooper (University of the Cumberlands)
191
No. 1 Tavia Heildelberg-Tilliston (Menlo College) vs. No. 5 Gabrielle Hamilton (Life U (Georgia))
No. 3 Jesse Kirby (University of the Cumberlands) vs. No. 2 Kelani Corbett (Lyon College)
Team Standings after Day One
1 Campbellsville 131.5
2 Southern Oregon 106
3 Menlo College 103
4 Life U (Georgia) 98
5 Grand View University 89.5
6 Texas Wesleyan 85
7 University of Providence 73.5
8 Eastern Oregon 63
9 Wayland Baptist 61
10 Baker 56.5
11 Indiana Tech 54.5 -
12 Brewton-Parker 51.5
13 University of the Cumberlands 50
14 Missouri Baptist University 48.5
15 Iowa Wesleyan 44
15 Jamestown 44
17 Missouri Valley College 38.5
18 Oklahoma City University 36
19 Lyon College 35.5
20 Midland 32.5
Quarterfinal results
101 pounds
Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist) VSU Alaina Sunlin (Iowa Wesleyan), 10-0 0:55
Katalina Bartelt (Life U (Georgia)) VSU1 Madison Brown (Texas Wesleyan), 6-3 6:00
Esther Walker (Midland) VPO1 Elizabeth Dosado (University of the Cumberlands), 15-6
Ivy Navarro (University of Providence) VFA Emma Cochran (Grand View University), 4-0 0:51
109 pounds
Peyton Prussin (Life U (Georgia)) VSU Kory Phillips (Life U (Georgia)), 10-0 0:39
Jasmine Godinez (Texas Wesleyan) VPO1 Alyssa Valdivia (Brewton-Parker), 12-3
Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) VSU Barbara Greenberg (Menlo College), 12-0 3:41
Asia (oviance) Ray (Wayland Baptist) VSU Alexis Medina (University of the Cumberlands), 11-0 2:57
116 pounds
Allieda Martinez (Menlo College) VFA Carol Johnson (Southern Oregon), 4-0 0:55
Tara Othman (Southern Oregon) VPO1 Mckayla Campbell (Campbellsville), 11-2
Ashley Gooman (University of Providence) VPO1 Camille Fournier (Texas Wesleyan), 8-7
Salyna Shotwell (Life U (Georgia)) VFA Arianna Marrufo (Jamestown), 2-0 0:47
123 pounds
Nichole Moore (Baker) VFA Karoline Ortiz (Missouri Baptist University), 9-2 5:43
Caro Moreno (Southern Oregon) VPO1 Adrienna Turner (Grand View University), 8-4
Macy Higa (Eastern Oregon) VFA Devin Patton (Texas Wesleyan), 4-2 1:28
Leilah Castro (Campbellsville) VPO Alana Vivas (Menlo College), 4-0
130 pounds
Nanea Estrella (Menlo College) VSU Kaylee Moore (Eastern Oregon), 10-0 6:00
Julia Vidallon (Life U (Georgia)) VPO1 De'anna Prince (Wayland Baptist), 9-8
Andrea Schlabach (Grand View University) VFA Allie Baudhuin (Jamestown), 3-0 2:04
Lexie Basham (Texas Wesleyan) VFA Leidaly Rivera (Brewton-Parker), 3-0 1:54
136 pounds
Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) VFA Ellyana Kuzma (Indiana Tech), 6-1 1:32
Diana Dzasezeva (Waldorf) VFA Paige Respicio (University of Providence), 5-2 3:51
Randi Robison (Campbellsville) VSU1 Jordan Suarez (Wayland Baptist), 13-3 3:00
Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College) VFA Louisa Schwab (Menlo College), 4-0 1:02
143 pounds
Emma Walker (Campbellsville) VFA Josette Partney (Missouri Baptist University), 8-4 4:29
Samantha Snow (Indiana Tech) VPO1 Madison Diaz (Grand View University), 5-5
Alexis Gomez (Grand View University) VSU Morgan Shines (Eastern Oregon), 10-0 5:30
Destiny Lyng (Oklahoma City University) VSU Maryellen Lafferty (Texas Wesleyan), 10-0 3:27
155 pounds
