March 2021

Newsletter Vol. 3: March 2021 — The college post-season, high school events, our own cards and more from March.

Transition Wrestling’s Card at Victory School of Wrestling + Exhibitions at Life University
Transition Wrestling co-hosted an all-women’s wrestling card with Victory School of Wrestling in River Falls, Wisconsin. The matches featured top wrestlers from the surrounding area and across Wisconsin, and then showcased Victory’s full-time athletes Alisha Howk (Sunkist Kids) and Precious Bell (Titan Mercury) on the mat and Koral Sugiyama (TCRTC) as the official.

One of the most profound observations from the card in River Falls was watching wrestlers at all levels lace up their shoes and step under the spotlight alongside several of the best in the country. The girls that spent the leading days in River Falls were able to train alongside the senior level athletes on the mat.

Matchups: Skylar Slade (IA) vs Rachel Anderson (WI); Lyndsey Stark (WI) vs Haley Ward (MO); Haeli Casey (WI) vs Natalie Klavetter (MN); Sophia Bellus (MN) vs Katie Simpson (WI); Vayle Baker (Augsburg/PA) vs Hanna Errthum (WI); Larissa Kaz (WI) vs Kylie Rule (WI); Aireaana Gavere (MN) vs Avery Stedlt (WI); Hailey Berg (WI) vs Kylie Simpson (WI); Emma Gruenhagen (WI) vs Skylar Slade (IA); Alisha Howk (SKWC, WI) vs Aireaana Gavere (MN); Marilyn Garcia (CA) vs Precious Bell (TMWC, WI); Marilyn Garcia (CA) vs Haley Ward (MO).

Howk and Bell started the month in Marietta, Georgia, on the campus of Life University for a mini training camp and exhibition matches with the Life women’s wrestling team. The matches, plus an interview with Life’s Head Coach Ashley Sword, are posted on the T. Wrestling YouTube Page.

Matchups: Alisha Howk vs Julia Vidallon; Alisha Howk vs Peyton Prussin; Precious Bell vs Victoria Francis; Precious Bell vs Jordan Nelson, plus Life U. Exhibitions.

College Wrestling | National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships
Tiffin University hosted this season’s NCWWC on the first Saturday of March. There were 22 NCAA programs and 147 wrestlers. McKendree won the team title for a second consecutive season, racking up 209 points and a 37.5-point gap. King was second with 171.5 points, and Emmanuel was third with 133.5 (full results). Six of McKendree’s eight finalists won individual titles, and the Bearcats finished with 14 All-Americans.

Read more from the recap or browse the special section headlines.

College Wrestling | NAIA National Invitational
The 2021 NAIA National Invitational was an absolute spectacle. There were thirty-one teams present (ten of them participating for the first time), and, with nearly 250 wrestlers, the atmosphere was electric. Eight different programs had national champions, six of them were seniors, and all of them stepped to the top of the podium for the first time.

Read more from the recap or browse the special section headlines.

Tokyo Olympics | Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier
A spot at Olympic Team Trials or a heartbreak tournament—competition at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier was fierce. High school standouts came out strong and didn’t let up. College All-American’s claimed a number of the top spots and senior level wrestlers earned their places. The recap shares more, plus the final twelve that made it through.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 2-3 in Forth Worth, Texas.

College | Coaching Changes
After two years as the graduate assistant at the University of Jamestown, Chelsea Dionisio was selected as the new coach at Midland University. Max Mejia stepped down as the head coach at Augsburg University after the NCWWC. During the first two seasons in program history, Mejia coached 12 All-Americans, including two-time NCWWC champion Emily Shilson. The Augsburg position is open for applications.

High School | March State Champions
Pennsylvania Girls State
101 – Jayleah Pletz (Governor Mifflin)
108 – Lexia Schechterly (Team Pennsylvania)
115 – Patron Plummer (Orchard Club Wrestling)
122 – Haylie Jaffe (Kennett)
128 – Montana DeLawder (Gettysburg)
134 – Lily Sherer (Delaware Valley HS)
140 – Grace Stem (BEA)
147 – Andrea Wilmoth (DuBois)
162 – Tiffani Baublitz (Mavericks)
184 – Rachel Keller (Gettysburg)
222 – Trinity Monaghan (Souderton)

West Virginia Girls State
109 Zoey Salmons, Cabell Midland
114 Jillian Timberlake, Musselman
123 Sierra Marie Miller, East Hardy
133 Ciara Riner, Spring Valley
140 Micah Fisher, Greenbrier East
148 Chenoa Taylor, Poca
153 Paige Jackson, Spring Mills
168 Erin Riggle, East Hardy
195 Aaliyah Robertson, Greenbrier East
250 Aubrey Moore, Brooke

Missouri Girls State
102 – Ashlyn Eli (Nixa), Jr.
107 – Faith Cole (Lafayette (Wildwood)), Jr.
112 – Annie Moore (Cassville), So.
117 – Chloe Herrick (Harrisonville), So
122 – Brenya Crahan (Nixa), Fr.
127 – Nonnie Justice (Harrisonville), Sr.
132 – Sabrina King (St. Charles), Sr.
137 – Paige Wehrmeister (Parkway West), Jr.
143 – Maddie Kubicki (Park Hill South), So.
151 – Haley Ward (Fort Osage), So.
159 – Josette Partney (Lafayette (Wildwood)), Sr.
174 – Jaycee Foeller (DeSoto), Sr.
195 – Catherine Dutton (Central (Springfield)), So.
235 – Lexie Cole (Kearney), Sr.

