Team USA returns to the U17 World stage after winning the country’s first team championship in 2021. Get to know this year’s team with insights from coach Jacque Davis, then watch them compete LIVE on FloWrestling.

Note: Kaiulani Garcia replaced Amarissa Manuel at 73 kilograms and Sydney Perry replaced Lizzie Shunn at 65 kg. We will keep you up to date on any additional changes to the line-up. 

Davis on the U17 team:

“These girls are total scrappers. They came to camp ready to work and they were ready to scrap. They wanted to make the most of their time with each session. They were a different kind of group than I have ever worked with before. 

“They were U17-Cadet girls but the way they were approaching it was more professional than I had experienced from such a young group. They were ready to work and then rest and recover when they needed recovery. They took ownership of independent time. 

“And they were really great about working together and communicating together. They decided what everyone was feeling and made necessary changes, which I thought was interesting. I have not experienced a U17 group like that before. 

"I have not met or worked with a U17 group like them before where it felt like they knew what they needed and they were not scared to let us know. They were a tight-knit group and they were hanging out with each other off the mat, which is exciting. They were great at knowing what they wanted and needed."

Megan Valdez

Weight: 40 kg
Hometown: San Jacinto, California
High School: San Jacinto High School
Grade: entering senior year.
Club: Academy of Striking and Grappling
Instagram: @fmu.meg

What you need to know: Valdez was a 2021 16U National All-American and a Western Regional champion at 94 pounds.

Championship series: Megan Valdez over Annalise Maralit, 2-0

Match 1: Valdez over Maralit, 14-12

Match 2: Valdez over Maralit, 10-0

Erica Pastoriza

Weight: 43 kg
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
High School: Wyoming Seminary
Grade: entering senior year
Club: Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club
Instagram: @ericapastorizaa 

What you need to know: Pastoriza made her second trip to the Cadet Worlds after winning the 40 kg title in 2021. She was also a 2022 Tallinn Open champion and a 2021 winner at Who’s #1.

Championship series: Erica Pastoriza over Katey Valdez, 2-0

Match 1: Pastoriza over Valdez, 6-4

Match 2: Pastoriza over Valdez, 4-3

Erica Pastoriza is a returning U17 World champion.

Gabriella Gomez

Weight: 46 kg
Hometown: Carol Stream, Illinois
High School: Glenbard North High School+
Grade: entering junior year
Club: Gomez Wrestling RTC
Instagram: @gabriella_g22

What you need to know: Gomez was a 2021 16U National runner-up, U15 Girls National runner-up, and a UWW U17 All-American.

Championship series: Gabriella Gomez over Valarie Solorio, 2-0 

Match 1: Gomez over Solorio, 8-3

Match 2: Gomez over Solorio, 4-1

Audrey Jimenez

Weight: 49 kg
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
High School: Sunnyside High School
Grade: entering junior year (graduating early)
Club: Sunkist Kids
Instagram: @_audreyjimenez

What you need to know: Jimenez was a 2019 U15 Pan Am Championships gold medalist and bronze medalist at the 2021 Cadet World Championships 49 kg. She had an impressive run at this year’s Women’s Nationals, making U17 (Cadet) and U20 (Junior) World teams. 

Championship series: Audrey Jimenez over Ava Ward, 2-0

Match 1: Jimenez over Ward, 6-0

Match 2: Jimenez over Ward, 4-0

Get to know Audrey Jimenez

Elena Ivaldi

Weight: 53 kg
Hometown: New Castle, California
High School: Del Oro High School
Grade: entering senior year
Club: MatTime
Instagram: @elenaaivaldi 

What you need to know: Ivaldi was a Fargo 16U All-American at 117 pounds and a 2022 California state champion. 

Championship series: Elena Ivaldi over Persaeus Gomez, 2-0

Match 1: Ivaldi over Gomez, 5-2

Match 2: Ivaldi fall over Gomez

Shelby Moore

Weight: 57 kg
Hometown: Buckley, Washington
High School: White River High School
Grade: entering senior year
Club: Takedown Express
Instagram: @shelbymooore

What you need to know: Moore was a 2021 16U National champion and a USA Junior National champion. She also won the USA Wrestling High School Recruiting Showcase this year. 

Shelby Moore over Skylar Little Soldier, 2-0

Match 1: Moore over Little Soldier, 11-0

Match 2: Moore over Little Soldier, 5-0

Valerie Hamilton

Weight: 61 kg
Hometown: Gridley, Illinois
High School: El Paso-Gridley High School
Grade: entering junior year
Club: SOTC
Instagram: @valeriehamilton2409 

What you need to know: Hamilton was a 2018 U15 Pan American champion at 33 kg. She also won the 2019 U15 School Combat Games at 36 kg.

Valerie Hamilton over Marissa Rumsey, 2-0

Match 1: Hamilton fall over Rumsey

Match 2: Hamilton fall over Rumsey

Sydney Perry

Weight: 65 kg
Hometown: Batavia, Illinois
Club: Batavia Wrestling Club

What you need to know: Perry took silver at the 2022 U17 Pan American Championships and earned All-American status twice at USMC 16U Nationals, in 2022 with third-place and in 2021 with second-place. Perry is the alternate for World Team Trials champion Lizzie Shunn. 

Lizzie Shunn over Sydney Perry, 2-0

Match 1: Shunn over Perry, 7-2

Match 2: Shunn over Perry, 10-0

Jasmine Robinson

Weight: 69 kg
Hometown: Allen, Texas
High School: Allen High School
Grade: entering junior year
Club: Best Trained Wrestling
Instagram: @jasminerobinson26

What you need to know: Robinson won 2021 16U and Junior National titles (Fargo) and participated in FloWrestling’s 2021 Who’s #1? 

Jasmine Robinson over Mishell Rebisch, 2-0

Match 1: Robinson over Rebisch, 8-3 

Match 2: Robinson fall Rebisch

Get to know Jasmine Robinson

Kaiulani Garcia

Weight: 73 kg
Hometown: Stockton, California
High School: Gilroy High School
Grade: entering junior year
Club: NorCal Queens

What you need to know: Garcia placed third at U17 Women’s Nationals and the Girls High School Recruiting Showcase. She also earned bronze at the U17 Pan Am Championships earlier this year.