Bill Farrell Women’s FS Preview: Velte, Augello, Golston, Mota-Pettis, Glaude headline U.S. entries

With berths in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials up for grabs, and a number of talented international stars, the women’s freestyle division will be highly competitive at the annual Bill Farrell Memorial International New York City’s famed New York Athletic Club, Nov. 17-18.

The women’s freestyle competition is set for Friday, November 17. Up for grabs are spots in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling at Penn State in April. The top U.S. placewinner (in the top four) in each weight class who has not already qualified in each weight class will advance to the Challenge Tournament of the Olympic Trials. The tournament will feature only the six Olympic Games weight classes, not the normal 10 World Championships weight classes.

Current U.S. Senior National Team members Erin Golston (50 kg), Xochitl Mota-Petts (57 kg), Amanda Martinez (57 kg), Maya Letona (62 kg), Mallory Velte (68 kg), Alex Glaude (68 kg) and Brooklyn Hays (76 kg) are in the field. 2016 Olympian Haley Augello (53 kg) is also registered and making a comeback. There are at least 12 past Senior National Team members in the draw as well.

Velte is a two-time Senior World medalist, the top achiever among the U.S. entries. Of the entries, Velte and 2023 U20 World medalist Alexis Janiak (57 kg) are the only athletes who are already qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Augello, Golston and Glaude are past age-group World medalists from the USA, as are Emily Shilson (50 kg), Erica Pastoriza (50 kg), Alisha Howk (53 kg), Alex Hedrick (57 kg), Skylar Hattendorf (62 kg) and Tristan Kelly (76 kg).

Among the registrants are six Senior World medalists from other nations, led by 2019 World champion Linda Morais of Canada. The foreign athletes should make winning a medal difficult for the U.S. wrestlers.

For three straight days, we will preview each of the disciplines.

This event will be broadcast live by FloWrestling.

50 kg Women’s Freestyle entries

Mariah  Anderson             CO         Air Force Regional Training Center

Clare      Booe      FL          Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club

Charlotte              Fowler   TX          Boilermaker RTC

Erin        Golston IL           New York Athletic Club   

Aleeah   Gould    CA         Army (WCAP)   

Sage       Mortimer             UT          Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Erica      Pastoriza              AZ          Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club           

Nina       Pham     CA         Army (WCAP)   

Vanessa Ramirez CO         Army (WCAP)   

Emily     Shilson  MN        Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Avery    Steldt     WI          Combat W.C. School of Wrestling 

Arelys   Valles    FL          Grand View Wrestling Club

Foreign Athletes

Katie Dutchak (Canada)

Madison Parks (Canada)

Miyu Nakamura (Japan)

Svetlana Ankicheva (Kazakhstan)

50 kg women’s freestyle summary: Women’s national team member Erin Golston leads a weight class with considerable young talent. Multiple age-group World champion Emily Shilson, a 4x NCWWC college champion, and past NAIA champion Nina Pham, are joined by current college star Sage Mortimer. Veterans Charlotte Fowler and Arelys Valles will challenge, as will high school star Clare Booe. Senior World Team members Madison Parks of Canada and Svetlana Ankicheva of Kazakhstan and 2016 U20 World champion Miyu Nakamura of Japan are tough foreign matchups.  

53 kg Women’s Freestyle entries

Haley     Augello IL           Illinois  

Vayle     Baker     PA          West Point Wrestling Club

Juliana   Diaz       FL          A-Train Performance Womens Wrestling Club           

Marissa Gallegos CO         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Alisha    Howk     WI          Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club           

Ella        Jauregui CA         California           

Morgan Johnson CO         Top Notch Wrestling Club

Lauren   Mason   CA         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Areana  Villaescusa          CO         Army (WCAP)   

Alexandra            Waitsman             CA         California           

Foreign Athletes

Serena DiBenedetto (Canada)

Jade DuFour (Canada)

Karla Godinez Gonzalez (Canada)

Sueanne Harms (Canada)

Samantha Stewart (Canada)

Diana Weicker (Canada)

53 kg women’s freestyle summary: This weight is loaded with talent from Canada, with 2021 World bronze medalist Samantha Stewart, 2018 World bronze medalist Diana Weicker and 2022 World bronze medalist Karla Godinez Gonzalez in the draw. 2016 Olympian Haley Augello is making a comeback. Past Senior National Team members Alisha Howk, Lauren Mason and Areana Villaescusa are among the top U.S. entries. Vayle Baker and Juliana Diaz are other contenders.