Colorado Girls State
100 – Morgan Johnson (Loveland), So.
105 – Persaeus Gomez (Pomona), Fr.
111 – Israel Resendez (Denver East), Jr.
118 – Nicole Koch (Olathe), Jr.
127 – Savannah Cosme (Chatfield), Jr.
136 – Alicen Dillard (Pomona), Fr.
147 – Kierstin Myers (Olathe), Jr.
161 – Navea Garcia (Platte Valley), So.
185 – Taylor Knox (Calhan), So.
215 – Ciara Monger (Calhan), Fr.
Team Champions – Chatfield

Virginia Girls State
100 – Bryce Farley of Shenandoah Valley WC
106- Virginia Foard of Team Cobra
112- Ava Purifoy of Radford High School Bobcats
117- Jordan Johnston of Virginia Ramblers
122- Olivia Waller of George Wythe High School
127- Alyssa Landrum of Scanlan Wrestling Academy
132- Madison Dayton of Blackhawk
138- Keegan Seifert of 84 Athletes
144- Cloe Charlesworth of Bandits Wrestling Club
152- Eryn Hubble of Ranger Wrestling Club
164 – Shianne Whited of Girls From West
185- Desiray Calvert of Chesapeake
215- Caroline McKeown of Colgan

Arizona Girls State
106 – Bella Bocenagra (Liberty), So.
113 – Audrey Jimenez (Sunnyside H.S.), Fr
120 – Trinity Howard (Basha), Jr.
126 – Isabelle Munoz (Casteel Hs), So.
132 – Bree Garcia (Barry Goldwater), Jr.
138 – Camry Carter (Casteel Hs), Jr.
145 – Amber R. Rodriguez (Basha), Sr.
152 – Courtney Cardoza (Millennium), Sr
160 – Nina Sandoval (Campo Verde), Jr.
170 – Trinity Bouchal (Basha), So.
182 – Leia Kalk (Winslow), Jr.
195 – Stefany Valencia (Westwood), Jr.
220 – Charry Benecke (Winslow), So
285 – Naomi Norton (Arizona Lutheran Hs), So
Team Champions – Basha

Arkansas Girls State
100 – Lillian Jones (Van Buren), So.
108 – Ember Smith (Maumelle), Sr.
116 – Ireland Powell (Southside Batesville)
124 – Katie Palmer (Fayetteville)
132 – Kylee Sabella (Mountain Home), Sr.
140 – Skylur Lewis (Springdale), Fr.
150 – Kyndall Bankston (Little Rock Central), Jr.
165 – Archer Jones (Springdale Har-Ber), Fr.
185 – Amelia Frounfelter (Mountain Home)
235 – Cayden Jones (Mountain Home)

Kentucky Girls State
106 – Olivia Messerly (Ryle)
113 – Addison Messerly (Ryle)
120 – Ava Sweet (Taylor County)
126 – Makenna Hendricks (Trigg County)
132 – Courtney Pittman (Anderson County)
138 – Hannah McDonald (Taylor County)
145 – Aubrey Miller (Bullitt Central)
152 – Trinity Gottler (Anderson County)
160 – Hannah Thompson (Cooper)
170 – Chloe Riley (Knox Central)
182 – Angel Hilton (Cooper)
195 – Brooklyn McFarland (Harrison County)
220 – Layla Davis (Harrison County)
285 – Gabby Wilson (Fern Creek)

Oklahoma Girls State
100 – Ashondra Valencia (Tahlequah), Jr.
107 – Alexis Miller (Wagoner), Sr
112 – Peyton Hand (Choctaw), So.
118 – Allison Hynes (Broken Arrow), Sr.
127 – Kearanie Johnson (Claremore), Sr.
136 – Lilly Gough (Jay), Sr.
147 – Peighton Mullins (Ft. Gibson), Fr.
161 – Kaylee Davis (Yukon), Fr.
185 – Ki`Eisha Cathey (Broken Arrow), Jr.
215 – Olivia Brown (Broken Arrow), Sr.

Tennessee Girls State
103 – Ella-lina Gonzalez (Clarksville), So.
112 – Jenna Baines (Greeneville), Fr.
119 – Roseanna Vaughn (Northwest), Jr.
125 – Monteria Bigsby (Riverdale), Sr.
132 – Rontaysia Payne (Dickson Co.), Sr.
140 – Jailynn Tindall (Carter), Jr.
150 – Maggie Graham (Bartlett), So.
160 – Brielle Bissonette (Clarksville), Sr
170 – Shelby Zacharias (Creek Wood), Sr.
190 – Ella Murhpey (Hardin Valley), Fr
215 – Justina Nikolao (Rossview), Jr.

South Dakota Class A Girls
112 – Maraia Kruske (Spearfish)
124 – Paige Denke (Rapid City Stevens)
131 – Nevaeh Leonard (Yankton Gazelles)
143 – Taylor Graveman (Spearfish)
167 – Cherish Stern (Brookings Bobcats)
185 – Marlee Shorter (Pierre) 3-0
275 – Ciara McFarling (Pierre)

South Dakota Class B Girls
112 – Brittany Rieb (Bon Homme)
129 – Peyton Hellman (Bon Homme)
140 – Kyla Logan (Iroquois-Doland)
160 – Kiana Major (Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes)
185 – Carlee Laubach (Canton)
275 – Hannah Goodhart (Sisseton)