Kendra Thompson (Campbellsville) VPO Brooke-lynn Rush (Missouri Valley College), 5-0
Kaylynn Albrecht (Baker) VPO1 Destinee Rivera (Life U (Georgia)), 10-4
Sadie Antoque (University of Providence) VSU1 India Page (Brewton-Parker), 11-1 5:26
Kenya Sloan (Campbellsville) VFA Salima Omari (William Penn), 6-0 2:15
170 pounds
Bailey Dennis (Southern Oregon) VPO1 Abby Mcintyre (Grand View University), 8-2
Dymond Guilford (University of the Cumberlands) VPO1 Jordan Nelson (Life U (Georgia)), 4-3
Olivia Robinson (Eastern Oregon) VPO1 Brittyn Corbishley (Texas Wesleyan), 7-4
Chamira Cooper (University of the Cumberlands) VSU1 Sierra Talmadge (Jamestown), 12-1 5:38
191
Tavia Heildelberg-tilliston (Menlo College) VSU Elisa Robinson (Baker), 10-0 5:33
Gabrielle Hamilton (Life U (Georgia)) VFA Lilliana Vergara (Campbellsville), 5-5 1:28
Jesse Kirby (University of the Cumberlands) VFA Emily Sandoval (Menlo College), 10-1 3:40
Kelani Corbett (Lyon College) VSU Karrah Smith (Southern Oregon), 13-0 1:09
No. 1 Campbellsville pushed five wrestlers into Saturday morning’s semifinals and took a strong early lead after day one of the NAIA Women’s National Invitational held at Jamestown University starting Friday.
Campbellsville, the defending team champion, will have these semifinalists: No. 2 Leilah Castro (123), No. 3 Randi Robison (136). No. 1 Emma Walker (143), unseeded Kendra Thompson (155) and No. 2 Kenya Sloan (155).
Campbellsville had 131.5 points after day one, with No. 5 Southern Oregon in second with 106 points, No. 3 Menlo College in third with 103 points and No. 4 Life in fourth with 98 points.
Southern Oregon claimed three semifinalists, 116 No. 5 Tara Othman (116), No. 4 Caro Moreno (123) and No. 8 Bailey Dennis (170).
Menlo, which was the 2019 NAIA national champion, the first year of the tournament, has four in the semifinals, all seeded either first or second: Allieda Martinez (116), No. 1 Nanea Estrella (130), No. 2 Gracie Figueroa (136) and No. 1 Tavia Heildelberg-Tilliston (191). Menlo did not compete in the 2021 season due to the pandemic. Martinez was a 2019 NAIA national champion.
Life has a chance to move up in the standings, with five in the semifinals: Katalina Bartelt (101), No. 1 Peyton Prussin (109), No. 2 Salyna Shotwell (116), No. 4 Julia Vidallon (130) and No. 5 Gabrielle Hamilton (191). Prussin is a returning NAIA champion.
Wayland Baptist, which is in ninth place, has two past NAIA champions in the semifinals, Nina Pham (101) and Asia Ray (109). Pham was a 2021 NAIA champion at 101, while Ray was a 2019 NAIA champion at 101 but has moved up to 109.
One of the biggest quarterfinal matches happened at 170 pounds, when a pair of past NAIA national champions met. No. 5 seed Dymond Guilford of the University of the Cumberlands, a 2019 NAIA champion for Missouri Baptist, defeated No. 4 seed and 2021 NAIA champion Jordan Nelson of Life, 4-3. In the Mid-South tournament finals, Nelson had defeated Guilford, 8-2.
Nine No. 1 seeds advanced to the semifinals. No. 1 Sienna Ramirez of Southern Oregon was defeated in the second round by unseeded Kendra Thompson of Campbellsville, by fall in 1:37.
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.