57 kg women’s freestyle entries

Jaclyn    Dehney NH         Massachusetts Wrestling Association           

Alexandra            Hedrick CA         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Alexis    Janiak    IL           Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Katrina  Kling     NJ          New York City RTC          

Amanda Martinez              IL           Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Xochitl  Mota-Pettis          TX          Rise RTC             

Kira       Pipkins  NJ          New York City RTC          

Brenda  Reyna    WA         Army (WCAP)   

Foreign Athletes

Gabriela Cross (Canada)

Annika Fines (Canada)

Tianna Kennett (Canada)

Vivian Kutnowski (Canada)

Macy Malysiak (Canada)

Alexandria Town (Canada)

Himeka Tokuhara (Japan)

Ainur Ashimova (Kazakhstan)

Karoline Ortiz Rosado (Puerto Rico)

Nes Marie Rodriguez Tirado (Puerto Rico)

57 kg women’s freestyle summary: Senior National Team members Xochitl Mota-Petts and Amanda Martinez are entered, as is U23 World medalist and past National Team member Alex Hedrick. Brenda Reyna, a NCWWC champion before joining the Army will challenge, along with college star Alexis Janiak. The large foreign group includes U23 World champion Himeka Tokuhara of Japan, 2020 Pan American champion Alexandra Town of Canada, plus Senior World Team members Ainur Ashimova of Kazakhstan and Nes Marie Rodriguez of Puerto Rico.

62 kg women’s freestyle entries

Lexie     Basham TX          Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

SaVannah             Cosme   CO         Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club           

Aine       Drury     CA         10 Year Active Athlete List             

Hanna    Errthum WI          Combat W.C. School of Wrestling 

Skylar    Hattendorf           NH         New York Athletic Club   

Maya     Letona   CA         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Lauren   Louive   OH         New York Athletic Club   

Ana        Luciano FL          Team Tornado Wrestling Club        

Marisol Nugent  MA        Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club           

Ashlynn Ortega   CO         New York Athletic Club   

Marisa   Roth       WI          NMU-National Training Center      

Andrea  Schlabach            OH         Grand View Wrestling Club\

Foreign Athletes

Angelina Lelo (Angola)

Lais Nunez de Oliveira (Brazil)

Ella Doornaert (Canada)

Ana Godinez Gonzalez (Canada)

Aleah Nickel (Canada)

Miki Rowbottom (Canada)

Kirti Saxena (Canada)

Angelina Rodriguez Miranda (Cape Verde)

Tynys Dubek (Kazakhstan)

Diana Kayumova (Kazakhstan)

62 kg women’s freestyle summary: Another strong group of foreign talent is registered, with 2023 Pan American Games champion Lais Nunez de Oliveira of Brazil, and Senior World Team members Ana Godinez Gonzalez of Canada and Diana Kayumova of Kazakhstan on the list. Current Senior National Team member Maya Letona, and past National Team members Lexie Basham and Lauren Louive headline the USA entries. College national champions Ashlynn Ortega and Ana Luciano will challenge, as will rising young stars Skylar Hattendorf and SaVannah Cosme.

68 kg women’s freestyle entries

Kaylynn Albrecht KS          Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Rose      Cassioppi             IL           New York Athletic Club   

Jackie    Cataline Surber   CA         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Noelle   Gaffney NJ          New Jersey         

Marilyn Garcia   CA         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Alexandria           Glaude  OR         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Anastasia             Hardin   KY         A-Train Performance Womens Wrestling Club           

Lydia     Krauss   MI          Simmons Academy Of Wrestling   

Josette   Partney  MO        Missouri Baptist Wrestling Club    

Solin      Piearcy  CA         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Olivia    Pizano   OR         Southern Oregon Regional Training Center 

Stella     Steigler VA          Virginia

Mallory Velte      OR         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Foreign Athletes

Nyla Burgess (Canada)

Elise Daynes (Canada)

Angelina Ellis Toddington (Canada)

Linda Morais (Canada)

Katie Mulkay (Canada)

Elena Sehic (Canada)

Mei Shindo (Japan)

Madina Bakgergenova (Kazakhstan)

68 kg women’s freestyle summary: 2019 World champion Linda Morais of Canada, two-time World bronze medalist Mallory Velte of the USA, and U23 World bronze medalists  Madina Bakgergenova of Kazakhstan and Mei Shindo of Japan are international talents in the draw. Senior National Team member Alex Glaude, and past National Team members Jackie Cataline, Marilyn Garcia and Solin Piearcy are top contenders. Young stars Rose Cassioppi and Kaylynn Albrecht add to the depth.

76 kg women’s freestyle entries

Destane Garrick  IL           A-Train Performance Womens Wrestling Club           

Skylar    Grote     NJ          Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Brooklyn              Hays      UT          Utah      

Tristan   Kelly     CO         Army (WCAP)   

Shenita  Lawson TX          Grand View Wrestling Club            

Yelena   Makoyed              CA         Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Precious Bell Wieser          MN        Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)      

Foreign athletes

Taylor Follensbee (Canada)

Briana Fraser (Canada)

Shauna Kuebeck (Canada)

Vianne Rouleau (Canada)

Faith Telford (Canada)

Ariana Xavier (Cape Verde)

Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan)

76 kg women’s freestyle summary: Three-time Senior World medalist Zhamila Bakbergenova of Kazakhstan is the top international star among the entries here. Current Senior National Team member Brooklyn Hays, and past National Team members Skylar Grote, Yelena Makoyed and Precious Bell give this weight additional power. Age-group World medalist Tristan Kelly of the USA and Senior World Team member Shauna Kuebeck of Canada are other challengers.