2021 U.S. Women's Freestyle Rankings

55 kilograms

Ranking feedback: info@americanwomenswrestling.com, Twitter: @AWWderek

Notes:

1. We decided to put out one last ranking using the six Olympic weights. First, we wanted to see where things landed after the Olympic Team Trials. Second, we didn’t want to guess what weights to put different women in the non-Olympic field of 10 weights. The upcoming Senior Nationals will give us a better read on that as this tournament will be the first Senior level event in a while that will feature the 10 weights we see during non-Olympic years. U23 Nationals will follow and will give us even more data. The next ranking will be after that.

2. New ranking policy: Blades and Welker are IN. For the first time ever, we’re going to start ranking wrestlers under the age of 18 if they’ve competed at a Senior level tournament. That being said, 17-year-old juniors Kennedy Blades and Kylie Welker both hit the #2 spot at their respective weights after their remarkable performances at Olympic Team Trials. Blades is #2 at 68 kg and Welker is #2 at 76 kg.

3. Big moves by Ronna Heaton at 53 kg, Abby Nette at 57 kg, Alara Boyd at 68 kg, and Yelena Makoyed at 76 kg. All of them had solid performances at Olympic Team Trials, but none more than Ronna Heaton, who made the championship finals and hits this ranking in the #2 spot.

4. Alli Ragan and Jackie Cataline retired after the Olympic Trials. Ragan’s announcement came through a Facebook post by her father and Cataline gave us the memorable moment of leaving her shoes on the mat after her semifinal loss to Victoria Francis. Both Ragan and Cataline have been removed from the rankings.

U.S. women’s wrestling has never had more depth! As you look at these lists, you’ll see that our present, and future, is bright.