Written by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling 

The 2016 Body Bar Women’s National Championships return to the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas this weekend with Cadet and Junior U.S. World Team berths on the line.

The UWW Cadet World Team Trials will be wrestled on Saturday followed by the UWW Junior World Team Trials on Sunday. The winners of World Championship weight classes in both tournaments will qualify for the U.S. World Team in their respective age division. 

Six defending champions will return to compete at the UWW Junior World Team Trials with 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Becka Leathers headlining the field.

Leathers was the only U.S. medalist in women’s freestyle at the UWW Junior World Championships last year. As a freshman for Oklahoma City University in 2015-16, Leathers won the WCWA Nationals at 123 pounds. 

In addition to Leathers, Marina Doi, Marizza Birrueta, Kayla Miracle, Rachel Watters and Clarc Walker will look to defend their UWW Junior World Team Trials title from last year. All defending champions, save Walker, wrestled in the UWW Junior World Championships in Salvador, Brazil last August.

Doi is currently a two-time WCWA All-American and 2016 WCWA national champion at King University. She has won bronze medals at both the Cadet and Junior World Championships.

Also seeing large success on both the college and international level, Miracle is one of the bright young stars in U.S. women’s wrestling. She owns two WCWA national championships in addition to a bronze medal from the 2014 UWW Junior World Championships and a silver medal from the 2012 UWW Cadet World Championships. Miracle finished in fourth place at 58 kg at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April.

2015 Cadet World bronze medalists Kayla Marano and Alexis Bleau make the jump to the Junior level this year and could provide an immediate impact.

Athletes competing in the UWW Junior World Team Trials were born 1996-1998. The winners at 44 kg, 48 kg, 51 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg and 72 kg earn the right to represent the U.S. at the 2016 UWW Junior World Championships in Macon, France this August. 

The UWW Cadet World Team Trials field boasts nine returning champions including 2015 Cadet World medalists Ronna Heaton and Alleida Martinez.

Heaton captured the 49 kg gold medal at the Cadet Worlds last year in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzogovina by defeating Saki Igarishi of Japan 4-0 in the championship bout. Heaton won the Junior Folkstyle Nationals in Oklahoma City last March. She owns two Junior Freestyle national championships and a Cadet Freestyle national title from Fargo, N.D. in the past two seasons.

Martinez made the 46 kg finals at the 2015 Cadet Worlds to claim a silver medal. She is a 2016 Cadet Folkstyle Nationals champion and 2015 Cadet Freestyle Nationals champion.

Additional 2015 UWW Cadet World Team Trials champions returning to the field include Jessica Rudick, Vayle Baker, Mckayla Campbell, Gracie Figueroa, Alexandria Liles, Ashlynn Ortega and Alexis Borruel. 

Athletes competing in the UWW Cadet World Team Trials were born 1999-2001. The winners at 38 kg, 40 kg, 43 kg, 46 kg, 49 kg, 52 kg, 56 kg, 60 kg, 65 kg and 70 kg earn the right to represent the U.S. at the 2016 UWW Cadet World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia this September. 

The Body Bar Women’s National Championships will also include tournaments for age-group divisions Schoolgirl, Girls Div. I and Girls Div. II. Body Bar will be held alongside the UWW Men’s Freestyle Junior World Team Trials for the first time. Those unable to attend can view every match from Irving live on Flowrestling.com.

BODY BAR WOMEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: May 21-22 at Irving, Texas 

Event Schedule
Saturday, May 21
9:30 a.m. - 1:30 PM - Session I - UWW Women Cadets, Schoolgirls, Girls Div. I, Girls Div. II

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Session II - UWW Women Cadets - Round 1 of best of 3 finals

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Session III - UWW Women Cadets - Round 2 of best of 3 finals

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Session IV - UWW Women Cadets - Round 3 of best of 3 finals - if necessary 

Sunday, May 22
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Session I - UWW Women Juniors

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Session II - UWW Women Juniors - Round 1 of best of 3 finals

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Session III - UWW Women Juniors - Round 2 of best of 3 finals

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Session IV - UWW Women Juniors - Round 3 of best of 3 finals

2015 Body Bar Women’s Nationals Champions
UWW Junior Women’s Freestyle
44 kg/97 lbs. – Marina Doi (Titan Mercury WC)
48 kg/105 lbs. – Cody Pfau (OKCU Gator RTC)
51 kg/112 lbs. – Marizza Birrueta (OKCU Gator RTC)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Becka Leathers (OKCU Gator RTC)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids)
63 kg/138 lbs. – Mallory Velte (Simon Fraser)
67 kg/147 lbs. – Forrest Molinari (King University)
72 kg/158 lbs. – Rachel Watters (OKCU Gator RTC)
79.5 kg/175 lbs. – Clarc Walker (Cumberlands)

UWW Cadet Women’s Freestyle
38 kg/83 lbs. – Jessica Rudick (Pennsylvania)
40 kg/88 lbs. – Vayle Baker (Downtown Mat Club)
43 kg/94 lbs. – Mckayla Campbell (Ohio)
46 kg/101 lbs. – Alleida Martinez (Titan Mercury WC)
49 kg/108 lbs. – Ronna Heaton (Wrestler Chick)
52 kg/114 lbs. – Gracie Figueroa (Titan Mercury WC)
56 kg/123 lbs. – Alexandria Liles (Best Trained)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Ashlynn Ortega (Pueblo West WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. – Kayla Marano (OKCU Gator RTC)
70 kg/154 lbs. – Alexis Bleau (Journeymen WC)
78 kg/171 lbs. – Kenya Spencer (Team USA)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Alexis Borruel (Tokay WC)
100 kg/220 lbs. – Kymberly Jackson (North Dallas HS)

Schoolgirl Women’s Freestyle
81 lbs. – Mackenzie Gilbert (Team Donahoe)
89 lbs. – Tilynne Vasquez (Team Montana)
97 lbs. – Hope Miracle (Campbellsville)
105 lbs. – Stefana Jelacic (Sunkist Kids WC)
113 lbs. – Mace Kilty (Northern Exposure)
120 lbs. – Tristan Kelly (SOT Academy)
128 lbs. – Zoe Buteau (Maine Trappers)
137 lbs. – Alara Boyd (Dulaney Trained)
145 lbs. – Audriana Beattie (Downtown Mat Club)

Women’s Div. II Freestyle
60 lbs. – Zao Estrada (SOT Academy)
65 lbs. – Sterling Dias (Team Nevada)
70 lbs. – Sage Mortimer (Team Utah)
75 lbs. – Cayden Condit (SOT Academy)
80 lbs. – Jordyn Knecht (Paola WC)
85-90 lbs. – Haley Ward (Jackson County)
95-102 lbs. – Devin Patton (Dallas Dynamite WC)
118+ lbs. – Jocelyn Morris (Team Nevada)

Women’s Div. I Freestyle
50 lbs. – Kamdyn Saulter (Salado Storm)
60-65 lbs. – Riley Rayome (Paradigm)