Life holds strong lead in team race, sends six to championship finals at NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championships

PARK CITY, Kan. –Eight No. 1 seeds advanced to the finals of the 2025 NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championships, set for 7 p.m. CT at Park City Arena in Park City, Kansas. Life went six-for-six in the semifinals on Saturday morning, and are on track to win the team title for the first time in program history.

Life has totaled 177 points, while second place Grand View has totaled 120.5 points. The Cumberlands is in third with 116.5 points. Rounding out the top five are William Penn with 106 points and Missouri Valley with 101.5 points.

The Running Eagles will be represented well in the championship finals by No. 1 Anaya Falcon (110), No. 3 Salyna Shotwell (117), No. 1 Zaynah McBryde (138), No. 1 Jamilah McBryde (145), No. 1 Latifah McBryde (160) and No. 3 Savannah Isaac (207). This is the second year that the McBryde sisters will all wrestle for the top spot on the podium.

Going for her second national title, Jamilah McBryde faces a tough opponent in Esther Kolawole of William Penn, a 2024 Paris Olympian for Nigeria. Kolawole has had a stellar tournament, navigating her bracket with four 10-0 technical falls.

Erin Hikiji of Providence secured a spot in the finals for the second year in a row with a 10-0 technical fall over fifth-seeded Judy Sandoval of Grandview at 103 pounds. Hikiji earned a runner-up finish in 2024, and aims to end up one spot higher on the podium this year. Her opponent is third seed Alexis Miller of Oklahoma City.

The championship match up at 124 pounds features a pair of age-group World medalists, U20 World champion and 2019 U17 World silver medalist Cristelle Rodriguez (Doane) faces 2021 U17 World champion and 2022 U20 World bronze medalist Katie Gomez (Cumberlands). Rodriguez remains in pursuit of a second title.

At 117 pounds, Life’s Shotwell faces a challenge in No. 1 Christianah Ogunsanya of William Penn, a  2024 Paris Olympian and 2023 Senior World Team member for Nigeria, who has had an excellent tournament. Ogunsanya reached the finals with a pair of technical falls and an 11-2 decision in the semifinals.

Returning champion Ashley Lekas of Texas Wesleyan looks to defend her title at 180 pounds. Lekas secured a 10-0 technical fall over No. 5 Liliana Vergara of Campbellsville in the semifinals. She matches up against No. 3 Kelani Corbett of Missouri Valley in the championship final.

2021 National champion Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp of Providence looks to win a second national title, while No. 1 Zaynah McBryde is pursuing a top finish after falling short in the finals last year.

No. 5 Jumoke Adekoye of Dickinson State pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament in the semifinals, narrowly defeating Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon, who was aiming to win her fourth national title. Adekoye meets Xochitl Mota-Pettis in the finals at 131 pounds. Mota Pettis is a past Senior National Team member and a two-time age-group Pan American Championships medalist for Team USA.

Defending national champion Stefana Jelacic of Lourdes faces top seed Falcon of Life in the finals at 110 pounds.

At 207 pounds, No. 4 Riley Dempewolf of Indiana Tech faces No. 3 Savannah Isaac of Life in the finals. Dempewolf upset No. 1 Olivia Brown of Grand View, 2-1, in the semifinals, and will look to secure her first national title. Isaac is a three-time Fargo champion and found a spot in the finals with two pins and a 7-0 decision.

