Regional winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award: Rayome, Buurma, Gilchrist, Fowler, Gonzales

STILLWATER, Okla. - The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced the regional winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA).

The Hall of Fame’s High School Excellence Awards are proudly sponsored by the Hyman Family, whose generous support and passion for the sport help ensure the continued recognition and development of wrestling’s next generation.

The winners are:

Central Region – Riley Rayome, Shenandoah, Texas, The Woodlands High School, North Central College

Midwest Region – Margaret Buurma, Fowlerville, Michigan, Fowlerville High School

Northeast Region – Calli Gilchrist, Norwalk, Connecticut, Choate Rosemary Hall, Brown University

Southeast Region – Piper Fowler, Cleveland, Tennessee, Cleveland High School, William Penn University

West Region – Isabella Marie Gonzales, Fresno, California, Clovis East High School, University of Iowa

The national winner will be announced on April 29. The national winner will be chosen from the regional winners.

First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.

The award recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service.

TSHSEA winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community.

The regional winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award will be announced on Thursday. The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. The DSHSEA national winner will be announced on April 30.

The TSHSEA and DSHSEA national winners will be honored during the 48th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 6 and 7 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. To purchase tickets for Honors Weekend, visit https://bit.ly/2025NWHOFHonorsWeekendTickets.

Regional winners for both awards are selected from state winners, and the national winners will be chosen from the regional winners.

The regions and the states that they are comprised of are:

West (11) - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming

Midwest (10) - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin

Central (7) - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas

Southeast (11) - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia

Northeast (11) - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont

2025 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award Regional Winners

Central Region: Riley Rayome of Shenandoah, Texas was a three-time Texas state champion and a four-time state place-winner for The Woodlands High School. The daughter of Jeff Rayome, she will continue her career at North Central College. Rayome had a career record of 205-5, including 54-0 records as a junior and senior and 49-1 as a sophomore. She was a four-time district champion and district MVP and a four-time regional champion. Rayome is ranked No. 2 at 115 pounds and No. 16 in pound-for-pound in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and FloWrestling’s National Girls High School Ranking. Rayome was a four-time Body Bar national champion, a two-time Preseason Nationals champion and earned All-America honors 13 times. She was named Female Wrestler of the Year by the Texas High School Wrestling Coaches Association and Vype in 2025. Rayome was named to the Texas High School Coaches Association Student-Athlete All-State team three times, the THSCA Super Elite team three times and was a member of the THSWCA Red River All-Star team three times. She was a National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American three times, a NWCA Leadership and Character All-American in 2025, and nominated for Houston Female Athlete of the Year in 2024. A member of student counsel, she was a mentor for Sisters on the Mat and the Highlander and Rise wrestling clubs.

Midwest Region: Margaret Buurma of Fowlerville, Michigan became the first four-time Michigan girls state wrestling champion. The daughter of Matt and Mindy Buurma, she also lettered in golf, softball and volleyball while being team captain in wrestling all four years. Gilchrist is ranked No. 3 at 145 pounds in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and FloWrestling National Girls High School Rankings. Buurma was a Junior National Champion in folkstyle in 2024 and a Junior Michigan USA Wrestling freestyle state champion in 2022 and 2024. She earned All-American honors at the Super 32 and Journeymen tournament in 2024 while being an All-American at the Women’s High School Showcase in 2023 and 2024 and at the 16U Folkstyle Nationals in 2022. A four-time Academic All-State honoree and National Honor Society member, Buurma was also a member of the band, FFA and 4-H. She was named Michigan Army National Guard Athlete of the Year in 2024 and was a Detroit High School Sports Authority nominee in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Buurma volunteers for the American Red Cross Blood Drive and the Christmas in the Ville, Fourth of July and Memorial Day parades. She also volunteered for Vacation Bible School and as a referee at youth tournaments across Michigan. Buurma read to elementary school students while also organizing and preparing holiday cards for assisted living residents and visiting shut-ins and senior living residents.

