Taina Fernandez Wins Her Third U17 National Championship, Adding to the U20 Crown She Won on Saturday

Epenesa Elison earns Outstanding Wrestler honors and Eve Skrocki survives a three-match thriller to headline a loaded weekend in Spokane.

Taina Fernandez of earned the rare distinction of being a three-time U17 national champion, just one day after also earning a U20 World Team berth. | USA Wrestling

The Pilot in Spokane, Washington was the setting for this weekend’s Women’s Wrestling Nationals, which featured girls from the elementary level up through college. The U17 competition got underway on Saturday, and the ladies wrestled up to the semifinals.

Fernandez’s Shines as Double Champ

On Sunday, it was time for the semis, and for those that advanced, a best-of three set of finals to decide who would be the World Team Rep. Maryland’s Taina Fernandez already went through this process once when she collected the U20 68-kilogram Gold.

Fernandez doubled down on Sunday by pocketing her third consecutive U17 National Championship and second World Team Position for 2026. The U17 girls wrestle two-minute periods compared to three for the U20 set. That is important to know since Fernandez’s technical superiority time of 2:44 versus No. 5 Janiya Johnson (PA/TN) came in the second round of their semifinal with an 11-0 count.

Before that the two-time U17 World Champion decked her foes in 1:53 and 24 seconds. Upon arriving in the finals, Fernandez was paired up with recent U17 PanAm Games Champ, No. 4 Matilda Hruby of Colorado. 

There was a brief scare in the first match of the U20 series, but no such trouble would surface in these finals as Fernandez swept Hruby with two straight tech falls, both with 10-0 scores. Hruby took out No. 3 Julia Araujo (North Dakota), 12-5, in her semi.

The first bout ended in 1:06 after a takedown led to a leg lace that Fernandez rolled with four times to quickly gain the decisive points. The second one lasted slightly longer as the clock struck 1:38 when the end was declared. Fernandez used a front headlock to a cradle and gained exposure points. Once they reset, Fernandez ran that sequence back and the ending came with a 69-kilogram crown. 

“It feels amazing,” Fernandez said in her post-finals interview with USA Wrestling. “It’s my last year and I wanted to make it extra special. I kind of had a fresh start over the last few days and I just wanted to finish off strong and I’m grateful that’s what I did.”

Elison back to get gold as OW

Unlike the U20 team, Fernandez is the only defending World Champ on the U17 squad. But California’s Epenesa Elison will be returning and looking to improve on her World Silver Medal from a year ago after handling New Jersey’s No. 7 Marie Sharp in the 57-kilogram finals and earning Outstanding Wrestler honors.

Elison’s second National Title came after she blanked Sharp 10-0 in their initial encounter and did it once more when they met again. It was 4-2 after the first with two takedowns for Elison and one for Sharp. Elison fired off a double leg to start the second and picked up exposure points as well. Two more takedowns, including a slick Duck-Single, cinched the tech, 12-2. 

Healey heads abroad

The last World Medalist to earn a second U17 Gold this year was Pennsylvania’s No. 1 Madison Healey. After returning to the states with a bronze last year, Healey has her sights set for the top of the podium and used two tech falls of No. 1 at 95 pounds, Abigail Peterson (Iowa) at 46 kilograms, to gain that right.

Healey worked to a 10-0 tech at the buzzer (2:00) in their opener. Peterson showed a bit more resistance when they squared off later with the first period ending at 6-2 for Healey. Two spin behinds and a back door finish to a single gave Healey her points. Peterson’s two came on a quick exposure lift.

Peterson got the first takedown in the final frame but ran out of tricks after that as Healey took over and eventually hit a blast double with exposure points and used that to roll to a 14-4 technical fall. Haeley downed fellow 2025 World Bronze medalist, No. 8 Maisie Elliott (Washington), 13-2, in the semis.

Two more Keystone Ladies will be joining Healey on the trip to Azerbaijan for the U17 World Championships in late July, No. 10 Isla Silva (49 kilograms) and No. 3 Marlee Solomon (53).

Silva’s sweet ending

Silva was in the U15 and 14U Finals in 2025 opposite the same girl she would throw-down with in these finals, Bella Manno, who is now at Valiant Prep in Arizona, but has roots in New Jersey. Manno is just an eighth grader, so being in contention for an U17 World Team spot is pretty incredible. 