The finals are slated to begin at 7 p.m. CT inside Park City Arena. Updated brackets and match-by-match results are available at Trackwrestling.com. Event replays and a live stream of the NAIA Women’s Wrestling Championships are available at FloWrestling.com

Quick Links

Brackets

Archived Matches

Team Standings

1          Life, 177.0 points

2          Grand View, 120.5 points

3          Cumberlands, 116.5 points

4          William Penn, 106.0 points

5          Missouri Valley, 101.5 points

6          Providence, 81.0 points

7          Southern Oregon, 79.5 points

8          Indiana Tech, 70.5 points

9          Texas Wesleyan, 68.0 points

10        Doane, 66.5 points

Final Pairings

103 pounds – No. 1 Erin Hikiji (Providence) vs. No. 3 Alexis Miller (Oklahoma City)

110 pounds – No. 1 Anaya Falcon (Life) vs. No. 2 Stefana Jelacic (Lourdes)

117 pounds – No. 1 Christianah Ogunsanya (William Penn) vs. No. 3 Salyna Shotwell (Life)

124 pounds – No. 1 Cristelle Rodriguez (Doane) vs. No. 2 Katie Gomez (Cumberlands)

131 pounds – No. 5 Jumoke Adekoye (Dickinson State) vs. No. 3 Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Missouri Valley)

138 pounds – No. 1 Zaynah McBryde (Life) vs. No. 2 Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp (Providence)

145 pounds – No. 1 Jamilah McBryde (Life) vs. No. 3 Esther Kolawole (William Penn)

160 pounds – No. 1 Latifah McBryde (Life) vs. No. 7 Darby Weidl (Ottawa)

180 pounds – No. 1 Ashley Lekas (Texas Wesleyan) vs.  No. 3 Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley)

207 pounds – No. 4 Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech) vs. No. 3 Savannah Isaac (Life)

Semifinal Results

103 pounds

No. 1 Erin Hikiji (Providence) tech. fall No. 5 Judy Sandoval (Grand View), 10-0

No. 3 Alexis Miller (Oklahoma City) pin No. 7 Makayla Young (Indiana Tech), 2:27

110 pounds

No. 1 Anaya Falcon (Life) dec. No. 4 Emma Baertlein (Southern Oregon), 3-1

No. 2 Stefana Jelacic (Lourdes) tech. fall No. 3 Paige Morales (Providence), 11-1

117 pounds

No. 1 Christianah Ogunsanya (William Penn) dec. No. 5 Jasmine Howard (Southern Oregon), 11-2

No. 3 Salyna Shotwell (Life) pin No. 2 Camille Fournier (Texas Wesleyan), 5:07

124 pounds

No. 1 Cristelle Rodriguez (Doane) tech. fall No. 4 Jasmina Immaeva (Missouri Valley), 11-0

No. 2 Katie Gomez (Cumberlands) dec. No. 3 Joanna Vanderwood (William Penn), 8-2

131 pounds

No. 5 Jumoke Adekoye (Dickinson State) dec. No. 1 Carolina Moreno (Southern Oregon), 3-1

No. 3 Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Missouri Valley) pin No. 2 Mercy Adekuoroye (Wayland Baptist), 4:42

138 pounds

No. 1 Zaynah McBryde (Life) dec. No. 5 Samantha Barragan (Texas Wesleyan), 8-0

No. 2 Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp (Providence) tech. fall No. 6 Reagen Gallaway (Hastings), 12-2

145 pounds

No. 1 Jamilah McBryde (Life) tech fall Sevreign Aumua (Missouri Valley), 14-4

No. 3 Esther Kolawole (William Penn) tech. fall No. 2 Liv Wieber (Eastern Oregon), 11-0

160 pounds

No. 1 Latifah McBryde (Life) dec. No. 5 Josette Partney (Missouri Baptist), 7-2

No. 7 Darby Weidl (Ottawa) pin No. 6 Allyssa Johnson (Jamestown), 5:27

180 pounds

No. 1 Ashley Lekas (Texas Wesleyan) tech. fall No. 5 Liliana Vergara (Campbellsville), 10-0

No. 3 Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley) pin Jannell Avila (Baker), 3:39

207 pounds

No. 4 Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech) dec. No. 1 Olivia Brown (Grand View), 2-1

No. 3 Savannah Isaac (Life) dec. No. 2 Kathryn Hingano (Southern Oregon), 7-0

Placement Match Results

103 pounds

3^rd – No. 5 Judy Sandoval (Grand View) pin No. 7 Makayla Young (Indiana Tech), 0:39

