15 Breakout Performances at NCAA's National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships
Adrian’s Zoe Nowicki won her first NCWWC national title in Adrian.
by Derek Levendusky
@AWWderek
Breakout performances. It doesn’t necessarily mean they weren’t good before, over-performed, or even or surprised anyone. It just means one of several things:
1) That we in the wrestling community did not know them like we do now after their performance on the big stage of the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships a few weekends ago in Adrian, Michigan.
2) They finally reached the top after years of “almost.”
So here’s our top 15 breakout performances from this year’s NCAA Invite. Remember their names because many of them will be in the mix for the next few years in women’s college wrestling, and perhaps even beyond that.
15. #4 seed Maddie Mackenzie (Simon Fraser), freshman, 6th at 101
Mackenzie came into the tournament undefeated, and though she didn’t finish undefeated, anyone who saw her matches knows she was a tough out even in her losses. She took the semi slide, but making the podium at this weight as a freshman is impressive. One of her wins was over #5 Samantha Miller in the quarters though she lost the rematch in the 5th place match. Look for Mackenzie to be a contender for the next few years in women’s college wrestling.
14. #5 seed Cayden Condit (Lindenwood University), freshman, 4th at 123
Look at who finished ahead of Condit—Hedrick, Sisenstein & Gallegos. All experienced and accomplished wrestlers in college and Senior level wrestling. Get the picture? Condit was fourth. The freshman is already looking at the front of the pack. She had wins in Adrian over All-Americans Melanie Mendoza and Gabby Skidmore. The force is strong with this one.
13. Unseeded Mia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg University), sophomore, 4th at 130
After a standout high school career, where she made the 2021 Junior World team, won multiple national titles, and two Pan Am medals, big things were expected for Macaluso on the college scene. That said, a 2020-2021 Covid layoff at East Stroudsburg kept her from doing anything at the college level, until now. She walked the razor’s edge in the blood round, earning a 6-6 criteria win over Augsburg’s Autumn Flanigan, needing a 5-point suplex to get it, but then the sophomore beat #1 Delawder and a rematch against #6 Mottola to make the 3rd place match. Macaluso finally made her mark in college and earned the coveted All-American distinction in a very tough weight class.
12. Unseeded Jayleen Sekona (Colorado Mesa University), freshman, 3rd at 191
She came into the tournament unseeded, but pulled upsets all the way to placing third. On the front side, she defeated #3 seeded 4x All-American Nia Crosdale (King) in the quarters. Then after falling to #2 seed Jaycee Foeller in the semis, she beat #5 seeded Katja Osteen (SFU) in the Consi Semis, then Crosdale again in the 3rd place match. What a run for the Colorado Mesa freshman!
11. #4 seed Skye Realin (McKendree University), freshman, 4th at 136
More freshman power. After falling to #5 seeded Nina Makem (Augsburg), the #4 seeded Realin went on an impressive run on the backside all the way to the 3rd place match, where she fell to #1 seed Ana Luciano 9-4. Realin will be on everyone’s radar for years to come.
10. Unseeded Nyla Burgess (Adrian College), freshman, 4th at 155
She may be relatively unknown in the U.S., though the Canadian has had significant accolades in her country, earning a gold medal at the 2021 Junior Pan American Championships. You never know who might sneak onto a college roster! If anyone in women’s college wrestling didn’t know who she was before Adrian, they do now. The Adrian freshman beat two All-Americans to make the 3rd place match.
9. Unseeded Danielle Garcia (King University), sophomore, 5th at 109
Of course teammate Samara Chavez took 3rd at this weight, but if we’re discussing breakouts, we’ve got to mention Danielle Garcia. The redshirt sophomore out of California finally hit the podium in her third year on the King roster, picking up some solid wins over All-American opponents along the way.
8. #9 seed Gabriela Ramos Diaz (Limestone College), junior, 5th at 116
After a disappointing exit to the tournament last season, where she went 1-2, the junior out of Puerto Rico hit the podium at fifth this year, with wins over a whopping four All-Americans to achieve her spot. In fact, Ramos Diaz didn’t have a single match against an opponent that wasn’t a current or previous All-American. Yikes. 5th place is looking pretty stellar.
7. #8 seed Madison Sandquist (Sacred Heart University), freshman, 3rd at 143
Who is Madison Sandquist? She’s the third best NCAA 143 in the country, that’s who. The Texas freshman at D1 program Sacred Heart put together a phenomenal two days in Adrian, well outperforming her seed, losing only to #1 seed Alara Boyd, and earning wins over #3 Kaylee Lacy (Colorado Mesa) and #6 Avia Bibeau (East Stroudsburg). Impressed yet? Yeah, me too. The freshman finished 29-7 on the season.
