Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
 
NWCA Team Scholar All-American
NWCA Individual Scholar All-American
 
Apr. 18, 2024 - After a very impressive season, the North Central College women's wrestling team made history as they set a new program record for Scholar All-Americans as 19 wrestlers were named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American teams while the Cardinals program was ranked first in the Team Scholar All-America rankings.

The Cardinals were the top performers of all 15 teams honored by the NWCA. They hold an outstanding 3.827 grade point average (GPA) while having a program-record 19 scholar All-Americans. East Stroudsburg followed North Central in second with a 3.8023 GPA, and Wartburg College was third with a 3.7406 GPA.

Yele Aycock, a junior exercise science major, was named a Scholar All-American for the third time in her career. On the mat, Aycock posted a 23-1 record with five wins coming from pins. Aycock finished the season as the 136-pound runner-up and became a two-time All-American. Alara Boyd, a graduate student pursuing a master's degree in sports leadership, was named a Scholar All-American for the first time in her career with North Central. After posting a 14-1 record in the 143 class, Boyd finished the National Tournament in third place and earned All-American honors.

Caitlyn Flaherty, a biology pre-med major, earned Scholar All-American status for the first time in her career. Flaherty posted a 9-8 record in the 170-pound weight class, with four wins coming from pins. Flaherty took fifth at the North Central College (NCC) Invitational in December. Taylor Graveman, undeclared, was awarded Scholar All-American honors for the first time in her young career. Graveman (136 lbs.) posted a 20-5 record on the mat, while 14 wins came by technical falls. The South Dakota native finished the National Tournament in seventh place and earned All-American honors.

London Houston, a junior, wrestled for the Cardinal program in the 143-pound weight class and picked up her second Scholar All-American honor of her career. The exercise science major finished the championships in third place with All-American honors and an overall record of 17-3. Amani Jones, the 2024 123-pound National Champion, was named a Scholar All-American for the third time in her career. The junior marketing major ended the season with a 27-1 record and All-American honors.

Competing in the 109-pound weight class for the Cardinals was Kendra Ryan, an exercise science major. This is Ryan's third time earning Scholar All-American honors in her career. Ryan posted a 22-2 record to take fourth at the Championships as well as earning All-American honors. Sydney Petzinger earned Scholar All-American honors for the third time in her career in the 116 class. The criminology major completed the season with a 26-2 record. Petzinger finished the National Tournament in fourth place and earned All-American honors.

Sara Sterner, a sociology major, was named a Scholar All-American for the second time in her career. On the mat, Sterner posted a 19-9 record and earned fourth at the National Tournament in the 130-pound class. Sterner earned All-American status for the second time in her career. Salome Walker, an arts major, received Scholar All-American status for her hard work in the classroom. Walker finished the year seventh in the 130-pound weight class of the National Tournament while posting a 25-5 record. Walker is a two-time All-American with North Central.

Halle White, a junior entrepreneurship major, earned Scholar All-American status for the second time. White recorded an 11-9 record with eight wins coming from technical falls in the 130-pound weight class. White finished second at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament and was awarded the 2024 CCIW Elite 26 award. Sydney Park, a religious studies major, was named a Scholar All-American for the second time in her career. Wrestling in the 136-pound weight class, Park tallied 10 pins on her 22-7 record this season.

Amaya Yoshizumi, a journalism major from Citrus Heights, Calif., was named a Scholar All-American for the second time. Yoshizumi recorded a 16-11 record in the 116 class, with eight pins on the season. Fiona McConnell, an exercise science major, earned Scholar All-American honors. McConnell tallied a 6-5 in the 170 class and also earned fourth place at the Ken Kraft Midlands Women's Championship.

An Alaska native and elementary education major, Shelby Ottum earned Scholar All-American honors for the second time in her career. Ottum recorded an 11-11 record in the 143 class and was named the 2024 CCIW Respect Award recipient. Taylor Miess, a freshman philosophy and criminology major, earned Scholar All-American honors for the first time in her young career. In the 130-pound weight class, Miess recorded a 13-7 record with 11 pins on the season. Miess also took third place at the Quad Cities D3 National Invite.

Dakota Drew, a sociology and criminology major, competed in the 123-pound weight class for the Cardinals. Drew earned an 8-9 record and Scholar All-American honors for the second time. Riley Aamold, an environmental science major, earned Scholar All-American honors. Wrestling in the 143 class, Aamold earned a 12-8 record and eight pins on the season. Bella Bolek, a psychology major, competed in the 130-pound class for North Central. Bolek was named a Scholar All-American for the first time and posted a 4-6 record on the season.

This season, the Cardinals finished second at the National Tournament, and 14 wrestlers were named All-American for their performance on the mat. They also claimed titles at the Region IV Tournament and CCIW Tournament.

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