Northeast Region: Calli Gilchrist of Norwalk, Connecticut was a two-time Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference champion for Norwalk High School before transferring to Choate Rosemary Hall. She won two Prep School national championships and helped Choate Rosemary-Hall win their first New England championship. The daughter of Chrissy Santa Lucia, she will continue her wrestling career at Brown University. Gilchrist is ranked No. 3 at 120 pounds in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and FloWrestling National Girls High School Rankings. Gilchrist was 20-0 as a senior and won the Prep School national championship, the New England Prep School championship, the Girls Class A championship, the Beast of the East championship and the Eastern States Classic championship. She also won the Princeton Open college tournament after being a place-winner in 2022 and 2023. She is a four-time Marine Corps High School Nationals All-American, two-time National High School Coaches Association champion and a World Team Trials All-American. Gilchrist, who also participates in crew and track and field, won the Jimmy Detrixhe Scholar Athlete award in February at the Prep School national championship meet for excellence in academics and athletics. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a National Merit Scholarship and a member of the Arabic Honor Society while also being an Academic All-American in 2024 and 2025. Gilchrist is involved in Dylan’s Wings of Change, fostering empathy and courage within schools, while also volunteering at Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services and doing an internship with the New Haven State Attorney’s Office.

Southeast Region: Piper Fowler of Cleveland, Tennessee was an undefeated four-time Tennessee wrestling state champion for Cleveland High School. The daughter of Zack and McKenzie Fowler, she will continue her wrestling career at William Penn University. She helped start the wrestling team at her school and was instrumental in helping them capture three state team titles and a third-place finish. Fowler, who had a career record of 93-0. was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2024 state tournament and the recipient of the Catherine Neely Female Athlete of the Year award. She won a gold medal at the 2023 U17 World Championships and represented the United States again in 2024. She finished first at Junior Nationals in 2023 and 2024 and was a finalist in 2022. Fowler is ranked No. 1 at 170 pounds and No. 4 in pound-for-pound in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and FloWrestling National Girls High School Rankings. She is also a National High School Coaches Association champion, a Fargo champion, a Super 32 champion. A Raider scholar, Fowler is a member of the Cleveland High School Leadership Council and the Criminal Justice Club. She is an active member in her youth group at church while also serving as an ambassador for ATS the Bridge, taking a public stand against drugs and vaping, and volunteering at elementary schools.

West Region: Isabella Marie Gonzales of Fresno, California was a three-time California girls state champion and a four-time state finalist for Clovis East High School. She teamed with her sister, Sophia Marie, and Jaelyn Unpingco to win the girls team title at the California state championships in 2025. The trio combined for 13 falls, one technical fall and one major decision. The daughter of Geoffrey and Jennifer Gonzales, she will continue her career at the University of Iowa. Gonzales is ranked No. 1 at 120 pounds and No. 3 in pound-for-pound in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and FloWrestling National Girls High School Rankings. Gonzales competed for the United States and finished fifth in the 2024 United World Wrestling U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan, and won a gold medal in the 2023 U17 Pan American Games in Mexico City, Mexico. She also won gold medals at the U15 Pan American Games in 2022 and 2021. Named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2023 California state tournament, Gonzales was a four-time California Interscholastic Federation Central Section Masters champion, twice being named Outstanding Wrestler, and a four-time CIF Central Section Area champion, being named Outstanding Wrestler all four years. She is a three-time USA Wrestling freestyle national champion and a two-time folkstyle national champion. Gonzales is a five-time California freestyle state champion, a four-time California Greco-Roman state champion, and a three-time California folkstyle state champion. A member of the National Honor Society, she was four-time member of the high honor roll and a three-time member of the principal’s honor roll. Gonzales is a Big Brothers and Sisters of Central California Ambassador and also volunteers as a mentor and coach at FEARLESS, a nonprofit free of charge youth wrestling club.

Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest growing high school sports with participation growing by more than 292 percent from 16,562 in 2018 to 65,000 in 2024.

Forty-six state high school athletic associations have voted to approve girls wrestling as an official sport, and 46 held official girls high school state wrestling championships in 2024-25. Hawaii was the first state to host a girls state championship in 1998 and Texas began its girls’ tournament in 1999. The number grew to six states by 2015.

States that hosted girls state wrestling championships in 2024-25 are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

In January, the NCAA added women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport. Women's wrestling advances from the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program to become a national collegiate championship, featuring female athletes from all three divisions competing against one another. The NCAA's first women's wrestling championship will be in 2026. The NAIA recognizes women’s wrestling as an official varsity sport and held their first official championship in 2023.

There are over 175 intercollegiate women’s wrestling teams competing at the NCAA, NAIA, junior college and community college level.

The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners.

