USA’s Rising Stars Shine at Women’s U20 Wrestling Nationals in Spokane

The Women’s Wrestling Nationals are being held this weekend at The Podium in Spokane, Washington. Wrestling began on Thursday with the early rounds of the U20 competition. On Friday, they wrestled from the quarterfinals forward and the final round was a spectacular one.

World Champs Steal the Show

Three World Champions made it through to represent the USA once more on the World Stage in Slovakia in August. Two will be on the U20 stage for the first time, Illinois’ Morgan Turner (50 kilograms) and Maryland’s Taina Fernandez (68). Arizona’s Everest Leydecker (55 kilograms) earned her crown in the U20 realm a year ago.

Turner and Fernandez are both two-time U17 World Champions. Leydecker claimed her sole World Gold in 2025. All three are top rated at their respective weights in the latest Girls’ National Rankings from High School On SI.

Turner Turns Two

Turner was incredibly dominant in sweeping the best of three finals versus No. 7 Sarissa Tucker of Virginia. Turner rampaged her way to an 11-0 technical superiority win in 1:40 in their first match. As a refresher, a ten-point margin is needed for a tech in Freestyle as opposed to the 15 in Folkstyle.

Their second bout ended quicker than the first when Turner hit Tucker with a smooth front headlock to the back to deck her foe in 59 seconds. Tucker had a remarkable run to the finals by sticking No. 3 Christina Estrada (California) in the semifinals, 4:59. Tucker dropped a quicker pin on the number one girl at 105 pounds in our report, Jaclyn Bouzakis (Pennsylvania). Bouzakis was an U17 World Bronze medalist last year.

Fenandez Rebounds and Pounds Cuyler

Fernandez found herself in trouble with a female counterpart for the first time this year as she fell behind to May Cuyler (Presbyterian College) 4-2 in the early going of match one in their series. Fernandez gained the first takedown with a spin behind.

Once they reset on their feet, Cuyler surprised Fernandez with a slick Japanese Whizzer that resulted in exposure points and found Fernandez fighting off her back. After a replay challenge to confirm points, Fernandez settled down and got back to strutting her stuff.

Taina Fernandez, who will attempt to defend the U17 World Title she won a year ago, will compete for U20 crown as well after her victory at the USA Nationals. | USA Wrestling

A low single with a seated finish gave way to a leg lace that Fernandez rolled through to gain four sets of exposure points and blow the bout open at 12-4. A front headlock, to a cradle, and just a spin behind earned the final takedown for a 14-4 tech.

The second meeting between the two was more of what we are used to seeing from Fernandez as she got all over Cuyler early and kept it going. Fernandez ran the pipe to finish a single leg then sucked a second single leg under for a takedown in which she added two exposure points with a roll through.

The second period was where Cuyler met her end as Fernandez locked up a tight cradle and went for the kill, terminating her rival in 4:04. Fernandez is not done yet, though, as she is still eligible for the U17 Division and will throw down there in an effort to earn a second World Team birth.

Leydecker Laid Down the Law

Leydecker’s final opponent was No. 3 Marlee Solomon from Pennsylvania. To reach the final, Solomon slayed 2025 U17 World Silver Medalist, Epenesa Elison (California), who is ranked No. 1 at 125 pounds, 10-5. In a cool interconnected twist, Elison beat No. 2 Stevie Joyce Martin (California) for her title a year ago. Leydecker disposed of Martin, 10-0, in her semifinal of this edition.

Leydecker had her way with Solomon in both of their matchups. The first one ended with ten seconds in the first period, 2:49, on a 10-0 count. Another Freestyle brush-up: there are two periods that are three minutes each.

Leydecker was loving a Leg Turk in the second endeavor as she used it to pile up some exposure points and was up 9-0 at the end of the first. It took another 1:38 seconds, but the 11-0 tech was gained by Leydecker on a leg scoop after turning the corner.

Graber Goes from Nothing to Something

Minnesota’s No. 1 Caley Graber failed to place at this affair in 2025. To make up for it, Graber came up big in the 59-kilogram finals, where she was paired up with Oklahoma State’s Kailey Benson. Graber met No. 2 Emma Bacon of Pennsylvania in the semis and posted a 10-0 tech.

Benson would get some of that business and more as Graber got the first takedown and went into her Folkstyle toolkit and ran an arm bar to plant Benson one minute into their initial encounter.

The sequel was composed of more drama than the original as this one maxed out its time and the ending was a secret until the closing moments. Benson struck early with the first takedown, and her only points. Graber answered her to close the opening frame knotted at two.

Act two saw Graber hit a low sweep single to pick up what would be the decisive points of the 5-2 episode. Graber gained her fifth point on a failed challenge from Benson’s crew.

Hanrahan and Whiting Leave Bronze Behind, Become Golden Girls

Two Wisconsin girls who went home holding bronze last year now stand atop the national podium, No. 1 Taylor Whiting (53 kilograms) and No. 3 at 145 pounds, Riley Hanrahan (65). Most of the champs have been number one at their weights, but Hanrahan’s home is the same as Fernandez, whose weight in U20 is roughly 150 pounds.

