UWW Juniors Recap, Plus a Look at U23

Omaha, Neb. — To quote the Junior division preview: “UWW Junior Nationals is a fusion of the best college-age women and high school juniors and seniors (born 2000-03).” And day 1 was exactly that. There were Cadet, Junior and U23 World team members, college champions, and All-Americans. The star-studded list has been multiplied with the U23 entrants for tomorrow. 

50 kg 
Emily Shilson took care of business in a 28-wrestler bracket for the Junior division. She wrapped up three matches leading to the final bout in the first period with a trio of technical superiorities. She secured a win in the finals by decision, 4-2, over Salyna Shotwell. But Shotwell had a stellar performance and showed that she was dialed in and ready for the match with Shilson. Not only did she make a statement with an upset over No. 1 Samara Chavez, but she also collected a fall over Wyoming Sem’s Ava Bayless. Bayless had a fall over NAIA No. 3 Ashley Gooman (Midland) to place 3rd. 

U23: Shilson and Chavez are in for U23, plus we’re adding NCAA No. 2 Maria Vidales (Emmanuel-109),  2019 WCWA and NAIA National Champion Asia Ray (Wayland) 2019 NAIA Finalist and WCWA All-American Nina Pham (Wayland), NCAA No. 4 Brooke Thurber (UW-Stevens Point-109) and NCAA No. 4 Jaclyn McNichols (King-101). 

53 kg
Tiare Ikei’s responsive wrestling style is impressive and was on full display. The 2019 US Open and Fargo champ collected two falls and a 9-1 decision over No. 1 seed Alisha Howk in the 53 kg semifinals. She posted a 12-1 victory over two-time college national finalist Felicity Taylor (McKendree) in an action-packed final, including a cartwheel defense that ended with Taylor on her back. Trailing by 4 after the first period, the junior at McKendree centered the mat ready to battle, but Ikei was not to be stopped. Taylor’s only roadblock to the finals was from NCAA No. 3 Marissa Gallegos (Co. Mesa). She was trailing 3-1 with just over a minute to go before a quick defensive score and three leg laces sealed the match in her favor. Gallegos and Alleida Martinez (TMWC/Menlo) split wins for the day—Gallegos 9-5 in the quarters and Martinez 3-2 in the medal match. 

U23: Ikei, Taylor, Howk and Martinez are in for U23, plus we’re adding three-time Junior World team member Ronna Heaton, NCAA Finalist and No. 2 Cheyenne Sisenstein (King)

55 kg
Hawaii natives won back-to-back titles with Ikei at 53 kg and then Nanea Estrella at 55. Estrella was a 2020 Hawaii state champion and standout performer in this bracket. Her final bout versus Vayle-Rae Baker was fast-paced, for both wrestlers, but, after an explosive double-leg and exposure, Baker wasn’t able to get any points in the mix. Estrella, a freshman at Menlo, won the match with a 10-0 technical superiority. Baker is a sophomore at Augsburg University, 

U23: Baker is in, Marissa Gallegos (Co. Mesa) and Sophia Mirabella (King) are up from 53 kg, plus we’re adding NCAA No. 2 Allison Petix (King-130) and Makayla Welch (King) into the mix. 

57 kg
The finals match at 57 kg was excellent. Two-time Junior World team member Cam Guerin entered the bout after winning two matches by fall. She claimed the 57 kg title in what was mostly a back and forth battle with Xochitl Mota-Pettis. The criteria lead switched between wrestlers until the final minute when Guerin picked up 4 at the edge of the mat for a feet-to-back exposure, plus extra point for winning the challenge from Mota-Pettis’ corner. Guerin, a first-year at McKendree, won the match by decision, 8-3. Mota-Pettis made it to the finals before giving up a single point, including the semifinal match with NCAA No. 3 Emily Se (Emmanuel). Emily Se regrouped after the semis loss and battled back to place 3rd. 

U23: Mota-Pettis and Guerin are in, plus we’re adding two-time U23 World team member Abby Nette,  2020 NCAA Champ Alexia Ward (McKendree), NCAA No. 1 Amanda Martinez (North Central-130), NCAA No. 4 Lauren Mason (Simon Fraser-136).