They spilt the titles with Manno claiming U15 supremacy and Silva getting the best of Manna in 14U. Their’s was the tightest entanglement of the championship finals, with both bouts going the distance and favoring Silva, 5-1 and 8-4. 

The 5-1 score pretty much reflects that match, which was all Silva. Manno fell behind in the follow-up before gaining late points. Silva was up 5-0 after the first and added a double leg takedown in the second for her final points along with a step-out point. Manno put up two takedowns as time was winding down, using a single leg both times. 

Silva defeated Manno in the U15 Finals at 50 kilograms, 4-4, on criteria. The U15 Finals were singular matches since they were not for world team spots. 

Solomon steps up the podium

Solomon was third at the Nationals in 2025 and now stands atop her rivals after sticking No. 4 Regan Mathers (Arizona) and then beating her, 8-4. Solomon dropped a headlock out of nowhere on Mathers to plant her in 2:50. 

Mathers had the upper hand in their next meeting when the first period closed in her favor, 4-2. Solomon kicked it off with a nice Duck-Under, but Mathers eventually gained four points on a roll. In the final round, Solomon shut Mathers down and got two takedowns and with the last one came two extra exposure counts. 

Manuel is Golden again

Another U17 Bronze Medalist now calls herself a Gold Medalist, Michigan’s No. 2 Kaili Manuel (73 kilograms), who took out No. 3 Alexis Penley (PA/IL) with two consecutive techs. Both were shutouts, 10-0 and 11-0, where the young freshman was just simply overpowered by her older foe. Manuel won a national crown and repped team USA in 2024.

VonGonten Gets Gold

Texas’ top-rated Landri VonGonten is an U17 National Champion after being a runner-up a year ago. She is back in the same 61-kilogram weight, but last year’s thorn, Fernandez, has migrated up in weight. 

VonGonten used a headlock to deck No. 9 Isabella Miller (Iowa) as time ended in the first meeting. 

When they came back out, VonGonten assaulted Miller in the first period and was ahead 8-0. A low heel pick got VonGonten going and then she popped off a four-point lift and then closed the round with a sweet cross-leg pick. 

Miller slowed VonGonten down in the second and got on the board with a step out point. With 13 seconds left, VonGonten tried to step-over but a deep whizzer from Miller afforded an easy counter to the back, but Miller could not keep her down and fell. 8-3. 

Skrocki goes three

As it was in the U20 slate with only one engagement needing all three meetings, so too it would be in the realm of the U17s, and Arizona’s No. 5 Eve Skrocki would at the center of it this time, along with No. 20 Clover Williams (Oklahoma). Williams surprised No. 12 Saige McCleery (Washington), 6-0, in the semifinals.

Skrocki, who was eighth last year, was in Michigan prior to joining the Valiant Wrestling Club. Williams jumped all over the unsuspecting Skrocki in Round One of their Trilogy, posting two takedowns for a 4-0 lead. Skrocki crawled her way back into it but came up one point short in a 4-3 loss to Williams.

Williams was on a roll but lost that momentum in Round Two’s first period when she fell behind 3-0 after Skrocki slipped her headlock attempt. 

Nearest we can tell, as we’ve seen some of the slips disallowed and then reset, and then others, like the ones in this match, allowed and counted as takedowns; It seems to be at what point is the headlock slipped, if it’s more of a defensive thing the points stand, if it is truly a slip, they reset. 

To open the second period, Williams got the headlock she was searching for but couldn't capitalize farther, and the scoring turned back to Skrocki as she slipped another headlock attempt and added one more takedown to end at 7-2 and call for a rubber match. 

Skrocki left little to doubt in the third and final round as she just pummeled Williams, with of course two of her four takedowns coming on defended headlocks, the others were on a single leg and go-behind. A passivity point was awarded to Skrocki in the first period of a 9-0 shutout. 

Colorado’s Cubs

Our final two world reps come from Colorado, and they were achieved at the lowest weights with Sophie Valdez grabbing the 40-kilogram crown and Lilly Lundy doing the same at 43 kilograms. 

Valdez kept Washington’s Lanaia Selig off the scoreboard in both matches winning by tech, 11-0 and then 8-0. Lundy stuck Hawaii’s Lindsey Lau in 1:48, then had a battle in the following bout, before coming up on the right side of a 10-7 tally. 