The number two girl at 145, Pennsylvania’s Violette Lasure, was set aside by No. 8 at 140 pounds, Maddie Marsh (Indiana), 11-5, in the semis. Marsh had another big win in the quarterfinals when she took down No. 7 at 145, Ryen Hickey from Colorado, 10-0.

Marsh did her best to throw one more upset on her ledger as she battled Hanrahan hard in both of their engagements. The first had more offense from Hanrahan with two takedowns in a 5-2 decision. The second was when Marsh was close to gaining one more life but fell on an activity time point in the final period of a 2-1 Hanrahan win.

Whiting Went Down to the Wire

Whiting had the honor of getting more mat time than any of her other World Team members as her throwdown with No. 3 Aubree Gutierrez out of California was the only one of the final card to go the distance.

Whiting won round one, 6-3. Gutierrez decided quickly that they would meet again with a mean headlock for the 1:32 fall of the second. Ding, ding, ding, it was time! The stage was theirs. Round three!

Whiting jumped out front with a takedown and step out point. Going into the second it was 3-0 Whiting and she added on with a cradle to go up 5-0. A series of step outs, activity time, and other things put Gutierrez back into it as time was winding down but Whiting held on for a 5-4 victory.

The Collegiates

As we are High School On SI, so that is it for how deep we are going with the other champions that come from the college ranks. We will mention them here for completion purposes, but not do what we did above.

The Last High Schooler in the Finals

Iowa’s Bella Williams took on the last high schooler we will report on in the 62-kilogram final, No. 4 Carley Ceshker (Wisconsin). By the lead-in you know our young high school prodigy did not prevail, but she gave Williams a good fight, losing the second meeting, 6-0, after losing by tech in the first.

Iowa had a second champ in Karlee Brooks who pinned Oklahoma State’s Molly Allen both times at 57 kilograms. Army’s Jasmine Robinson (72) is a repeat titlist and William Penn’s Piper Fowler won the 76-kilogram title. Robinson handled Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa). Fowler swept North Central’s Jael Miller.

U20 Women FS Medal Match Results

50

1st - Morgan Turner (All I See Is Gold Academy/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) F. Sarissa Tucker (Legacy Dragons Wrestling), 0:59

3rd - Christina Estrada (Dethrone Wrestling Club) Dec. Jaclyn Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary), 15-12

5th - Eva Zimmerman (Sanderson Wrestling Academy) F. Rianne Murphy (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club), 4:46

7th - Isabel Kaplan (Central Indiana Academy Of Wrestling) Dec. Jayden Keller (The Nest Wrestling Club), 7-0

50 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Morgan Turner (All I See Is Gold Academy/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) T.F. Sarissa Tucker (Legacy Dragons Wrestling), 11-0 (1:40)

Champ. Round 2 - Morgan Turner (All I See Is Gold Academy/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) F. Sarissa Tucker (Legacy Dragons Wrestling), 0:59

53

1st - Taylor Whiting (Wisconsin) Dec. Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling), 5-4

3rd - Calli Gilchrist (Bears RTC) F. Libby Roberts (Laker Wrestling Club), 1:35

5th - Harlee Hiller (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) T.F. Abbi Cooper (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC), 16-6 (5:06)

7th - Isabella Marie Gonzales (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) F. Mikayla Garcia (Cardinal WC), 5:10

53 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Taylor Whiting (Wisconsin) Dec. Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling), 6-3

Champ. Round 2 - Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling) F. Taylor Whiting (Wisconsin), 1:32

Champ. Round 3 - Taylor Whiting (Wisconsin) Dec. Aubree Gutierrez (Surfside X Wrestling), 5-4

55

1st - Everest Leydecker (Thorobred/NYAC) T.F. Marlee Solomon (Team Pennsylvania), 11-0 (4:38)

3rd - Epenesa Elison (Monster Garage Wrestling) T.F. Riley Rayome (Cardinal WC), 10-0 (3:00)

5th - Stevie Joyce Martin (ZM Grappling Academy) F. Savannah Witt (Eagle Wrestling Club), 1:48

7th - Annesley Day (Dragon Wrestling Club) Dec. Mariah Mills (Hilltopper Wrestling Club), 5-1

55 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Everest Leydecker (Thorobred/NYAC) T.F. Marlee Solomon (Team Pennsylvania), 10-0 (2:49)

Champ. Round 2 - Everest Leydecker (Thorobred/NYAC) T.F. Marlee Solomon (Team Pennsylvania), 11-0 (4:38)

57

1st - Karlee Brooks (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) F. Molly Allen (Cowgirls Wrestling Club), 2:58

3rd - Marie Sharp (New Jersey) T.F. Morgan Maschmann (Tiger Den Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:59)

5th - Aspen Blasko (Laker Wrestling Club) T.F. Martynique Davis (Thorobred Wrestling Club), 10-0 (4:36)

