With 10 semifinalists each, North Central and King women pull ahead of field at NCWWC Nationals

Returning NCWWC champion Ashlynn Ortega (King) works an ankle lace at the 2023 NCWWC Nationals. Photo by AJ Grieves.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The top two NCAA women’s wrestling programs coming into the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships had a great day on Friday, as No. 1 ranked King and No. 2 North Central both punched 10 wrestlers into the Saturday morning’s semifinals.

North Central held a 10-point lead over King at the end of the session, 113.5 to 103.5 points. They both have a nice cushion over third-place No. 3 McKendree, which has 83 points and five semifinalists. No. 4 Colorado Mesa is in fourth with 65.5 points, with No. 5 Augsburg in fifth with 63 points.

North Central semifinalists are No. 1 Yelena Makoyed (170), No. 2 Traeh Haynes (191), No. 2 Amani Jones (123), No. 3 Sydney Petzinger (109), No. 3 Jaslynn Gallegos (116), No. 3 Yele Aycock (136), No. 3 Brittyn Corbishley (191), No. 4 Madison Avila (101), No. 4 Sara Sterner (130) and No. 4 London Houston (143).

King semifinalists are No. 1 Jessica Corredor (101), No. 1 Ana Luciano (136), No. 1 Ashlynn Ortega (143), No. 2 Sage Mortimer (109), No. 2 Cheyenne Bowman (170), No. 3 Vayle-Rae Baker (123), No. 3 Montana Delawder (130), No. 4 Dianna Holmes (109), No. 4 Samara Chavez (116) and No. 4 Tiffani Baublitz (155).

There will be four North Central vs. King semifinals, with King favored, based upon seeds, in three of those battles. In addition, North Central will have teammates compete against each other in the 190-pound semifinals.

McKendree has five in the semifinals, with Augsburg with four, Simon Fraser with three, Colorado Mesa with two and six schools with one semifinalist.

The lowest seed to advance to the semifinals was No. 7 Nyla Burgess of Adrian, who pinned No. 2 seed Tiera Jimerson of North Central in 4:56 at 155 pounds. Burgess will face No. 3 seed Dalia Garibay of Colorado Mesa in the semifinals.

Both three-time NCWWC champions who are gunning for a fourth title are in the semifinals, No. 1 seed Emily Shilson of McKendree at 109 and No. 1 seed Sydnee Kimber of McKendree at 191 pounds.

Two-time NCWWC champions Cam Guerin of McKendree (130) and Yelena Makoyed of North Central (170) are semifinalists, as is 2022 NCWWC champion Ashlynn Ortega of King (143).

The competition went through the “blood round,” meaning the All-Americans in each weight class have already been determined. North Central pushed all 15 of their athletes into All-American status. In the team standings, teams can only score points with one wrestler in each weight class.

The championship semifinals will begin at 11:00 a.m. CT, a session which will wrestle through all of the third-, fifth- and seventh-place bouts. The gold medal finals are set for 7:00 p.m. All of the action is live on FloWrestling.

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 3

Semifinal pairings

101
No. 1 Jessica Corredor (King University) vs. No. 4 Madison Avila (North Central (IL)
No. 2 Lizette Rodriguez (McKendree University) vs. No. 6 Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin University)

109
No. 1 Emily Shilson (McKendree University) vs. No. 4 Dianna Holmes (King University)
No. 2 Sage Mortimer (King University) vs. No. 3 Sydney Petzinger (North Central (IL)

116
No. 1 Victoria Seal (Simon Fraser University) vs. No. 4 Samara Chavez (King University)
No. 2 Payton Stroud (McKendree University) vs. No. 3 Jaslynn Gallegos (North Central (IL)

123
No. 1 Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa University) vs. No. 4 Sofia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg University)
No. 2 Amani Jones (North Central (IL) vs. No. 3 Vayle-Rae Baker (King University)

130
No. 1 Alexis Janiak (Aurora) vs. No. 4 Sara Sterner (North Central (IL)
No. 2 Cameron Guerin (McKendree University) vs. No. 3 Montana Delawder (King University)

136
No. 1 Ana Luciano (King University) vs. No. 5 Paige Wehrmeister (Presbyterian)
No. 2 Nina Makem (Augsburg University) vs. No. 3 Yele Aycock (North Central (IL)

143
No. 1 Ashlynn Ortega (King University) vs. No. 4 London Houston (North Central (IL)
No. 2 Grace Stem (Lock Haven University) vs. No. 3 Katie Lange (Augsburg University)

155
No. 1 Marlynne Deede (Augsburg University) vs. No. 4 Tiffani Baublitz (King University)
No. 3 Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa University) vs. No. 7 Nyla Burgess (Adrian College)

170
No. 1 Yelena Makoyed (North Central (IL) vs. No. 5 Brooklyn Hays (Augsburg University)
No. 2 Cheyenne Bowman (King University) vs. No. 3 Emily Cue (Simon Fraser University)

