2020 Bearcat Open: NCAA’s Best Teams Battle in Illinois

While the WCWA Nationals were happening in Marietta, GA, most of the top NCAA teams were on the mat in Lebanon, IL at the 2020 Bearcat Open. Only a month removed from the NCAA National Duals in Kentucky, where McKendree prevailed in the finals by 19-19 criteria win over Simon Fraser and where King took 3rd, the three powerhouse programs squared off again. When it was all over, Simon Fraser walked away with 5 champions, McKendree had 4 champions, and King had one. The tournament also included #4 ranked Colorado Mesa and #5 ranked Emmanuel, among the 24 total clubs & programs. There was no team placement at the Bearcat.

Top-ranked women competed at every weight class, but no class was deeper than 155. The group included McKendree national champion Alexandria Glaude, Simon Fraser’s Final X finalist Alyvia Fiske, All-Americans Kayla Marano of Emmanuel, Joye Levendusky of McKendree, and Gladdys Palma of Southern Oregon, along with McKendree alum Nahiela Magee of WCAP, who qualified for the Olympic Trials in December by taking 5th at Senior Nationals. Glaude faced Magee in the finals, prevailing in a 5-1 bout.

The tournament was not seeded, which set up odd situations where top-ranked wrestlers faced each other early in the tournament, sometimes eliminating one another before placement, like Simon Fraser’s 109-pound Alexia Seal, ranked #1 in our AWW December NCAA rankings, who lost to McKendree’s #4 ranked Carly Valleroy in the blood round. Or Emmanuel’s Angelina Gomez, ranked #1 earlier this season in our Multi-Divisional Rankings poll, lost to King’s #6 ranked Aleeah Gould in the blood round. At 155, after falling 4-0 to #1 ranked Alyvia Fiske in the quarters, #3 ranked Joye Levendusky fell by decision to Emmanuel’s Kayla Marano in the round of 12, a wrestler who was ranked #3 in our AWW NCAA rankings before her redshirt was announced.

Senior Nationals champ, Emma Bruntil of McKendree, who sat this one out, wrote a first-hand article for Wreaper Wrestling that lays out a number of storylines at the Bearcat Open. Read more here:

Top 5 Open Stories, by Emma Bruntil

RESULTS: TOP 6 AT THE 2020 BEARCAT OPEN

101 pounds
1st Place - Jackie McNichols of King University
2nd Place - Jennesis Martinez of Colorado Mesa University
3rd Place - Iesha Washington of Emmanuel College
4th Place - Alisha Elizalde of Ferrum College
5th Place - Kassidy Ramirez of Unattached
6th Place - Kaylie Catalano of Colorado Mesa University

1st Place Match
Jackie McNichols (King University) won by decision over Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa University) (Dec 2-1)

3rd Place Match
Iesha Washington (Emmanuel College) won by tech fall over Alisha Elizalde (Ferrum College) (TF 10-0)

5th Place Match
Kassidy Ramirez (Unattached) won by tech fall over Kaylie Catalano (Colorado Mesa University) (TF 11-0)

109 pounds
1st Place - Ciara Mccrae of Simon Fraser University
2nd Place - Macie Stewart of Southern Oregon University
3rd Place - Brooke Turber of UW-Stevens Point
4th Place - Natalie Reyna of McKendree University
5th Place - Aleeah Gould of King University
6th Place - Carly Valleroy of McKendree University

1st Place Match
Ciara Mccrae (Simon Fraser University) won by fall over Macie Stewart (Southern Oregon University) (Fall 1:16)

3rd Place Match
Brooke Turber (UW-Stevens Point) won by decision over Natalie Reyna (McKendree University) (Dec 9-4)

5th Place Match
Aleeah Gould (King University) won by tech fall over Carly Valleroy (McKendree University) (TF 11-0)

116 pounds
1st Place - Karla Godinez-Gonzalez of Simon Fraser University
2nd Place - Felicity Taylor of McKendree University
3rd Place - Emily Se of Emmanuel College
4th Place - Kasey Baynon of Lions Wrestling Club
5th Place - Tara Othman of Southern Oregon University
6th Place - Angelique Terrones-Cruz of Lindenwood University

1st Place Match
Karla Godinez-Gonzalez (Simon Fraser University) won by tech fall over Felicity Taylor (McKendree University) (TF 12-1)

3rd Place Match
Emily Se (Emmanuel College) won by tech fall over Kasey Baynon (Lions Wrestling CLub) (TF 10-0)

5th Place Match
Tara Othman (Southern Oregon University) won by decision over Angelique Terrones-Cruz (Lindenwood University) (Dec 8-2)

123 pounds
1st Place - Alexandra Hedrick of Simon Fraser University
2nd Place - Phoenix Dubose of King University
3rd Place - Jasmine Hernandez of Lyon College
4th Place - Payton Stroud of McKendree University
5th Place - Asia Nguyen-Smith of North Central College
6th Place - Glory Konecny of Southern Oregon University

