The Complete Women's WTT Challenge Tourney Rundown
The Complete Women's WTT Challenge Tourney Rundown
A total recap of the results from the women's World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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By Evan Knaff
This past weekend, ten women qualified for Final X Rutgers and Lincoln by winning the World Team Trials, joining the 10 women already sitting in Final X.
Click here to see all the Final X matchups
50 Kilograms
Final X: Victoria Anthony
2nd: Amy Fearnside
3rd: Erin Golston
One and two seeds Erin Golston and Victoria Anthony made it to the best of three finals, where Anthony won two matches to none, 8-2 and 5-1. Coming out of the consolation bracket was Amy Fearnside, and since she fell to Anthony in the challenge tournament, she was eligible to wrestle in the true 2nd match against Golston, which she won 3-2 to make the National Team. Anthony advances to Final X to take on Whitney Conder, who qualified with her first place finish at last month’s US Open. This will be a rematch from last year’s Final X, which Conder won in three matches.
53 Kilograms
Final X: Katherine Shai
2nd: Haley Augello
3rd: Tiare Ikei
Haley Augello and Katherine Shai won their way through to the challenge tournament finals to battle it out for the right to take on Tiare Ikei in the best of 3 finals. Ikei was sitting in the best of 3 finals due to her Open title last month. Shai beat Augello 7-3, then defeated Ikei in two straight matches, a 10-0 tech fall in the first, then a first period pinslay in the second. Shai moves on to Final X: Lincoln to take on 2018 World Silver medalist Sarah Hildebrandt. Augello, a 2016 Olympian, still managed to make the National Team, as she defeated Ikei 12-0 in the true 2nd match.
55 Kilograms
Final X: Dominique Parrish
2nd: Areana Villaescusa
3rd: Alisha Howk
Dominique Parrish won her 3 woman bracket, getting past Howk 5-0 in the semifinals, then beating Villaescusa in two straight matches, 6-0 and 4-1. This was revenge for Parrish, as she was beaten by Villaescusa 5-5 on criteria in the first round of last month’s Open. Parrish now looks to face the winner of said Open, Jacarra Winchester, at Final X: Lincoln.
57 Kilograms
Final X: Jenna Burkert
2nd: Kelsey Campbell
3rd: Arian Carpio
Jenna Burkert is making her return to Final X, after winning her way through the World Team Trials. Burkert defeated Kelsey Campbell in the semifinals, then beat Arian Carpio two matches to none in the best of 3 finals, 11-2 in the first match, then by 10-0 tech fall 36 seconds into the second match. Burkert advances to Final X: Rutgers for a rematch against Becka Leathers, who defeated Burkert 7-5 in the Open finals. Campbell came back through the consolations and then beat Carpio 4-0 in the true 2nd match to make the National Team.
59 Kilograms
Final X: Lauren Louvie
2nd: Abigail Nette
3rd: Michaela Beck
Lauren Louvie is heading to Final X after a solid performance over the weekend. Louvie defeated Abigail Nette 8-6 in the semifinals, avenging her semifinal loss to Nette at the Open. Louvie then took on Hawkeye Wrestling Club teammate Michaela Beck in the best of 3 finals. Beck took match one 8-3, but Louvie took the next two, 4-4 and 5-4, to win not only the series, but the right to wrestle Alli Ragan next month in Lincoln. Nette wrestled back through the consolation bracket and then beat Beck 11-0 for true 2nd.
62 Kilograms
Final X: Kayla Miracle
2nd: Desiree Zavala
3rd: Alexandra Liles
Kayla Miracle followed up her dominant Open performance with more of the same at the WTT this weekend. After tech falling and pinslaying her way through that tournament, she sat in the best of 3 finals this weekend, awaiting the winner of the challenge tournament. Much like the finals of the Open, it was Zavala that won through to face Miracle. And much like that Open final, Miracle dominated. She won by pin in the first match, then by 10-0 tech in the second. Miracle next gets 2018 World Bronze medalist Mallory Velte at Final X: Lincoln.
65 Kilograms
Final X: Maya Nelson
2nd: Macey Kilty
3rd: Julia Salata
In another three women bracket, Maya Nelson received a bye to the finals, and U23/Junior World Team member Macey Kilty beat Julia Salata to earn the other finals spot. In the best of 3 finals, Nelson defeated Kilty two matches to none, 5-0 and 11-3, to secure her spot at Final X: Rutgers. There she will take on 2018 World Team member Forrest Molinari in a rematch of their US Open finals bout, won by Molinari 5-1.
68 Kilograms
Final X: Alexandria Glaude
2nd: Jayden Laurent
3rd: Randi Beltz
At 68 kilos, Alexandria Glaude took the long road to win the title. She won her semifinal bout and then defeated Jayden Laurent in the challenge tournament finals to advance to Sunday’s best of 3 finals, where Open winner Randi Beltz sat waiting. Beltz took match one, winning by pin, but Glaude came back to take the next two, 6-2 and 6-1. Glaude’s win gives her a spot at Final X: Rutgers against 2018 World Bronze medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock. In the true 2nd match, Laurent avenged her 10-1 Open finals loss to Beltz with a 10-4 win to make the National Team.
72 Kilograms
Final X: Victoria Francis
2nd: Iman Kazem
3rd: Nahiela Magee
Victoria Francis breezed past the competition this weekend, finishing all of her matches early. In the semifinals, she defeated Nahiela Magee by 16-5 tech fall, then in the best of 3 finals, she defeated Iman Kazem in two matches, the first a 14-3 tech, and the second by pin. With her wins, Francis advances to Final X: Rutgers to face Alyvia Fiske. Fiske beat Francis 5-4 last month in the Open finals to secure her Final X spot. In the true 2nd match, Kazem defeated Magee by tech fall, 10-0, to secure her National Team spot.
76 Kilograms
Final X: Precious Bell
2nd: Hannah Gladden
3rd: Kenya Sloan
Precious Bell earned her spot in the best of 3 finals with her title at the Open defeating Hannah Gladden by pin in the finals. This weekend, it was a familiar face making her way through the challenge tournament to take her on the in best of 3 series. Gladden won her challenge tournament finals bout 10-2 over Kenya Sloan. However, her matchup with Bell proved to be more of the same. Bell took match one by means of pin, and won match two 9-0. Bell’s wins put her through to Final X: Lincoln, where 2018 World Champion Adeline Gray awaits.
And that’s it! Our 2019 Women’s National Team has been decided! Our World Team will be finalized in Lincoln and Piscataway next month, and given the field, whoever wins each weight will be a solid contender to compete for a World medal in Kazakhstan in September.