The semifinals begin at 10:00 a.m. MT on Saturday, with the championship finals at 7:00 p.m. The event is broadcast live by FloWrestling.
NAIA NATIONAL INVITATIONAL
At Jamestown, N.D., March 11, 2022
Semifinal pairings
101 pounds
No. 1 Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist) vs. No. 4 Katalina Bartelt (Life U (Georgia))
No. 3 Esther Walker (Midland) vs. No. 2 Ivy Navarro (University of Providence)
109 pounds
No. 1 Peyton Prussin (Life U (Georgia)) vs. No. 4 Jasmine Godinez (Texas Wesleyan)
No. 3 Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) vs. No. 2 Asia (oviance) Ray (Wayland Baptist)
116 pounds
No. 1 Allieda Martinez (Menlo College) vs. No. 5 Tara Othman (Southern Oregon)
No. 6 Ashley Gooman (University of Providence) vs. No. 2 Salyna Shotwell (Life U (Georgia))
123 pounds
No. 1 Nichole Moore (Baker) vs. No. 4 Caro Moreno (Southern Oregon)
No. 3 Macy Higa (Eastern Oregon) vs. No. 2 Leilah Castro (Campbellsville)
130 pounds
No. 1 Nanea Estrella (Menlo College) vs. No. 4 Julia Vidallon (Life U (Georgia))
No. 3 Andrea Schlabach (Grand View University) vs. No. 2 Lexie Basham (Texas Wesleyan)
136 pounds
No. 1 Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) vs. No. 12 Diana Dzasezeva (Waldorf)
No. 3 Randi Robison (Campbellsville) vs. No. 2 Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College)
143 pounds
No. 1 Emma Walker (Campbellsville) vs. No. 5 Samantha Snow (Indiana Tech)
No. 3 Alexis Gomez (Grand View University) vs. No. 2 Destiny Lyng (Oklahoma City University)
155 pounds
Unseeded Kendra Thompson (Campbellsville) vs. No. 5 Kaylynn Albrecht (Baker)
No. 11 Sadie Antoque (University of Providence) vs. No. 2 Kenya Sloan (Campbellsville)
170 pounds
No. 8 Bailey Dennis (Southern Oregon) vs. No. 5 Dymond Guilford (University of the Cumberlands)
No. 6 Olivia Robinson (Eastern Oregon) vs. No. 7 Chamira Cooper (University of the Cumberlands)
191
No. 1 Tavia Heildelberg-Tilliston (Menlo College) vs. No. 5 Gabrielle Hamilton (Life U (Georgia))
No. 3 Jesse Kirby (University of the Cumberlands) vs. No. 2 Kelani Corbett (Lyon College)
Team Standings after Day One
1 Campbellsville 131.5
2 Southern Oregon 106
3 Menlo College 103
4 Life U (Georgia) 98
5 Grand View University 89.5
6 Texas Wesleyan 85
7 University of Providence 73.5
8 Eastern Oregon 63
9 Wayland Baptist 61
10 Baker 56.5
11 Indiana Tech 54.5 -
12 Brewton-Parker 51.5
13 University of the Cumberlands 50
14 Missouri Baptist University 48.5
15 Iowa Wesleyan 44
15 Jamestown 44
17 Missouri Valley College 38.5
18 Oklahoma City University 36
19 Lyon College 35.5
20 Midland 32.5
Quarterfinal results
101 pounds
Nina Pham (Wayland Baptist) VSU Alaina Sunlin (Iowa Wesleyan), 10-0 0:55
Katalina Bartelt (Life U (Georgia)) VSU1 Madison Brown (Texas Wesleyan), 6-3 6:00
Esther Walker (Midland) VPO1 Elizabeth Dosado (University of the Cumberlands), 15-6
Ivy Navarro (University of Providence) VFA Emma Cochran (Grand View University), 4-0 0:51
109 pounds