6. #6 seed Sydney Petzinger (North Central College), freshman, 2nd at 109
The freshman from New Jersey had an outstanding season, tallying a 30-9 record, and made the final of this year’s NCWWC, outperforming her #6 seed with a second place finish. Her wins included victories over the #3 seeded Alexia Seal (SFU) in the quarters and the #2 seeded Samara Chavez (King) in the semis. What weekend in Adrian and what a year for the freshman from North Central!
5. #8 seed Niya Teresita Gaines (North Central College), sophomore, 2nd at 130
We wrote in our preview that 130 was one of the toughest weight classes, all the more reason to mention the Cinderella run of North Central’s Niya Gaines all the way to the finals. Her magical run included wins over #4 Claire DiCugno (Colorado Mesa), a 2021 Junior World team member, and #1 Montana Delawder (King). She fell short in the finals to returning champ Cam Guerin, but what a performance for the sophomore!
4. #5 Blanche `Nina` Kemu Makem (Augsburg University), freshman, 2nd at 136
Can you ask much more from the freshman from Augsburg? She blast-doubled her way to the finals, taking the #1 seed Ana Luciano of King 8-7 in the semis, and that was after getting by another young star, McKendree’s Skye Realin, 12-6 in the quarters. In fact, if they gave out OW’s for second place finishers, I think many people who watched this tournament might give it to Nina Makem. She finished her season 30-6.
3. #2 seeded Ashlynn Ortega (King University), senior, 143 National Champion
She finished third, third, second in previous years. This year? National champ. And she beat rival Alara Boyd to do it. What a moment for the senior! It must be even sweeter after waiting so long to achieve it.
2. #2 seed Zoe Nowicki (Adrian College), senior, 136 National Champion
Nowicki won a WCWA title in 2020, but hadn’t placed higher than 5th at the NCAA event. Now she owns an NCWWC national title, taking down another breakout talent in the finals, Nina Makem of Augsburg. Nowicki finished her season 37-1 and if she walks away from women’s college wrestling, does so as a 2x national champion.
1. Alyvia Fiske (Simon Fraser), senior, 155 National Champion
Finally. Alyvia Fiske is a college national champion. The 2019 U.S. Open winner got it done in Adrian, after placing third twice in previous years. And she did it in dramatic fashion, getting a go-ahead takedown right at the end of the second period to defeat McKendree’s Kayla Marano 3-2.
Honorable mentions:
#5 seed Samantha Miller (Presbyterian), sophomore, 5th at 101
The Presbyterian sophomore has been good for a while. In fact, she took 6th last season at this event. If you don’t know her, it’s time you do. The 2x All-American posted a 19-4 record this season after a 6-7 freshman campaign. Looks like a breakout performance—and season—in a very tough weight class for Miller.
Others:
Kat Pendergrass (Gannon) 8th at 101
Amani Jones (North Central) 6th at 123 (though she was really no secret)
Julianne Moccia (Gannon University) 7th at 109
Angelina Graff (North Central College) 8th at 109
Kendra Ryan (North Central) 6th at 116
Ainslie Lane (Presbyterian) 8th at 116
Solana Mottola (Tiffin) 5th at 130
Claire DiCugno (Colorado Mesa) 6th at 130 (again, no big surprise from the world teamer)
Anya Knappenberger (Gannon) 8th at 130
Emmily Patneaud (McKendree University) 5th at 136
Holly Beaudoin (Colorado Mesa) 6th at 136
Avia Bibeau (East Stroudsburg) 5th at 143
Riley Aamold (North Central) 6th at 143
Kim Nunez (North Central) 7th at 143
Khadijah Sanusi (Sacred Heart) 8th at 143
Skylah Chakouian (Elmira) 8th at 155
Tiera Jimerson (North Central) 6th at 155
Cheyenne Bowman (King University) 5th at 170 (no shock here as she was freshman #1 seed)
Jade Herzer (UWSP) 6th at 170
Tatum Heikkila (Colorado Mesa) 7th at 170
Jacklyn Smith (Sacred Heart) 8th at 170
Jaycee Foeller (McKendree University) 2nd at 191 (though she wasn’t really a surprise)
Katja Osteen (SFU) 6th at 191
Sandra Guerrero (NJC) 7th at 191
Journey Land (Limestone) 8th at 191