Junior World Team member Mia Macaluso is among champions at U.S. Senior Beach Nationals in Carolina Beach, N.C.

Jabari Irons hits a big throw at the U.S. Beach Nationals. Photo by Robbert Wijtman.

CAROLINA BEACH, NC – After an exciting day of competition on the scenic boardwalk of Carolina Beach, the Senior men’s and women’s U.S. Senior Beach Nationals champions have been crowned. They are now qualified to compete in the 2022 Beach World Series.

The individual women’s champions competed against all the other athletes in their weight classes in the round-robin bracket. 2021 Junior World Team member, Mia Macaluso, dominated the 7-meter ring in the sand, sweeping each of her three opponents 3-0 to win the 60 kg Senior women’s title. (It takes three points to win a Beach wrestling match). Macaluso posted wins over Isabella Hoffman, Josie Davis and Josephine Wearmouth.

Hoffman, this year’s runner-up at 60 kg, finished third at the 2021 U.S. Beach Nationals and eighth at the 2021 Cadet Beach Wrestling World Championships in Romania. She is also a 2022 USA Wrestling Frank E. Rader Southeast Regional champion, 2022 St. Stephens Freestyle Open Champion, 2021 Carolina’s Open champion and South Carolina state champion. Davis, a nationally ranked wrestler, finished third at 60 kg and won the Junior Girls division at 120-130 lbs. Wearmouth, a Junior girls Iowa/USA State Freestyle champion, who is committed to wrestle at Chadron State College, finished 4th.

The other women’s champions were Zoe Hussar of Ohio (70 kg) and Isabeau Shalack (70+ kg). Hussar took fifth at the 2021 Junior Beach World Championships and adjusted well to the Senior division this year with a perfect 2-0 record. The two-time Ohio state place finisher is committed to wrestle at Siena Heights University. This was the first Beach Wrestling competition for Shalack, the 70+ kg champion. Shalack is an All-American for Colorado Mesa University and two-time Fargo Finalist.

On the men’s side, two of the champions were from Life University-Francis Morrissey (70 kg) and Mark Bonillo (90 + kg). Morrissey won all four of his bouts within the first 35 seconds of the period. (Beach wrestling matches have one, three-minute period).

Trace Thome (80 kg) and Jabari Irons (90 kg) both captured their first U.S. Beach National titles. Thome, a 2016 NCWA National Champion, had a perfect record, winning all four of his bouts by fall. Finishing third behind Thome was Jamal Morris, the 2021 U.S. Beach National Senior men’s champion and two-time NCAA qualifier for NC State in 2016 and 2017. Irons, the 90 kg champion, is the head coach of Irons Wrestling Club in Florida and had some show-stopping throws throughout the day.

The Senior men and women champions are now qualified for the 2022 Beach World Series events in Europe which includes stops in Turkey (May 28-29), Spain (June 18-29), France (July 1-2), Greece (July 9-10) and Romania (Sept. 3-4). Athletes receive points from each of the Beach World Series events and the wrestler who has scored the most points in each weight class is declared a World Champion. For more information visit the UWW Beach Wrestling Website. The 2022 U.S. Beach Nationals tournament was the first stop on the U.S. Beach Tour. Next up is the Music City Beach Bash in Spring Hill, Tennessee (June 4). For the full schedule visit USA Wrestling Events.
U.S. BEACH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Carolina Beach, NC., May 21
Senior Men's results

70 kg
1 - Francis Morrissey of The Storm Wrestling Center
2 - Mitchell Cook of Natural Athlete Wrestling Club
3 - Nicholas Vugman of Florida
4 - Jake Piccirilli of Level Up Wrestling Center

1st Place Match
Francis Morrissey (The Storm Wrestling Center) won by fall over Mitchell Cook (Natural Athlete Wrestling Club)
3rd Place Match
Nicholas Vugman (Florida) won by fall over Jake Piccirilli (Level Up Wrestling Center)


