Five Things We Learned at the North Central Open

Augsburg’s Katie Lange, pictured here at 2020 Junior Nationals. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

by Derek Levendusky
Twitter: @AWWderek

NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS – Lots of solid performances in Naperville today at the North Central Women’s Open. Some headlines weren’t surprising, like seeing Augsburg’s Emily Shilson dominate in her return to the college mats after a magical international season. There were breakout performances worthy of note, too. Here’s five takeaways from today’s event.

1. King is dialed in.
King won the team race for the second tourney in a row (they also won the MoVal), followed by North Central and McKendree. The Tornado squad had 6/10 champs, and the 130 finals were King vs. King. Their freshmen army is impressive—Mortimer, Chavez, Delawder, Houston, Baublitz, Bowman—already racking up big college wins and looking like contenders for top spots in March. Thus far, King is the clear #1 this season, especially with McKendree tinkering with redshirts, sitting multiple national champs this season, and the exit of 2x national champ Emma Bruntil to the transfer portal. King looks like a national championship squad right now. We’ll find out soon! NWCA National Duals in January, National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships in March.

2. North Central has leveled up.
The third-year program has improved and added pieces to make themselves a national contender. Crazy to see how much they’ve improved in only three seasons of existence. (Young programs, take note!) It’s still unclear how they’d match up with a full King or McKendree lineup squaring off with them, but they’re at least a stone’s throw away. Again, we’ll find out soon enough! The Cardinals took second today without a champ, though they had four make the finals—Sydney Petzinger at 109, Kendra Ryan at 116, Asia Nguyen-Smith at 123, and Tiera Jimerson at 155.

3. Katie Lange is for realz.
Dang Katie Lange. Hard to believe Augsburg’s Katie Lange only started wrestling freestyle within the last few years. To come out today as a freshman and pin an elite veteran wrestler like Ashlynn Ortega in the finals is super legit. How high is her ceiling? For now, let’s state the obvious. She’s got a real shot at a national title this season. She’ll have to get by Ortega (again) and McKendree’s Alara Boyd (who beat Lange in a best of three at Junior World Team Trials this year). Here’s to hoping Boyd is fine, as she had an early exit from today’s tournament due to injury.

4. Cheyenne Bowman is here.
We knew the 3x California champ was good, winning gold at the Pan Am Championships and making the Cadet World Team in 2018 and winning Pan Am gold the same year, and now she’s making her mark in the college scene. After a one-sided win vs. Texas Wesleyan’s Ashley Lekas in the semis 11-1 (another good freshman), she just edged 3x All-American & national runner-up Joye Levendusky 3-2 in the finals. That’s a victory over the NCAA #3, and she nearly beat the #1 at the MoVal, forfeiting an early lead to fall 5-5. It’ll be fun to watch this weight scrap the rest of the season.

5. McKendree is super tough in the upper weights.
Besides the aforementioned Levendusky (someone I know a bit, by the way) making the finals for the third tournament in a row, Kayla Marano is looking good in purple at 155 after transferring from Emmanuel. She won it today over scrappy freshman Tiera Jimerson from North Central 8-2. Meanwhile, no one has an answer for the McKendree 191’s, 2x national champion Sydnee Kimber and freshman Jaycee Foeller. Foeller won the MoVal and Kimber looks the part again, smashing her way to the finals without giving up a point. The teammates didn’t wrestle the final. Meanwhile, if Boyd stays healthy, we know what she can do at 143. That makes it Boyd-Marano-Levendusky-Kimber/Foeller from 143-191, perhaps one of the best upper weight lineup in the history of women’s college wrestling.

Here’s the results!

Taken from TrackWrestling.

Team Race
1. King University (153.0)
2. North Central (124.5)
3. McKendree University (91.0)
4. Augsburg University (77.5)
5. Lindenwood University (50.0)
6. Wisconsin-Stevens Point (46.0)
7. Schreiner University (37.0)
8. Fontbonne University (6.0)
9. Lakeland University (5.0)
10. Westminster University (4.5)

College Women - 101
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Jaclyn McNichols of King University
2nd Place - Brooke Thurber of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
3rd Place - Odelia Lopez of Schreiner University
4th Place - Deja Heatley of King University
5th Place - Kate Cacho of North Central (IL)
6th Place - Amber Turner of North Central (IL)

1st Place Match
Jaclyn McNichols (King University) won by injury default over Brooke Thurber (Wisconsin-Stevens Point ) (Inj. 0:00)

3rd Place Match
Odelia Lopez (Schreiner University) won by decision over Deja Heatley (King University) (Dec 3-2)

5th Place Match
Kate Cacho (North Central (IL)) won by tech fall over Amber Turner (North Central (IL)) (TF 10-0)

College Women - 109
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Emily Shilson of Augsburg University
2nd Place - Sydney Petzinger of North Central (IL)
3rd Place - Natalie Reyna of McKendree University
4th Place - Danielle Garcia of King University
5th Place - Alina Kinsey of Schreiner University
6th Place - Dianna Holmes of King University

1st Place Match
Emily Shilson (Augsburg University) won by tech fall over Sydney Petzinger (North Central (IL)) (TF 10-0)

3rd Place Match
Natalie Reyna (McKendree University ) won by decision over Danielle Garcia (King University) (Dec 4-4)

5th Place Match
Alina Kinsey (Schreiner University) won by decision over Dianna Holmes (King University) (Dec 2-1)

College Women - 116
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Sage Mortimer of King University
2nd Place - Kendra Ryan of North Central (IL)
3rd Place - Samara Chavez of King University
4th Place - Aliyah Rollins of McKendree University
5th Place - Mateah Roehl of North Central (IL)
6th Place - Abby Nelson of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