5^th – Alexis Hatfield (Avila) forf. Angelina Casteneda (Cumberlands)

7^th – No. 4 Karina Vang (Doane) inj. def. Sofia Abramson (Oklahoma City)

110 pounds

3^rd – No. 3 Paige Morales (Providence) tech. fall No. 6 Tehani Soares (Indiana Tech), 10-0

5^th –  No. 4 Emma Baertlein (Southern Oregon) dec. No. 8 Alexsys Jacquez (Saint Mary), 3-0

7^th – No. 7 Tristan Nitta (Grand View) inj. def. Nizhoni Tallman (Evergreen State)

117 pounds

3^rd – Shammilka Miranda (Cumberlands) tech. fall No. 6 Mayangelie Colon (Grand View), 11-0

5^th –  No. 5 Jasmine Howard (Southern Oregon) dec. No. 2 Camille Fournier (Texas Wesleyan), 7-4

7^th – No. 7 Katherine Heath (Baker) dec. Icart Galumette (Campbellsville), 10-6

124 pounds

3^rd – No. 3 Joanna Vanderwood (William Penn) dec. Catharine Campbell (Grand View), 5-1

5^th –   No. 4 Jasmina Immaeva (Missouri Valley) tech. fall No. 5 Rose Kaplan (Indiana Tech), 10-0

7^th – No. 6 Maya Davis (Grand View) tech. fall Ariana Martinez (Life), 13-2

131 pounds

3^rd – No. 2 Mercy Adekuoroye (Wayland Baptist) dec. No. 1 Carolina Moreno (Southern Oregon), 15-6

5^th – No. 6 Olivia Mottley (Life) inj. def. No. 4 Sarah Savidge (Life)

7^th – No. 8 Devin Patton (William Penn) dec. Larissa Kaz (Hastings) (Dec 14-12)

138 pounds

3^rd – No. 5 Samantha Barragan (Texas Wesleyan) pin No. 6 Reagen Gallaway (Hastings), 2:27)

5^th – No. 3 Jordan Suarez (Wayland Baptist) pin Serenity De La Garza (Missouri Valley), 3:33)

7^th – Isabelle Hawley (William Penn) pin Natalia Posada (Oklahoma City), 1:21)

145 pounds

3^rd – No. 2 Liv Wieber (Eastern Oregon) pin Sevreign Aumua (Missouri Valley), 2:54

5^th – Bridgette Sotomayor (Doane) pin Aubrey Yauger (Texas Wesleyan), 4:33

7^th – Alivia Ming (Cumberlands) disq. No. 6 Anastasia Hardin (Missouri Baptist), DQ

160 pounds

3^rd – No. 2 Flor Parker Borrero (Evergreen State) pin No. 4 Micah Fisher (Cumberlands), 1:28

5^th – No. 5 Josette Partney (Missouri Baptist) inj. def. No. 6 Allyssa Johnson (Jamestown)

7^th – No. 8 Aspen Barber (Doane) won by fall over Abigail Sebesta (Ottawa), 2:08

180 pounds

3^rd – Jannell Avila (Baker) pin No. 2 India Page (Lindsey Wilson), 5:23

5^th – No. 5 Liliana Vergara (Campbellsville) pin Lillian Gradillas-Flores (Southern Oregon), 0:27

7^th – No. 6 Reka Busa (Life) pin No. 7 America Lopez (William Penn), 0:43

207 pounds

3^rd – No. 1 Olivia Brown (Grand View) won by decision over No. 5 Hannah Jackson (Ottawa), 6-0

5^th – Maquoia Bernabe (Cumberlands) dec. No. 2 Kathryn Hingano (Southern Oregon), 3-1

7^th – Mariyah Brumley (William Woods) pin No. 6 Alysse Phillips (Lourdes), 0:47