1st Place Match
Alexandra Hedrick (Simon Fraser University) won by decision over Phoenix Dubose (King University) (Dec 8-3)

3rd Place Match
Jasmine Hernandez (Lyon College) won by decision over Payton Stroud (McKendree University) (Dec 8-0)

5th Place Match
Asia Nguyen-Smith (North Central College) won by decision over Glory Konecny (Southern Oregon University) (Dec 13-5)

130 pounds
1st Place - Lauren Mason of Simon Fraser University
2nd Place - Amanda Martinez of North Central College
3rd Place - Allison Petix of King University
4th Place - Shainia Murray of McKendree University
5th Place - Sierra Brown Ton of Colorado Mesa University
6th Place - Alexia Ward of McKendree University

1st Place Match
Lauren Mason (Simon Fraser University) won by tech fall over Amanda Martinez (North Central College) (TF 10-0)

3rd Place Match
Allison Petix (King University) won by tech fall over Shainia Murray (McKendree University) (TF 10-0)

5th Place Match
Sierra Brown Ton (Colorado Mesa University) won by forfeit over Alexia Ward (McKendree University) (FF)

136 pounds
1st Place - Nicole Depa of Simon Fraser University
2nd Place - Dalia Garibay of Colorado Mesa University
3rd Place - Diana Dzasezeva of Waldorf University
4th Place - Mia Dow of MacMurray College
5th Place - Salome Walker of Unattached (McK)
6th Place - Passion Hollins of Emmanuel College

1st Place Match
Nicole Depa (Simon Fraser University) won by tech fall over Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa University) (TF 10-0)

3rd Place Match
Diana Dzasezeva (Waldorf University) won by fall over Mia Dow (MacMurray College) (Fall 3:49)

5th Place Match
Salome Walker (Unattached (McK)) won by tech fall over Passion Hollins (Emmanuel College) (TF 10-0)

143 pounds
1st Place - Alara Boyd of McKendree University
2nd Place - Sienna Ramirez of Southern Oregon University
3rd Place - Sara Brinkac of Simon Fraser University
4th Place - Elissa Douglass of Lyon College
5th Place - Alma Mendoza of Colorado Mesa University
6th Place - Brooke-Lynn Rush of Missouri Valley College

1st Place Match
Alara Boyd (McKendree University) won by fall over Sienna Ramirez (Southern Oregon University) (Fall 1:17)

3rd Place Match
Sara Brinkac (Simon Fraser University) won by tech fall over Elissa Douglass (Lyon College) (TF 12-1)

5th Place Match
Alma Mendoza (Colorado Mesa University) won by decision over Brooke-Lynn Rush (Missouri Valley College) (Dec 8-2)

155 pounds
1st Place - Alexandria Glaude of McKendree University
2nd Place - Nahiela Magee of McKendree University
3rd Place - Alyvia Fiske of Simon Fraser University
4th Place - Kayla Marano of Lions Wrestling Club
5th Place - Gladdys Palma of Southern Oregon University
6th Place - Olivia Pizano of Southern Oregon University

1st Place Match
Alexandria Glaude (McKendree University) won by decision over Nahiela Magee (McKendree University) (Dec 5-1)

3rd Place Match
Alyvia Fiske (Simon Fraser University) won by tech fall over Kayla Marano (Lions Wrestling Club) (TF 10-0)

5th Place Match
Gladdys Palma (Southern Oregon University) won by decision over Olivia Pizano (Southern Oregon University) (Dec 2-1)

170 pounds
1st Place - Korinahe Bullock of McKendree University
2nd Place - Yelena Makoyed of North Central College
3rd Place - Jessika Rottier of UW-Stevens Point
4th Place - Hannah Gladden of Lions Wrestling Club
5th Place - Andrea Sennett of McKendree University
6th Place - Rebekah Trudel of Simon Fraser University

1st Place Match
Korinahe Bullock (McKendree University) won by decision over Yelena Makoyed (North Central College) (Dec 8-6)

3rd Place Match
Jessika Rottier (UW-Stevens Point) won by tech fall over Hannah Gladden (Lions Wrestling CLub) (TF 10-0)

5th Place Match
Andrea Sennett (McKendree University) won by fall over Rebekah Trudel (Simon Fraser University) (Fall 2:32)

191 pounds
1st Place - Sydnee Kimber of McKendree University
2nd Place - Emily Cue of Simon Fraser University
3rd Place - Cristina Santoyo of Emmanuel College
4th Place - Serena Woldring of Simon Fraser University
5th Place - Tavi Heidelberg of King University
6th Place - Andreia Langley of Ferrum College

1st Place Match
Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University) won by decision over Emily Cue (Simon Fraser University) (Dec 4-2)

3rd Place Match
Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel College) won by fall over Serena Woldring (Simon Fraser University) (Fall 2:11)

5th Place Match
Tavi Heidelberg (King University) won by fall over Andreia Langley (Ferrum College) (Fall 1:09)