1st Place Match
Sage Mortimer (King University) won by tech fall over Kendra Ryan (North Central (IL)) (TF 12-2)

3rd Place Match
Samara Chavez (King University) won by fall over Aliyah Rollins (McKendree University ) (Fall 0:55)

5th Place Match
Mateah Roehl (North Central (IL)) won by tech fall over Abby Nelson (Wisconsin-Stevens Point ) (TF 10-0)

College Women - 123
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Cheyenne Sisenstein of King University
2nd Place - Asia Nguyen-Smith of North Central (IL)
3rd Place - Amani Jones of North Central (IL)
4th Place - Cayden Condit of Lindenwood University
5th Place - Melanie Mendoza of King University
6th Place - Vayle-rae Baker of King University

1st Place Match
Cheyenne Sisenstein (King University) won by tech fall over Asia Nguyen-Smith (North Central (IL)) (TF 10-0)

3rd Place Match
Amani Jones (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Cayden Condit (Lindenwood University) (Fall 3:36)

5th Place Match
Melanie Mendoza (King University) won by injury default over Vayle-rae Baker (King University) (Inj. 0:00)

College Women - 130
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Montana Delawder of King University
2nd Place - Phoenix Dubose of King University
3rd Place - Niya Teresita Gaines of North Central (IL)
4th Place - Flora Vizi of North Central (IL)
5th Place - Yele Aycock of North Central (IL)
6th Place - Sophia Mirabella of King University

1st Place Match
Montana Delawder (King University) won by decision over Phoenix Dubose (King University) (Dec 10-6)

3rd Place Match
Niya Teresita Gaines (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Flora Vizi (North Central (IL)) (Dec 9-2)

5th Place Match
Yele Aycock (North Central (IL)) won by decision over Sophia Mirabella (King University) (Dec 6-2)

College Women - 136
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Ana Luciano of King University
2nd Place - Skye Realin of McKendree University
3rd Place - Sara Sulejmani of North Central (IL)
4th Place - Emmily Patneaud of McKendree University
5th Place - Autumn Flanigan of Augsburg University
6th Place - Blanche `Nina` Kemu Makem of Augsburg University

1st Place Match
Ana Luciano (King University) won by decision over Skye Realin (McKendree University ) (Dec 8-5)

3rd Place Match
Sara Sulejmani (North Central (IL)) won by no contest over Emmily Patneaud (McKendree University ) (NC)

5th Place Match
Autumn Flanigan (Augsburg University) won by no contest over Blanche `Nina` Kemu Makem (Augsburg University) (NC)

College Women - 143
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Katie Lange of Augsburg University
2nd Place - Ashlynn Ortega of King University
3rd Place - London Houston of King University
4th Place - Kelly Escamille of Lindenwood University
5th Place - Kim Nunez of North Central (IL)
6th Place - Riley Aamold of North Central (IL)

1st Place Match
Katie Lange (Augsburg University) won by fall over Ashlynn Ortega (King University) (Fall 3:34)

3rd Place Match
London Houston (King University) won by tech fall over Kelly Escamille (Lindenwood University) (TF 10-0)

5th Place Match
Kim Nunez (North Central (IL)) won by tech fall over Riley Aamold (North Central (IL)) (TF 11-1)

College Women - 155
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Kayla Marano of McKendree University
2nd Place - Tiera Jimerson of North Central (IL)
3rd Place - Marlynne Deede of Augsburg University
4th Place - Tiffani Baublitz of King University
5th Place - Viktorya Torres of King University
6th Place - Alara Boyd of McKendree University

1st Place Match
Kayla Marano (McKendree University ) won by decision over Tiera Jimerson (North Central (IL)) (Dec 8-2)

3rd Place Match
Marlynne Deede (Augsburg University) won by tech fall over Tiffani Baublitz (King University) (TF 10-0)

5th Place Match
Viktorya Torres (King University) won by injury default over Alara Boyd (McKendree University ) (Inj. 0:00)

College Women - 170
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Cheyenne Bowman of King University
2nd Place - Joye Levendusky of McKendree University
3rd Place - Ashley Lekas of Twin Cities RTC
4th Place - Jade Herzer of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
5th Place - Fiona McConnell of North Central (IL)
6th Place - McKenzie Cook of Unattached

1st Place Match
Cheyenne Bowman (King University) won by decision over Joye Levendusky (McKendree University ) (Dec 3-2)

3rd Place Match
Ashley Lekas (Twin Cities RTC) won by tech fall over Jade Herzer (Wisconsin-Stevens Point ) (TF 11-1)

5th Place Match
Fiona McConnell (North Central (IL)) won by fall over McKenzie Cook (Unattached) (Fall 4:00)

College Women - 191
Guaranteed Places

1st Place - Forfeit Forfeit of Unattached
2nd Place - Sydnee Kimber of McKendree University
2nd Place - Jaycee Foeller of McKendree University
3rd Place - Traeh Haynes of North Central (IL)
4th Place - Faith Tuttle of Augsburg University
5th Place - Nia Crosdale of King University
6th Place - Alicia Chavez-Mena of Twin Cities RTC

1st Place Match
Jaycee Foeller (McKendree University ) and Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University ) (DFF)

3rd Place Match
Traeh Haynes (North Central (IL)) won by fall over Faith Tuttle (Augsburg University) (Fall 2:06)

5th Place Match
Nia Crosdale (King University) won by tech fall over Alicia Chavez-Mena (Twin Cities RTC) (TF 12-2)