80 kg
1 - Trace Thome of Florida
2 - Justin Brown of North Carolina
3 - Jamal Morris of Cardinal Gibbons High School Wrestling
4 - Jared Fekete of Marines

1st Place Match
Trace Thome (Florida) won by fall over Justin Brown (North Carolina)
3rd Place Match
Jamal Morris (Cardinal Gibbons High School Wrestling) won by fall over Jared Fekete (Marines)
90 kg

1 - Jabari Irons of Irons Elite Wrestling
2 - Quan Le of Kentucky
3 - Cody Jamerson of North Carolina
4 - Nathan McKenna of North Carolina
5 - Elijah Mosley of Virginia

Round 1
Nathan McKenna (North Carolina) won by fall over Quan Le (Kentucky)
Jabari Irons (Irons Elite Wrestling) won by fall over Cody Jamerson (North Carolina)
Round 2
Jabari Irons (Irons Elite Wrestling) won by forfeit over Elijah Mosley (Virginia)
Quan Le (Kentucky) won by fall over Cody Jamerson (North Carolina)
Round 3
Cody Jamerson (North Carolina) won by forfeit over Elijah Mosley (Virginia)
Jabari Irons (Irons Elite Wrestling) won by fall over Nathan McKenna (North Carolina)
Round 4
Nathan McKenna (North Carolina) won by forfeit over Elijah Mosley (Virginia)
Jabari Irons (Irons Elite Wrestling) won by fall over Quan Le (Kentucky)
Round 5
Quan Le (Kentucky) won by forfeit over Elijah Mosley (Virginia)
Cody Jamerson (North Carolina) won by fall over Nathan McKenna (North Carolina)


90+ kg
1 - Mark Bonilla of Victory Wrestling-Central WA
2 - Chad Brown of North Carolina
3 - Ezequiel Lara of Georgia

Round 1
Mark Bonilla (Victory Wrestling-Central WA) won by fall over Ezequiel Lara (Georgia)
Round 2
Chad Brown (North Carolina) won by fall over Ezequiel Lara (Georgia)
Round 3
Mark Bonilla (Victory Wrestling-Central WA) won by fall over Chad Brown (North Carolina)
Senior Women's round-robin placements


50 kg
1 - Laura White of Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club
Round 1
Laura White (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club) received a bye
Round 2
Laura White (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club) received a bye
60 kg
1 - Mia Macaluso of New York
2 - Isabella Hoffman of Fort Mill High School Wrestling
3 - Josie Davis of Ohio
4 - Josephine Wearmouth of Iowa

Round 1
Mia Macaluso (New York) won by fall over Isabella Hoffman (Fort Mill High School Wrestling)
Josie Davis (Ohio) won by fall over Josephine Wearmouth (Iowa)
Round 2
Mia Macaluso (New York) won by fall over Josie Davis (Ohio)
Josephine Wearmouth (Iowa) won by fall over Isabella Hoffman (Fort Mill High School Wrestling)
Round 3
Mia Macaluso (New York) won by fall over Josephine Wearmouth (Iowa)
Isabella Hoffman (Fort Mill High School Wrestling) won by fall over Josie Davis (Ohio)
70 kg
1 - Zoe Hussar of Ohio
2 - Isabeau Shalack of Illinois
3 - Maren Anderson of Illinois

Round 1
Isabeau Shalack (Illinois) won by fall over Maren Anderson (Illinois)
Round 2
Zoe Hussar (Ohio) won by fall over Isabeau Shalack (Illinois)
Round 3
Zoe Hussar (Ohio) won by fall over Maren Anderson (Illinois)


70+ kg
1 - Isabeau Shalack of Illinois
2 - Maren Anderson of Illinois
Round 1
Isabeau Shalack (Illinois) won by fall over Maren Anderson (Illinois)
Round 2
Isabeau Shalack (Illinois) won by fall over Maren Anderson (Illinois)