Contact: Matthew Eaker, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, mreaker@noctrl.edu 

Results 

FORT WORTH, TX. (May 9, 2022) - The North Central College women's wrestling team finished up competition at the USA Wrestling Women's National Championship where seven wrestlers placed in the top eight of their respective weight class. Yelena Makoyed captured the 76 kg title and will represent Team USA at the U23 World Championships. 

Amani Jones had an impressive first day of action on Friday which pushed her into the 55 kg Championship match against Adriana Dorado Marin. Jones and Marin woud face off in a best two out of three series to decide this year's champion. Jones would fall in the first match by a 15-2 technical fall before falling 10-5 in the second match, placing second. Jones will represent Team USA at the Junior Pan-Am Championships in Oaxtepec, Mexico July 8-10.

Tiera Jimerson also had an impressive first day in the 68 kg bracket as she went undefeated on Friday to put her in the finals against Destiny Rodriguez. Jimerson would fall by a 9-3 decision in the first match but would defeat Rodriguez by a 9-3 decision to force a third match. Jimerson would fall in a contested battle 15-11, placing second. Jimerson will represent Team USA at the Junior Pan-Am Championships in Oaxtepec, Mexico July 8-10.

Sydney Petzinger took home seventh place and All-America honors after defeating Alexandra Sztonicki by a 12-2 technical fall. Kendra Ryan took home fifth place and All-America honors at 53 kg after receiving a forfeit in the fifth place match. Yele Aycock capped off an impressive weekend with a 10-7 decision win over Paige Wehrmeister to take home fifth place at 62 kg. Fiona McConnell took home eighth place and All-America honors at 76 kg after falling to Grace Doering in a 5-4 decision. 

The U23 division saw five Cardinal wrestlers competing for a shot to represent Team USA at the World Championships. Angelina Graff competed at 50 kg and defeated Kaelani Shufeldt in the first round before falling to Nyla Valencia in the second round putting her in the consolation side of the bracket. In the consolation round of eight, Graff would defeat Carisa Epling by an 11-0 technical fall before falling to Alexandra Szkotnicki, ending her tournament. 

After receiving a bye in the first round, Niya Teresita Gaines took on Julissa Taitano and defeated Taitano by a 14-2 technical fall to advance to the quarterfinals against Claire DiCugno. Gaines would defeat DiCugno by a 15-12 decision to push her into the semifinals match. In the semifinals, Gaines would dominate Alexandra Baudhuin by a 10-0 technical fall, putting her into a best two out of three series against Brenda Reyna. Gaines would fall to Reyna in the first two matches placing second and will be named a member of the USA National Team and earn funding for domestic and international training camps and competitions.

Salome Walker received a bye in the first round at 65 kg before falling to Emma Walker in the second round putting her in the consolation side of the bracket. Walker would bounce back and defeat Jocelyn Fierro by a 10-0 technical fall before pinning Jamilah McBryde, pushing her into the consolation semifinals against Viktorya Torres. Walker would fall to Torres by a 5-4 decision putting her in the fifth place match. She would face off against Grace Stem in the fifth place match and would defeat Stem by a 4-0 decision to take home fifth place and All-America honors. 

Malea Palahniuk took on Giselle Todd in the first round of the tournament and pinned Todd to move on to the quarterfinals against Amit Elor. Palahniuk would fall by a 10-0 technical fall, putting her into the consolation side of the bracket. She would take on India Page in the consolation round of eight and defeat Page 11-2, pushing her into the consolation round of four against Jessica Kemgne. Palahniuk would pin Kemgne in the second period to keep her tournament alive and push her into the consolation semifinals. Palahniuk would fall in the semifinals to Kenya-Lee Sloan before defeating Alicia Pieper by a 10-0 technical fall, taking home fifth place and All-America honors. 

Makoyed, the reigning NCWWC 170-pound National Champion, dominated her way through the 76 kg bracket picking up a 10-0 technical fall over Kathleen Janis before pinning Nikita Dhaliwal in the second round. Makoyed would face Joyce Levendusky in the semifinals match, the last time these two met was in the NCWWC National Championship match. Makoyed would defeat Levendusky by a 10-0 technical fall, pushing her into the first place match against Ashley Lekas. Makoyed would pin Lekas in both matches, taking home the U23 76kg Title and she will represent Team USA at the U23 World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on Oct. 17-23. 

The Cardinals will head to Coralville, Iowa to compete in the Senior World Team Trials on May 21-22. Amanda Martinez, Makoyed, Gaines and Petzinger will compete at this event in their respective weight classes. 

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