2025 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award State Winners

State - Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending

Alabama - Evelyn Holmes-Smith, Enterprise High School, Enterprise, Emmanuel University

Alaska - Noelle Buck, Colony High School, Wasilla, Colorado Mesa University

Arizona - Alena Gracia, Cesar Chavez High School, Phoenix

Arkansas - Gracie Webb, Searcy High School, Searcy

California - Isabella Marie Gonzales, Clovis East High School, Fresno, University of Iowa

Colorado - Katelyn Valdez, Doherty High School, Colorado Springs, McKendree University

Connecticut - Calli Gilchrist, Choate Rosemary Hall, Norwalk, Brown University

Delaware - Natalie Hackett, St. Georges Technical High School, Newark

Florida - Milana Borrelli, Venice High School, Venice, North Central College

Georgia - Vera Spencer, North Oconee High School, Bogart

Hawaii - Jax Realin, Kamehameha Schools, Mililani

Idaho - Joely Slyter, Lewiston High School, Lewiston

Illinois - Harlee Hiller, Loyola Academy, Evanston

Indiana - Mallory Winner, Jay County High School, East Ridgeville

Iowa - Molly Allen, Riverside High School, Oakland, Oklahoma State University

Kansas - Leiannah Landreth, Mulvane High School, Mulvane

Kentucky - Sophie Anderson, Walton Verona High School, Walton, Campbellsville University

Louisiana - Natalie Davis, Haughton High School, Haughton, Texas Women's University

Maine - Ciara Farias, Gardiner Area High School, Randolph

Maryland - Lexy Pabon, Crofton High School, Crofton, Life University

Massachusetts - Daniella Nugent, Phillips Academy at Andover, Boxford

Michigan - Margaret Buurma, Fowlerville High School, Fowlerville

Minnesota - Ella Pagel, Northfield High School, Nerstrand

Mississippi - Addison Wilson, Oak Grove High School, Hattiesburg

Missouri - Kailey Benson, Francis Howell Central High School, St. Peters

Montana - Tirza Twoteeth, Ronan High School, Ronan

Nebraska - Piper Zatechka, Omaha Westside High School, Omaha, Lehigh University

Nevada - Addison Canja, Cimarron Memorial High School, Las Vegas

New Hampshire - Liz Donovan, Pelham High School, Pellham

New Jersey - Shaelie Young, Gateway Regional High School, Woodbury Heights, D'Youville University

New Mexico - Leslie Nayarez-Alcala, Atrisco Heritage Academy High School, Albuquerque

New York - Zoe Griffith, Gouverneur Central High School, Gouverneur, Presbyterian College

North Carolina - Leah Edwards, East Rowan High School, Salisbury

North Dakota - Alexis Schneider, Napoleon Public School, Kintyre

Ohio - Makennah Craft, Jackson High School, Minford, Campbellsville University

Oklahoma - Jadyn Roller, Bixby High School, Bixby

Oregon - McKenzie Mills, David Douglas High School, Portland, University of Providence

Pennsylvania - Aubree Krazer, Easton Area High School, Easton, Lehigh University

Rhode Island - Victoria Salinas, Toll Gate High School, Warwick

South Carolina - Tiyanna Mack, Blythewood High School, Blythewood

South Dakota - Peyton Hellmann, Bon Homme High School, Tabor, Fort Hays State

Tennessee - Piper Fowler, Cleveland High School, Cleveland, William Penn University

Texas - Riley Rayome, The Woodlands High School, Shenandoah, North Central College

Utah - Kristina Kent, Davis High School, Kaysville

Virginia - Jenna Anderson, Cosby High School, Moseley

Washington - Libby Roberts, University High School, Spokane Valley

West Virginia - Kaylie Hall, Spring Mills High School, Augusta, Presbyterian College

Wisconsin - Hailie Krueger, New London High School, New London, Wartburg College

Wyoming - Veil Forman, Star Valley High School, Etna

All-Time National Winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award

Year - Name, High School, Hometown, State

2024 - Nebi Tsarni, Watkins Mill High School, Montgomery Village, Maryland

2023 - Kira Pipkins, Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield, New Jersey

2022 - Sofia Macaluso, Minisink High School, Otisville, New York

2021 - Olivia Brown, Broken Arrow High School, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

2020 - Nanea Estrella, Lahainaluna High School, Makawao, Hawaii

2019 - Emily Shilson, Mounds View High School, North Oaks, Minnesota (Junior World Champion)

2018 - Alleida Martinez, Selma High School, Selma, California

2017 - Cierra Foster, Post Falls High School, Post Falls, Idaho

2016 - Katie Brock, Sequatchie County High School, Whitwell, Tennessee

2015 - Marizza Birrueta, Grandview High School, Grandview, Washington

2014 - Marina Doi, Kingsburg High School, Kingsburg, California

National Wrestling Hall of Fame & MuseumAmerica’s shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation and now features interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. It also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org