191
No. 1 Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University) vs. No. 4 Katja Osteen (Simon Fraser University)
No. 2 Traeh Haynes (North Central (IL) vs. No. 3 Brittyn Corbishley (North Central (IL)

Semifinalists
10 – King, North Central
5 – McKendree
4 – Augsburg
3 – Simon Fraser
2 – Colorado Mesa
1 – Tiffin, East Stroudsburg, Aurora, Presbyterian, Lock Haven, Adrian

Team Standings
1 North Central 113.5
2 King University 103.5
3 McKendree University 83.0
4 Colorado Mesa University 65.5
5 Augsburg University 63.0
6 Simon Fraser University 58.0
7 Sacred Heart 42.5
8 Adrian College 31.5
9 East Stroudsburg University 31.0
10 Gannon University 30.5
(of 37 teams)

Quarterfinal results

101
Jessica Corredor (King University) pin Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart) Fall 4:43
Madison Avila (North Central (IL)) dec. Samantha Miller (Presbyterian) Dec 5-4
Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin University) dec. Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa University) Dec 8-5
Lizette Rodriguez (McKendree University ) tech. fall Avery Kibelbek (King University) TF 10-0

109
Emily Shilson (McKendree University ) won by tech fall over Cassy Lopez (Presbyterian) TF 10-0
Dianna Holmes (King University) won by tech fall over Kaelani Shufeldt (Lock Haven University) TF 10-0
Sydney Petzinger (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Kendra Ryan (North Central (IL)) Dec 8-4
Sage Mortimer (King University) won by tech fall over Maddie Mackenzie (Simon Fraser University) TF 10-0

116
Victoria Seal (Simon Fraser University) won by tech fall over Natalie Majer (Carthage College) TF 10-0
Samara Chavez (King University) won by tech fall over Danielle Garcia (King University) TF 10-0
Jaslynn Gallegos (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Emily Klein (East Stroudsburg University) Fall 1:45
Payton Stroud (McKendree University ) won by tech fall over Samantha Larsen (Gannon University) TF 12-0

123
Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa University) won by fall over Jennifer Soto (McKendree University ) Fall 1:51
Sofia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg University) won by tech fall over Naomi Henry (New Jersey City University) TF 12-1
Vayle-rae Baker (King University) won by fall over Mia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg University) Fall 1:25
Amani Jones (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Melanie Mendoza (King University) Dec 7-2

130
Alexis Janiak (Aurora ) won by tech fall over Alexandra Fitzgerald (Sacred Heart) TF 13-3
Sara Sterner (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Hailey Chapman (Colorado Mesa University) Fall 3:49
Montana Delawder (King University) won by decision over Lillian Sherer (Lock Haven University) Dec 6-4
Cameron Guerin (McKendree University ) won by fall over Marquesis Haintz (Simon Fraser University) Fall 1:48

136
Ana Luciano (King University) won by decision over Diana Dzasezeva (Northern Michigan University) Dec 11-6
Paige Wehrmeister (Presbyterian) won by decision over Viktorya Torres (King University) Dec 7-2
Yele Aycock (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Holly Beaudoin (Colorado Mesa University) Fall 4:05
Nina Makem (Augsburg University) won by tech fall over Abigail Varady (McKendree University ) TF 11-0

143
Ashlynn Ortega (King University) won by tech fall over Marisa Roth (Northern Michigan University) TF 10-0
London Houston (North Central (IL)) won by tech fall over Kendall Bostelman (North Central (IL)) TF 10-0
Katie Lange (Augsburg University) won by fall over Clarissa Agostini (Adrian College) Fall 2:21
Grace Stem (Lock Haven University) won by decision over Lili Ujfalvi (Gannon University) Dec 9-6

155
Marlynne Deede (Augsburg University) won by decision over Madison Sandquist (Sacred Heart) Dec 9-3
Tiffani Baublitz (King University) won by decision over Malea Palahniuk (North Central (IL)) Dec 4-1
Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa University) won by tech fall over Lydia Krauss (Northern Michigan University) TF 11-0
Nyla Burgess (Adrian College) won by fall over Tiera Jimerson (North Central (IL)) Fall 4:56

170
Yelena Makoyed (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Alexandra Castillo (McKendree University ) Fall 1:07
Brooklyn Hays (Augsburg University) won by decision over Annabelle Helm (Gannon University) Dec 6-2
Emily Cue (Simon Fraser University) won by tech fall over Cara Broadus (Sacred Heart) TF 12-0
Cheyenne Bowman (King University) won by tech fall over Jewel Gonzalez (Gannon University) TF 10-0

191
Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University ) won by fall over Jacklyn Smith (Sacred Heart) Fall 0:58
Katja Osteen (Simon Fraser University) won by decision over Jayleen Sekona (Colorado Mesa University) Dec 2-1
Brittyn Corbishley (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Sara Lake (Lindenwood University) Dec 9-2
Traeh Haynes (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Rewa Chababo (University of the Ozarks) Fall 0:56