7th - Joely Slyter (Argo Wrestling Club) Dec. Raenah Smith (Team Pennsylvania), 9-9

57 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Karlee Brooks (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) F. Molly Allen (Cowgirls Wrestling Club), 2:13

Champ. Round 2 - Karlee Brooks (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) F. Molly Allen (Cowgirls Wrestling Club), 2:58

59

1st - Caley Graber (Summit Wrestling Academy) Dec. Kailey Benson (Cowgirls Wrestling Club), 5-2

3rd - Emma Bacon (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) F. Sobina Clendaniel (Marathon Wrestling Club), 2:36

5th - Abigail Mozden (Samurai Wrestling Club) F. Willow White (Gladiator Wrestling), 1:53

7th - Kinnley Smith (Warrior RTC) Dec. Gigi Bragg (Cowgirls Wrestling Club), 9-4

59 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Caley Graber (Summit Wrestling Academy) F. Kailey Benson (Cowgirls Wrestling Club), 1:00

Champ. Round 2 - Caley Graber (Summit Wrestling Academy) Dec. Kailey Benson (Cowgirls Wrestling Club), 5-2

62

1st - Bella Williams (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) Dec. Carley Ceshker (B.A.M. Training Center), 6-0

3rd - Haylie Jaffe (Bearcat Wrestling Club) T.F. Naima Ghaffar (M3 wrestling academy), 10-0 (3:40)

5th - Jacinda Espinosa (Missouri) F. Brooklyn Perez (Valiant Wrestling Club), 1:04

7th - Ruby Julien-Newsom (Tornado Wrestling Club) F. Sophia Ball (SPAR), 1:57

62 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Bella Williams (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) T.F. Carley Ceshker (B.A.M. Training Center), 11-1 (5:12)

Champ. Round 2 - Bella Williams (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) Dec. Carley Ceshker (B.A.M. Training Center), 6-0

65

1st - Riley Hanrahan (Team Nazar Training Center) Dec. Maddie Marsh (Red Cobra Wrestling Academy), 2-1

3rd - Zoe Griffith (Vision Wrestling) T.F. Vivienne Gitke (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 12-2 (6:00)

5th - Violette Lasure (Team Pennsylvania) F. Ryen Hickey (Mile High Wrestling Club), 3:52

7th - Amelia Fawcett (Pioneer Grappling Academy) Dec. Zoe Fries (Missouri Baptist Wrestling Club), 12-7

65 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Riley Hanrahan (Team Nazar Training Center) Dec. Maddie Marsh (Red Cobra Wrestling Academy), 5-2

Champ. Round 2 - Riley Hanrahan (Team Nazar Training Center) Dec. Maddie Marsh (Red Cobra Wrestling Academy), 2-1

68

1st - Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. May Cuyler (Vision Wrestling), 11-0 ()

3rd - Olivia Davis (Somar Wrestling Club) F. Nora Akpan (Pinnacle Wrestling Club), 5:21

5th - Annelise Obermark (Storm RTC) T.F. Sydney Perry (Cardinal Wrestling Club), 10-0 (3:31)

7th - Margaret Buurma (Laker Wrestling Club) F. Timberly Martinez (MJ Mustangs Wrestling), 4:47

68 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. May Cuyler (Vision Wrestling), 14-4 (3:43)

Champ. Round 2 - Taina Fernandez (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. May Cuyler (Vision Wrestling), 11-0 (4:04)

72

1st - Jasmine Robinson (Army (WCAP)) T.F. Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club), 10-0 ()

3rd - Ella Poalillo (Iron Horse Wrestling Club) Dec. Kaylie Hall (Vision Wrestling), 9-6

5th - Hailey Sutton (Argo Wrestling Club) Dec. Kiley Dillow (Chanute Wrestling Club), 7-4

7th - Elizabeth Rosenstiel (Cardinal WC) Med. For. Belicia Manuel (Michigan Wrestling Academy),

72 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Jasmine Robinson (Army (WCAP)) T.F. Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:49)

Champ. Round 2 - Jasmine Robinson (Army (WCAP)) T.F. Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:59)

76

1st - Piper Fowler (Statesman Wrestling Club) Dec. Jael Miller (Cardinal WC), 7-5

3rd - Alexandria Alli (USOPTC Women's Resident Freestyle Program) T.F. Isabella Phillips (Gannon University), 11-0 (2:31)

5th - Naomi Simon (Iowa Womens Wrestling Club) Dec. Kathryn Hingano (Raider Wrestling Club), 7-0

7th - Samaria Barnett (Pioneer Wrestling Club) Dec. Sally Johnson (Mayhem WC), 8-4

76 Finals

Champ. Round 1 - Piper Fowler (Statesman Wrestling Club) Dec. Jael Miller (Cardinal WC), 9-3

Champ. Round 2 - Piper Fowler (Statesman Wrestling Club) Dec. Jael Miller (Cardinal WC), 7-5