Peyton Prussin (Life U (Georgia)) VSU Kory Phillips (Life U (Georgia)), 10-0 0:39
Jasmine Godinez (Texas Wesleyan) VPO1 Alyssa Valdivia (Brewton-Parker), 12-3
Mia Palumbo (Iowa Wesleyan) VSU Barbara Greenberg (Menlo College), 12-0 3:41
Asia (oviance) Ray (Wayland Baptist) VSU Alexis Medina (University of the Cumberlands), 11-0 2:57
116 pounds
Allieda Martinez (Menlo College) VFA Carol Johnson (Southern Oregon), 4-0 0:55
Tara Othman (Southern Oregon) VPO1 Mckayla Campbell (Campbellsville), 11-2
Ashley Gooman (University of Providence) VPO1 Camille Fournier (Texas Wesleyan), 8-7
Salyna Shotwell (Life U (Georgia)) VFA Arianna Marrufo (Jamestown), 2-0 0:47
123 pounds
Nichole Moore (Baker) VFA Karoline Ortiz (Missouri Baptist University), 9-2 5:43
Caro Moreno (Southern Oregon) VPO1 Adrienna Turner (Grand View University), 8-4
Macy Higa (Eastern Oregon) VFA Devin Patton (Texas Wesleyan), 4-2 1:28
Leilah Castro (Campbellsville) VPO Alana Vivas (Menlo College), 4-0
130 pounds
Nanea Estrella (Menlo College) VSU Kaylee Moore (Eastern Oregon), 10-0 6:00
Julia Vidallon (Life U (Georgia)) VPO1 De'anna Prince (Wayland Baptist), 9-8
Andrea Schlabach (Grand View University) VFA Allie Baudhuin (Jamestown), 3-0 2:04
Lexie Basham (Texas Wesleyan) VFA Leidaly Rivera (Brewton-Parker), 3-0 1:54
136 pounds
Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) VFA Ellyana Kuzma (Indiana Tech), 6-1 1:32
Diana Dzasezeva (Waldorf) VFA Paige Respicio (University of Providence), 5-2 3:51
Randi Robison (Campbellsville) VSU1 Jordan Suarez (Wayland Baptist), 13-3 3:00
Gracie Figueroa (Menlo College) VFA Louisa Schwab (Menlo College), 4-0 1:02
143 pounds
Emma Walker (Campbellsville) VFA Josette Partney (Missouri Baptist University), 8-4 4:29
Samantha Snow (Indiana Tech) VPO1 Madison Diaz (Grand View University), 5-5
Alexis Gomez (Grand View University) VSU Morgan Shines (Eastern Oregon), 10-0 5:30
Destiny Lyng (Oklahoma City University) VSU Maryellen Lafferty (Texas Wesleyan), 10-0 3:27
155 pounds
Kendra Thompson (Campbellsville) VPO Brooke-lynn Rush (Missouri Valley College), 5-0
Kaylynn Albrecht (Baker) VPO1 Destinee Rivera (Life U (Georgia)), 10-4
Sadie Antoque (University of Providence) VSU1 India Page (Brewton-Parker), 11-1 5:26
Kenya Sloan (Campbellsville) VFA Salima Omari (William Penn), 6-0 2:15
170 pounds
Bailey Dennis (Southern Oregon) VPO1 Abby Mcintyre (Grand View University), 8-2
Dymond Guilford (University of the Cumberlands) VPO1 Jordan Nelson (Life U (Georgia)), 4-3
Olivia Robinson (Eastern Oregon) VPO1 Brittyn Corbishley (Texas Wesleyan), 7-4
Chamira Cooper (University of the Cumberlands) VSU1 Sierra Talmadge (Jamestown), 12-1 5:38
191
Tavia Heildelberg-tilliston (Menlo College) VSU Elisa Robinson (Baker), 10-0 5:33
Gabrielle Hamilton (Life U (Georgia)) VFA Lilliana Vergara (Campbellsville), 5-5 1:28
Jesse Kirby (University of the Cumberlands) VFA Emily Sandoval (Menlo College), 10-1 3:40
Kelani Corbett (Lyon College) VSU Karrah Smith (Southern Oregon), 13-0 1:09