U17 Women FS Medal Match Results

40

Champ. Round 1 - Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) T.F. Kadence Juarez (Cowboy/Cowgirl Wrestling Club), 14-4 (1:23)

Champ. Round 1 - Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club) T.F. McKenzie Astorino (Team Pennsylvania), 10-0 (2:21)

Champ. Round 2 - Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) T.F. McKenzie Astorino (Team Pennsylvania), 10-0 (0:57)

Champ. Round 2 - Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club) T.F. Kadence Juarez (Cowboy/Cowgirl Wrestling Club), 10-0 (0:41)

Champ. Round 3 - Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) T.F. Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club), 11-0 (2:42)

Champ. Round 3 - McKenzie Astorino (Team Pennsylvania) For. [first_name] [last_name] ([team_name]),

40 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) T.F. Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club), 11-0 (2:42)

Champ. Round 2 - Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) Dec. Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club), 8-0

Champ. Round 3 - Sophia Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) Rule Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club),

43

1st - Lilly Lundy (Motown Wrestling) Dec. Lindsey Lau (Golden Back MRTC), 10-7

3rd - Leivelle Alejado (Grapplers HI) Dec. Mia Pardo (ALL-American Wrestling Club), 8-6

5th - Emily Hamil (Okie Girls) For. [first_name] [last_name] ([team_name]),

7th - Emma Martinez (California) F. Piper Phillips (Immortal Athletics WC), 2:59

43 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Lilly Lundy (Motown Wrestling) F. Lindsey Lau (Golden Back MRTC), 1:48

Champ. Round 2 - Lilly Lundy (Motown Wrestling) Dec. Lindsey Lau (Golden Back MRTC), 10-7

46

1st - Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary) T.F. Abigail Peterson (Big Game Wrestling Club), 14-4 (3:24)

3rd - Justice Gutierrez (Pomona Elite) Dec. Olivia Hernandez (Beaver Dam Wrestling Club), 9-4

5th - Maisie Elliott (Mat Demon Wrestling Club) Dec. Olivia Munson (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 10-2

7th - Sophia Lazaro (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. Jasmine Buck (RBY WC), 12-2 (1:17)

46 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary) T.F. Abigail Peterson (Big Game Wrestling Club), 10-0 (2:00)

Champ. Round 2 - Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary) T.F. Abigail Peterson (Big Game Wrestling Club), 14-4 (3:24)

49

1st - Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) Dec. Bella Manno (Valiant Wrestling Club), 8-4

3rd - Amaya Hoku Kapihe (Golden Back MRTC) Dec. Gabriella Conte (New Jersey), 10-5

5th - Summer Mutschler (Cavalier WC) Dec. Peggy Susan Dean (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 5-5

7th - Ella Neibert (Braves Wrestling Club) Dec. Dilynn Albrecht (Avila Combat Laboratories), 7-4

49 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) Dec. Bella Manno (Valiant Wrestling Club), 5-1

Champ. Round 2 - Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) Dec. Bella Manno (Valiant Wrestling Club), 8-4

53

1st - Marlee Solomon (Wrestling Chix) Dec. Reagan Mathers (valiant College Preparatory), 8-4

3rd - Hailey Delgado (NXT Level Wrestling Academy) Dec. Abigail Gonzalez (Miami Wrestling Club), 5-0

5th - Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling) Dec. Hepua Salter (Hawaii Wrestling Academy), 6-2

7th - Mikayla Perkins (Contenders Wrestling Academy) Dec. Auriana Wakinekona (Grapplers HI), 15-11

53 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Marlee Solomon (Wrestling Chix) F. Reagan Mathers (valiant College Preparatory), 2:50

Champ. Round 2 - Marlee Solomon (Wrestling Chix) Dec. Reagan Mathers (valiant College Preparatory), 8-4

57

1st - Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) T.F. Marie Sharp (New Jersey), 12-2 (3:28)

3rd - Sobina Clendaniel (Marathon Wrestling Club) Dec. Neve O'Byrne (Black Sheep Wrestling Club), 3-2

5th - Aleia Apostol (Titan Mercury / Poway RTC) F. Cameron Leng (Team Miron), 0:20

7th - Ariella Dobin (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy) T.F. Claire Lancaster (Okie Girls), 13-3 (1:49)

57 Finals

Champ Round 1 - Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) T.F. Marie Sharp (New Jersey), 10-0 (2:50)

Champ. Round 2 - Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) T.F. Marie Sharp (New Jersey), 12-2 (3:28)

