Junior Women’s Nationals field features talent and a record-setting 405 entries

Cadet World champ Teshya Alo is set to wrestle at 139 lbs. Photo: John Sachs, tech-fall.com

FARGO, N.D. – The junior women’s freestyle field of the 2016 ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Championships is loaded with talent, including three Cadet World medalists and a record-setting 405 entries.


Headlining the group is Teshya Alo of Hawaii, the defending Junior women’s national champion at 139 pounds. Alo has a 2015 Cadet World championship and a 2016 U.S. Senior Open title to her name as well.


Another Cadet World champ in the mix is 2016 Cadet World Team member Ronna Heaton of South Dakota, who will wrestle at 117 pounds. Heaton looks to repeat as a Fargo champ as she took top prize last year at 112 pounds.

Cadet World bronze medalists Alexis Bleau and Kayla Marano are wrestling at 148 pounds and 159 pounds, respectively. 

2016 Junior World Team member and returning national champion McKayla Campbell will seek her second Junior title, this year at 105 pounds. Looking to challenge her are 2016 Cadet World Team member and national champion Alleida Martinez and UWW Body Bar runner-up Aleeah Gould.


The one to beat at 121 pounds is Gracie Figueroa, who is fresh off winning the Cadet national championship at 124 pounds on Saturday. Figueroa, a 2016 Cadet World Team member, won a junior national title at 117 pounds in 2015.

At 159 pounds, Rachel Watters looks to defend her 2015 Junior Women’s national title. Watters is also a two-time Junior World Team member.  

There are three other returning champs in the field, including Sariyah Jones (112), Teniya Alo (130) and Skylar Grote (148).
The Junior Women’s Nationals will be completed on Tuesday, with competition throughout the day, and the championship finals set for 5:45 p.m. (CT), following the Junior Greco-Roman Nationals finals.
A live stream for all matches at the ASICS/Vaughan Cadet and Junior National Championships can be viewed on Flowrestling.org with a FLO PRO membership.
For complete brackets, results and team scores visit trackwrestling.com.
Follow @USAWrestling on Twitter for live updates from the Fargodome and join the tournament conversation online using the hashtag #Fargo2016.