Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
 
Results
 
FORT WORTH, TEXAS (Dec. 18, 2023) - The North Central College women's wrestling program had several members compete for the Cardinal Wrestling Club at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifier in Fort Worth, Texas. The matches were not easy, with tough opponents and great wrestling, four more Cardinal wrestlers qualified for the Olympic Trials.
 
Starting off the day was Jaslynn Gallegos and Kendra Ryan in the 50kg weight class. Both wrestlers began with a bye in the first round of matches. In the second round, Gallegos defeated Ahsia Torres (New Jersey) by a 10-0 technical fall before pinning Aleeah Gould (Army) in 5 minutes and 45 seconds. In the quarterfinals, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club's Sage Mortimer racked up points fast against Gallegos. Gallegos struggled to take any momentum away. She fell to Mortimer by a 17-4 technical fall. In the consolation round, Gallegos fell to Nina Pham (Army) by a 11-0 technical fall, ending her day at the tournament.
 
Ryan started the second round with a technical fall over Arizona Girls Wrestler's Adrianna Gomez (10-0). Taking her energy into the next round, Ryan defeated Erica Pastoriza (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) with a 7-1 decision. A rigid match against Kaelani Shufeldt (California) led to Ryan being overtaken by a pin (5:51). Ryan stayed confident in her abilities and in the consolation round gained a huge win over Ava Bayless of Iowa Women's Wrestling Club with a 12-1 technical fall. Gaining more momentum, in the next round Ryan defeated Aleeah Gould (Army) with a technical fall (10-0). In the consultation semifinal, she was given a short break due to an injury default from Erin Golston (New York Athletic Club). In the third-place match, Ryan saw Kaelani Shufeldt (California) again. Ryan got her revenge, winning the match with a 4-4 decision. She took home third place, but even bigger, qualified for the Olympic Trials.
 
The lone Cardinal in the 53kg weight class was Sydney Petzinger. She opened her day off strong, only needing one minute and 11 seconds to take down Nohea Moniz (Hawaii) with a pin. Then, Petzinger defeated Bearcat Wrestling Club's Salyna Shotwell in a close 6-4 decision. In the quarterfinals, Petzinger fell to Haley Augello (Izzy Style Wrestling) by a 6-2 decision. Petzinger came right back in the consolation round, picking up her second pin of the day over Karissa Turnwall (California) in four minutes and 46 seconds. In the next round, she defeated Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club's Clare Booe with a 10-5 decision. In the consolation semifinals, Petzinger was taken down by Areana Villaescusa (Army) by a pin (5:45). Petzinger bounced back after her loss and in the fifth-place match defeated Ell Jauregui (California) in a 12-5 decision. Petzinger earned fifth place and qualified for the Olympic Trials.
 
The 57kg weight class included Sara Sterner, Salome Walker, and Cardinals assistant coach Amanda Martinez. In the first round, Sterner fell to Minnesota Sorm's Gabrielle Skidmore by a 6-0 decision. In the consolation bracket, Sterner earned a huge win over Iowa Women's Wrestling Clubs Alexandra Baudhuin with a pin in two minutes and four seconds. Sterner's day ended in the next round after falling to Bridgette Duty (Army) in a 15-4 technical fall.
 
Salome Walker began her day with a win over Nichole Moore (Bearcat Wrestling Club) with a 7-0 decision. In the second round, Walker fell to Bearcat Wrestling Club's Shelby Moore in a 10-2 decision. In the next round, Walker was defeated by Alyssa Mahan (Delaware Wrestling) by a 9-5 decision and ending Walker's day at the tournament.
 
Amanda Martinez, the assistant wrestling coach for the Cardinals and a North Central alumni, started her day off by winning against Evelyn Vazquez (California). She took down Vazquez with a 10-0 technical fall before defeating Mariss Gallegos (Titan Mercury) with a 5-0 decision win. In the quarterfinals, Martinez defeated Ashley Whetzal (The Valley Wrestling Club with a 10-0 technical fall. Picking up her third 10-0 technical fall of the day, Martinez took down Shelby Moore (Bearcat Wrestling Club). In the championship match, she took down Alexandra Hedrick (USOPTC/TMWC) in a close 4-1 decision. Martinez qualified for the Olympic Trials while being the only Cardinal Wrestling Club member to take home first place.
 
In the 62kg weight class, Kendall Bostelmann and Yele Aycock wrestled for the Cardinals. Bostelman received a bye in the first round but fell to Lexie Bashman (USOPTC/TMWC) by a 14-5 decision. She received another bye in the consolation bracket before defeating Tiger Wrestling Club's Brigette Sotomayor with a 10-4 decision. However, Bostelman's day was ended when she was pinned by Skye Realin (Grapplers HI) in one minute and 39 seconds.
 
Yele Aycock had a bye in the first round. In the second round, Aycock fell to Nanea Estrella (IWWC/TMWC) by a 9-0 decision. She received her second bye of the day before defeating Estella Gutches (Bearcat Wrestling Club) with a 11-4 decision. In the next round, Grand View Wrestling Club's Andrea Schlabach took down Aycok by a 8-2 decision, ending her day.
 
The Cardinals Tiera Jimerson and graduate assistant coach Alara Boyd wrestled in the 68kg weight class. Jimerson began her day by defeating Tyler Richardson (The Factory Wrestling Club) with a 11-0 technical fall. In the second round, she was pinned by Bearcat Wrestling Club's Destiny Rodriguez (5:03). Jimerson earned her second win of the day in the consolation bracket, defeating Caroline Gilstrap (Bearcat Wrestling Club) with a 12-1 technical fall. Jimerson's day ended after losing to Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club) in a close 9-7 decision.
 
Alara Boyd kicked off her day with a win over Pioneer Wrestling Club's Shean Areial Miller in a 10-0 technical, and her first win with the Cardinals. Next, Boyd picked up her second technical fall of the day by taking down Allyssa Johnson (Grand Forks Gladiators Wrestling Club) 12-2. In the quarterfinals, Boyd fell to Marilyn Garcia (BTSLA/TMWC) in a close 5-3 decision. In the consolation bracket, Boyd won an even closer match, a 7-6 decision over Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club's Dalia Garibay. Picking up momentum, she took down Jackie Cataline (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club with a 7-2 decision before defeating Kaylynn Albrecht (USOPTC/TMWC) with a 9-2 decision. In the third-place match, Solin Piearcy forfeited the match, allowing Boyd a third-place finish to qualify her for the Olympic Trials.
 
Meanwhile, Amani Jones qualified for the Olympic Trials back in August after winning a bronze medal at the U20 World Championship and Yelena Makoyed qualified for the Olympic Trials after winning the Bill Farrell International Tournament November 18.
 
In total, the Cardinal Wrestling Club had six wrestlers qualify for the Olympic Team Trials. The Olympic Trials are set for April 19-20 at State College, Penn. on the campus of Penn State.
 
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