61

1st - Landri VonGonten (Boneyard Wrestling Academy) Dec. Isabella Miller (Big Game Wrestling Club), 8-3

3rd - Caroline Hilton (Tennessee) Dec. chloe wehry (Pinnacle Wrestling Club), 8-0

5th - Rachel Garcia (Cowboy Wrestling Club) Dec. Sophia Fodera (Poway Wrestling), 6-2

7th - Mila Mantanona (Mantanona TC) Dec. Olivia Bezdicek (Team Idaho Wrestling Club), 15-10

61 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Landri VonGonten (Boneyard Wrestling Academy) F. Isabella Miller (Big Game Wrestling Club), 2:00

Champ. Round 2 - Landri VonGonten (Boneyard Wrestling Academy) Dec. Isabella Miller (Big Game Wrestling Club), 8-3

65

1st - Eve Skrocki (Valiant Wrestling Club) Dec. Clover Williams (Husky Wrestling Club), 9-0

3rd - Gray Joyce (Wichita Training Center) Dec. Audrey Robinson (Legacy Elite Wrestling Club), 6-3

5th - Saige McCleery (Mat Demon Wrestling Club) T.F. Ava Johnson (Mayhem WC), 10-0 (0:45)

7th - Harlow Skenandore (Wisconsin) T.F. Layla Risler (Victory School of Wrestling), 10-0 (1:27)

65 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Clover Williams (Husky Wrestling Club) Dec. Eve Skrocki (Valiant Wrestling Club), 4-3

Champ. Round 2 - Eve Skrocki (Valiant Wrestling Club) Dec. Clover Williams (Husky Wrestling Club), 7-2

Champ. Round 3 - Eve Skrocki (Valiant Wrestling Club) Dec. Clover Williams (Husky Wrestling Club), 9-0

69

1st - Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. Matilda Hruby (Colorado), 10-0 (1:38)

3rd - Julia Araujo (MATPAC Wrestling Club) F. Mia OFarrill (M2 Training Center), 1:43

5th - Janiya Johnson (Wyoming Seminary) T.F. Maddison Miller (Team Pennsylvania), 10-0 (1:47)

7th - Julie Cimarusti (Legacy Wrestling Center) F. Emily Beckley (Team Tulsa Wrestling Club), 2:47

69 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. Matilda Hruby (Colorado), 10-0 (1:08)

Champ. Round 2 - Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. Matilda Hruby (Colorado), 10-0 (1:38)

73

1st - Kaili Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy) T.F. Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary), 11-0 (2:33)

3rd - Ciyanna Okocha (Wyoming Seminary) F. Symone Jewell (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus Wrestling), 3:55

5th - Sarah Pulk (Frontier Wrestling Club) Dec. Juliet Alt (Team Pennsylvania), 9-2

7th - Christal Desir (M80 Wrestling Club) Dec. Mya Dobrinski (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 6-6

73 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Kaili Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy) T.F. Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary), 10-0 (1:50)

Champ. Round 2 - Kaili Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy) T.F. Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary), 11-0 (2:33)

U15 Women FS

Medal Match Results

33

Champ. Round 1 - Kayleigh Vest (Backyard Brawlers Midwest WC) Dec. Emma Angel (Reign Wrestling Club), 4-4

Champ. Round 1 - Mila Sebolt (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) T.F. Melissavette Alba (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 10-0 (0:32)

Champ. Round 2 - Kayleigh Vest (Backyard Brawlers Midwest WC) T.F. Melissavette Alba (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 10-0 (0:23)

Champ. Round 2 - Mila Sebolt (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) Dec. Emma Angel (Reign Wrestling Club), 9-0

Champ. Round 3 - Mila Sebolt (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) Dec. Kayleigh Vest (Backyard Brawlers Midwest WC), 7-1

Champ. Round 3 - Emma Angel (Reign Wrestling Club) T.F. Melissavette Alba (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 10-0 (0:27)

36

1st - Freyda Nelson (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) Dec. Victoria Thiel (Lady Warrior Wrestling Club), 10-4

3rd - Hais Thao (Combat Athletics Wrestling Club) F. Annabel Choo (Gracie Barra Westchase Wrestling Club), 0:48

5th - Arina Manrique (Fremont Warriors Wrestling Club) T.F. Hadlee Worrell (Big Game Wrestling Club), 15-4 (3:00)

7th - Gwen Gross (Team Nazar Training Center) F. Makaylie Talbert-Kim (Golden Back MRTC), 3:02

