WCWC/NCAA Semis & All-Americans Set After Day One

North Central freshman Yelena Makoyed battles Simon Fraser’s Rebekah Trudel in the 170-pound class.

by Derek Levendusky, AWW Staff Writer

ADRIAN, MICHIGAN - Celebration of the historic nature of the inaugural Cliff Keen WCWC Nationals was in the air as the Marines Color Guard marched to the center mat in Adrian College’s Merillat Sports & Fitness Center on Friday. Then, with pageantry, every team came out and lined the mats together, side by side. In total there are 19 NCAA programs represented at the event.

80 women became All-Americans on Day 1, as top wrestlers from around the country battled for coveted spots in the semis and spots on the podium. Coaches had their athletes ready, and the day featured great wrestling and exciting matches in every weight class.

Freshman #8 seed Gabby Skidmore upset the #1 seed Nicole Depa of Simon Fraser 3-2 in the quarters. Depa had been awarded a potentially winning takedown, but after the Augsburg corner challenged, the points were taken off the board. Skidmore held off Depa’s furious final attacks to preserve the 3-2 victory.

155, 170, and 191 all went “chalk” as far as the top 4 seeds were concerned, all top 4 making the semis. 170 went completely chalk as all top 8 seeds advanced to the podium rounds. Every other weight had at least one unseeded wrestler make the placement rounds tomorrow.

Ferrum had their first-ever All-American in 101-pound Alisha Elizalde.

The semis tomorrow morning feature three match ups of teammates when 123-pound #1 seed Cheyenne Sisenstein of King faces #5 seeded teammate Phoenix Dubose, 143-pound #5 seed Sara Brinkac of Simon Fraser will face #1 seeded Ana Godinez-Gonzalez, and 155-pound #3 seeded Joye Levendusky of McKendree will square off with #2 seed Alexandria Glaude.

After Day 1, McKendree holds the lead in the team race over Simon Fraser 106.5 to 93.5. King is in 3rd place with 80, while Colorado Mesa and Emmanuel are in 4th and 5th place, respectively.

The semis begin tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. EST and will be broadcast for free on TrackWrestling.

All of the wrestlers listed mentioned below are 2020 WCWC All-Americans.

101 pounds
Semi: #1 Jaclyn McNichols (King University) vs. #5 Iesha Washington (Emmanuel)
Semi: #2 Pauline Granados (McKendree University) vs. #3 Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa University)

Consolations
#6 Trinity Oredina (Tiffin University)
#7 Alice Todryk (University Of Wisconsin At Stevens Point)
#8 Alisha Elizalde (Ferrum College)
Johnvaniqu Porter (MacMurray) - unseeded

109 pounds
Semi: #1 Emily Shilson (Augsburg University) vs. #4 Ciara McCrae (Simon Fraser University) 
Semi: #3 Sugey Ceja (Tiffin University) vs. #7 Aleeah Gould (King University)

Consolations
#2 Tatyanna Ortiz (East Stroudsburg University)
#5 Brooke Thurber (University Of Wisconsin At Stevens Point)
#6 Natalie Reyna (McKendree University)
Allicia Mahoe (Schreiner) - unseeded

116 pounds
Semi: #1 Karla Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser) vs. #4 Emily Se (Emmanuel)
Semi: #2 Felicity Taylor (McKendree University) vs. #3 Jaslynn Gallegos (Presbyterian)

Consolations
#5 Anja Tschohl (Colorado Mesa University)
#6 Maddie Ruckdashel (Lakeland University)
Shanna Morris (Tiffin) – unseededValerill Mamleeva (Lindewood) - unseeded

123 pounds
Semi: #1 Cheyenne Sisenstein (King) vs. #5 Phoenix Dubose (King)
Semi: #2 Alexandra Hedrick (Simon Fraser)vs. #3 Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa)

Consolations
#4 Vayle Baker (Augsburg University)
#6 Asia Nguyen-Smith (North Central College)
#8 Payton Stroud (McKendree University)
Theresa Rankin (McKendree University) - unseeded

130 pounds
Semi: #5 Alexia Ward (McKendree University) vs. #8 Gabby Skidmore (Augsburg)
Semi: #2 Allison Petix (King University) vs. #3 Amanda Martinez (North Central)

Consolations
#1 Nicole Depa (Simon Fraser University)
#4 Alyssa Aceval (King University)
#7 Cindy Zepeda (Colorado Mesa University)Eunique Davis (Tiffin) - unseeded

136 pounds
Semi: #1 Emma Bruntil (McKendree University) vs. #5 Ana Luciano (King University)
Semi: #2 Lauren Mason (Simon Fraser University) vs. #3 Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa University)

Consolations
#4 Zoe Nowicki (Adrian College)
#6 Julia Padilla (Emmanuel College)
#7 Mia Dow (MacMurray College)
Megan Struble (UW-Stevens Point)

143 pounds
Semi: #1 Ana Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser) vs. #5 Sara Brinkac (Simon Fraser)
Semi: #2 Ashlynn Ortega (King University) vs. #3 Alara Boyd (McKendree University)

Consolations
#4 Morgan Norris (Presbyterian College)
#6 Alma Mendoza (Colorado Mesa University)
#7 Kaylee Lacy (Colorado Mesa University)
Julianna Moreno (MacMurray) - unseeded

155 pounds
Semi: #1 Alyvia Fiske (Simon Fraser University) vs. #4 Jayden Laurent (Lakeland)
Semi: #2. Alexandria Glaude (McKendree) vs. #3 Joye Levendusky (McKendree)

Consolations
#5 Annabelle Helm (Gannon University)
#6 Marlynne Deede (Augsburg University)
#7 Taylor Hites (Tiffin University)
Malea Palahniuk (North Central) – unseeded

170 pounds
Semi: #1 Korinahe Bullock (McKendree University) vs. #4 Jessika Rottier (UW-Stevens Point)
Semi: #2 Yelena Makoyed (North Central College) vs. #3 Andrea Sennett (McKendree)

Consolations
#5 Emily Cue (Simon Fraser University)
#6 Nia Crosdale (King University)
#7 Rebekah Trudel (Simon Fraser University)
#8 Mikayla Mata (Schreiner University)

191 pounds
Semi: #1 Sydnee Kimber (McKendree) vs. #4 Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel)
Semi: #2 Tavi Heidelberg-Tollson (King University) vs. #3 Jessie Lee (Tiffin)

Consolations
#5 Serena Woldring (Simon Fraser University)
#6 Kaylee Seabolt (Emmanuel College)
#7 Angelina Kirkpatrick (North Central College)
Kendall McGarity (Gannon) - unseeded