Shelby Moore Qualifies for Olympic Trials

This past weekend men and women wrestled at Senior Nationals for the chance to qualify for the Olympic Team Trials in April. One name in particular stood out to us the most and that is freshman Shelby Moore of McKendree. The true freshman has been off to a good start in the McKendree singlet and has been a great asset to their team, already rising to #4 in the nation according to The Open Mat. At Senior Nationals, the unseeded Moore placed 3rd and qualified for the Olympic Team Trials. First on her hit list was All-American Salome Walker of North Central, who she beat 10-2. Next in Moore’s path was NAIA Champion Carolina Moreno in the quarters, who she beat in dramatic fashion, winning on criteria 5-5 with a last second score. Then on the backside, she beat 3x NCAA National Champion, her teammate Cameron Guerin. Guerin and Moreno are not only national champions, but some of the best P4P women in all of collegiate wrestling, and she beat them both. This makes her one of the youngest women to qualify for the Olympic Trials this Olympic cycle.

Other collegiate women that have so far qualified for the Olympic Team Trials in April:

• North Central with 6: Kendra Ryan, Sydney Petzinger, Amani Jones, Amanda Martinez, Alara Boyd, and Yelena Makoyed.
• King with 4: Samara Chavez, Ashlynn Ortega, Aine Drury, and Cheyenne Bowman.
• McKendree with 4: Emma Bruntil, Tristan Kelly, Shelby Moore, and Cam Guerin.
• Iowa with 3: Marlynne Deede, Kylie Welker, and Rose Cassioppi.
• Grand Valley State with 1: Sage Mortimer.
• Aurora with 1: Alexis Janiak
• Lock Haven with 1: Kaelani Shufeldt
• Texas Women's head coach: Erin Golston
• William Penn with 1: Mia Palumbo
• Doane with 1: Christelle Rodriguez

The Rise of the Phoenix

The Cumberland Phoenix had themselves a great weekend. At the Rocky Top Duals, they went 4-1, with their biggest win coming over the previous #5 dual team according to The Open Mat, Reinhardt, and only losing to #2 Life. The whole team did great, but a few individual perfomances stood out.At 141, #12 Jared Dinh knocked off #8 Thomas Williams, who was just comnig off of a great weeend himself beating AA Pat Gould. Then, unranked 165 Eli Clemmons beat previous #11 Wetzel Hill. Clemmons has been on and off this season, but man, you can’t argue that a tech over someone of Hill’s caliber isn’t a statement. Unranked 149 Victor Guzman got a huge win over #11 Dawson Bates of Reinhardt. Cumberland has two solid options here, along with Latimer. Having the ability to bump guys around weights in college is a huge boost to a dual team. In their dual against Life, Jared Dinh was again a bright spot, knocking out #7 in the nation Brett Minor.

The Heart Award Winner

Competitive response. Resilience. How you respond to adversity. It’s what makes a true champion, separate from any accolades or accomplishments. The Heart Award will occasionally be given to someone who exemplifies fighting through adversity. Kyle Knudston of Eastern Oregon earned it. At the tough Reno Tournament of Champions, he drew Darion Johnson of Western Wyoming first round. Johnson is one of the pound-for-pound best NJCAA wrestlers as a national finalist and holding a win over Iowa State’s DI All-American Will Feldkamp. Darion Johnson teched Knudston in the first match of the day. Here’s where the heart comes in. Knudston went pin, pin, tech, tech on the backside before he was again matched up with Johnson. Unfazed from being teched by Johnson earlier that same day, Knudston came out ready to win. He scored the first takedown and never looked back, wining 8-7. This was his last match of the day as he hit his 6-match limit. After giving up a tech to anyone, it is easy to let your mind get ruffled. Kyle Knudston used heart and resilience to instead win as many matches as possible and avenging his loss.

Adams State Women’s Wrestling is Just Getting Started 

Adams State just started competing in women’s wrestling this year and is led by Kyle Sand, a former DII National Champion for Adams State and the person to ever be a 4x undefeated state champion in Colorado history. The Grizzlies might have their first female star on their hands. Freshman Austria Holland made a major impact at the end of the first semester of wrestling. Her first appearance was during a dual with Colorado Mesa. She was the only girl for Adams State to win a match but her win was over a ranked wrestler for Colorado Mesa, Adriana Gomez who was ranked #6 at 109. Adams State also competed at the Desert Duals this past weekend when Holland picked up another big win over a ranked wrestler, Maddie Mackenzie of Simon Fraser, who was ranked #11 at 116. Holland is undefeated right now with two tech falls and two pins over her opponents. Their next competition is at the Hastings Open on January 7th.