39

1st - Julianna LaSavage (B.A.M. Training Center) T.F. Valeria Cerna (Southwest Stallions Wrestling Club), 10-0 (0:46)

3rd - Avery Haber (Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory High School Wrestling) Dec. Markee Gomez (Sebolt Wrestling Academy), 4-4

5th - Jillian Vollhardt (Central Valley Bengals) F. Erin Sta. Maria (ZM Grappling Academy), 1:56

7th - Alessandra Tovar (Victory Wrestling-Central WA) T.F. Taylor Tarrant (Virginia), 10-0 (3:25)

42

1st - Jaelyn Anderson (Nebraska Wrestling Academy) Dec. Harper Formanek (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), 7-6

3rd - Lanaia Selig (Mat Demon Wrestling Club) T.F. Kalaya Baxter (The Factory Wrestling Club), 10-0 (0:27)

5th - Emma Martinez (California) T.F. Audrey Eller (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 14-4 (3:18)

7th - Payton McCall (Broken Arrow Wrestling Club) F. Anela Hogg (Thunder Mountain Wrestling Club), 1:04

46

1st - Olivia Hernandez (Beaver Dam Wrestling Club) T.F. Paola Perez (Golden Bears Wrestling Club), 12-1 (3:04)

3rd - Rhilynn Tolzman (Summit Wrestling Academy) Dec. Brooklyn Murray (Doughboy Wrestling Club), 10-2

5th - Gabriella Lemus (Surfside X Wrestling) T.F. Mya Beckett (Wisconsin), 12-0 (2:24)

7th - Sophia Lazaro (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Kylee Ooton (Prodigy Wrestling), 8-4

50

1st - Isla Silva (Team Pennsylvania) Dec. Bella Manno (Valiant Wrestling Club), 4-4

3rd - Kaylee Vera (Queen City Grappling Club) T.F. Isabella Thiel (Lady Warrior Wrestling Club), 14-2 (2:58)

5th - Daphney Gomez (Valiant Wrestling Club) Dec. Lauren Echeverria (Crook County High School Wrestling), 16-12

7th - Sarah Vehar (Level Up Wrestling Center) F. Laetyn Boltz (Wichita Training Center), 0:48

54

1st - Harper Schwettman (Colorado Hammers) T.F. Rio Rening (Wright Wrestling Academy), 16-6 (2:59)

3rd - Presley Beard (Wichita Training Center) T.F. Sophia Rivera (Salem Elite Mat Club), 12-2 (2:30)

5th - Kaiulani Kekahuna (Grapplers HI) T.F. Brielynn Jackson (Greater Heights Wrestling), 10-0 (2:15)

7th - Briella Portrey (Big Cat Wrestling Club) Dec. Melissa Gallo (Gladiator Wrestling), 3-2

58

1st - Lauren Samuel (Capital City Wrestling Club) T.F. Rachel Garcia (Cowboy Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:45)

3rd - Hailey Worden (Gold Rush Wrestling) T.F. Zaylyn Woods (Spartan Mat Club), 11-0 (3:49)

5th - Emma Mantei (Dundee Wrestling Club) T.F. Kaydence Golding (North Dakota), 10-0 (1:16)

7th - Riella Garza (Arizona Girls Wrestling) F. Taimane Mata'afa Grove (Hawaii), 3:14

62

1st - Mila Mantanona (Mantanona TC) F. Catherine Diehl (Gomez RTC), 0:50

3rd - Ki'Morah Cathey (Hurricane Wrestling Academy) T.F. Carleigh Clark (BullTrained Wrestling), 14-1 (2:00)

5th - Payton Helmin (Jackpine savage) Dec. Emily Pulk (Frontier Wrestling Club), 30-28

7th - Avery Colvin (Sanderson Wrestling Academy) T.F. Cataleya Reveles (Scotsmen Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:22)

66

1st - Emma Antoni (Pinnacle Wrestling School) Dec. Yamilett Cortez (Valiant Wrestling Club), 7-0

3rd - Sasha Williams (Husky Wrestling Club) T.F. Lily Blakesley (Champions Wrestling Club), 13-3 (3:30)

5th - Miranda Lencrerot (Glasgow Wrestling Academy) F. Leilani Nanquilada (Mat Demon Wrestling Club), 3:15

7th - Katie Davidson (Team Nazar Training Center) F. Trista Pike (Immortal Athletics), 1:00