59 kg
Gracie Figueroa, another Menlo standout, has been on five age-level World teams. She won WCWAs in 2019 over Felicity Taylor and was a 2019 NAIA finalist. Most of her appearances have been at 53 kg (116 pounds). That said, this was the first time Figueroa competed at 59 kg, and she definitely made a statement by outmatching 2019 Junior World team member Michaela Beck (Sunkist Kids WC), 4-2. Figueroa also defeated three-time Hawaii state champ Paige Respicio and NCAA No. 4 Phoenix Dubose (King). Beck put together technical superiorities in each match leading to the final. 

U23: Figueroa, Respicio and Estrada are in, plus Emily Se is up from 57 kg and we’re adding Desiree Zavala, Cadet World team member and collegiate All-American Koral Sugiyama, WCWA All-American Sierra Brown Ton. 

62 kg
The 62 kg story was greatly defined in a battle between two Wisconsin natives—Macey Kilty (SKWC) and Kylie Welker (Higher Level Wrestling). Both wrestlers mirrored each other’s results through to the finals, racking up a combination of six superiorities. Welker grabbed the lead almost immediately in the finals match, and Kilty worked for the next two minutes to secure a takedown and lead by criteria. The intensity was up in the second period but Kilty chipped away at the lead,  adding some space with a takedown and exposure. After an excellent six minutes, Kilty won by decision, 8-2. 

U23: Kilty and Dubose are in, plus we’re adding NCAA No. 4 Alyssa Aceval (King-130), NCAA No. 5 Ana Luciano (King-136), NCAA No. 8 Felicity Bryant (Emmanuel-143). 

65 kg
At 65 kg, Lehigh Valley RTC wrestler Marisol Nugent defeated Katerina Lange by pin-fall in the finals. Nugent edged out 2019 Fargo finalist and King U. freshman Viktorya Torres in the semis 6-5 to advance. Her opponent, Minnesota high school senior Katerina Lange had wins over No. 1 seed Bri Csontos (TMWC, Columbia WC) and Emma Cole. 

U23: Nugent, Torres and Csontos are in, plus we’re adding NCAA. No. 3 Ashlynn Ortega (King-143).  

68 kg
Grand View’s Alexis Gomez absolutely dominated the 68 kg round-robin bracket, highlighting her versatile power. Gomez hit two four-point doubles in the final round versus Aaliyah Fisher. The U23 division is also round-robin, but we’ll see Skylar Grote on the mats. She recently wrestled at Senior Nationals in Iowa and claimed dominant wins over WCWA Champion and age-group World team member Rachel Watters and 2019 NAIA Champion Marilyn Garcia. 

72 kg
Wyoming Sem’s Kennedy Blades entered the day fresh off a senior-level win over Hannah Gladden at the MyHouse Fall Brawl. She won the U16 and Junior Fargo titles in 2019, but today she detailed her speed, maturity, and wrestling acumen within this division. Blades doubled down on wins by technical superiority over NCAA All-Americans and No. 5 ranked Joye Levendusky (McKendree-170) and Marlynne Deede (Augsburg-155). 

U23: Deede and Anaya are in, plus we’re adding NCAA No. 3 and cadet World Team member Kayla Marano (Emmanuel-155). 

76 kg
Colorado native Tristan Kelly burst into this season at Senior Nationals. The freshman at Colorado Mesa defeated NCAA No. 1 Yelena Makoyed (North Central-170). Both wrestlers had tech falls in their semifinal matches. Kelly defeated No. 1 ranked high school senior Brittyn Corbishley, and Makoyed Kaylyn Albrecht (Wayland). 

U23: Kelly and Makoyed are in, Levendusky is up from 72 kg, plus we’re adding Junior World Team member and WCWA Champion Dymond Guilford, 2019 World Team member, 2019 US Open and Senior National Champion Precious Bell, plus college All-Americans Chi Chi Nwankwo (OCU) and Myranda Velazquez. 

Visit our UWW Junior and U23 Nationals hub for complete coverage of the weekend in Omaha.