Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302
 
June 18, 2026 – Members and alumni of the North Central College women's wrestling team put on a dominant performance at the U23 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru, last Friday, June 12, representing Team USA and Cardinal Wrestling Club (CWC). Taylor Graveman, Sara Sterner, Claire DiCugno, and Sydney Petzinger '25 each brought home medals, helping Team USA to the team championship title.
 
Graveman won gold at 72 kg with a 4-0 record in the five-athlete Nordic round-robin. She opened the competition with a 16-6 technical fall win over Linda Martinez Armenta of Mexico. Graveman notched back-to-back wins via pin over Gabriella Reid of Puerto Rico (1:31) and Nicole Quinonez Zarate of Colombia (2:15). She secured gold with a 10-0 technical fall over Taebyn Tulp of Canada.
 
Sterner claimed the silver medal at 57 kg in the Nordic round robin format with a 3-1 record. In her first match, Sterner won via a 14-4 technical fall against Thaina Anibal Ribeiro of Brazil. She suffered only loss in a narrow 7-2 decision to Gabriela Cross of Canada, who eventually won gold. Sterner notched a quick pin in 20 seconds over Ariana Saenz Abanto of Peru before finishing the competition with a 13-0 technical fall over Isabel Alvarez of Puerto Rico.

DiCugno picked up the silver medal at 62 kg in the Nordic round-robin with a 3-1 record. She kicked off the competition with a 13-3 technical fall against Alexa Cuero Cuadrado of Colombia before falling to Melanie Jimenez Villalba of Mexico via a late fall (4:50). DiCugno bounced back with a 10-0 tech fall over Allison Valdez Obando of Guatemala and capped it off with an 8-6 decision win over Ruth Jimenez Batista of Puerto Rico.
 
Petzinger accrued a 4-0 record on her way to a gold medal at 53 kg. She opened with a 10-0 tech fall over Angie Elizabeth Zea Alvarado of Peru before winning via forfeit over Andrea Margot Avelino Barrientos of Mexico. In the semifinal, Petzinger notched a 12-1 tech fall over Maria Camila Ramirez Romero of Colombia and finished with a 6-1 decision against Shammilka Miranda Diaz of Puerto Rico in the final.
 
North Central freshman Jael Miller will compete at the U20 Pan-American Championship for Team USA in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil on July 10.