Women's College Wrestling 5x All-Americans

Southern Oregon’s Joye Levendusky. Photo courtesy of Marissa Kurtz Photography

It’s very hard to become a college All-American. Imagine the work and skill it takes to become a 5x All-American? In the history of women’s college wrestling, since the college divisions have been providing national invitationals and national championships, there have been 13 women that have accomplished the unique and rare feat of becoming 5x All-Americans. It’s 14 if you add 2019 NAIA Honorable Mentions.

Last weekend in Jamestown, two women were added to that list at NAIA Nationals—Southern Oregon’s Joye Levendusky and Cumberlands’ Dymond Guilford. Guilford also became a 4x national champion with her victory over Levendusky in the finals. The previous weekend, McKendree’s Emily Shilson joined the list when she won her 5th national title at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.

How is it possible to be a 5x All-American?

A series of events has created this rare breed of All-American, as earning the moniker five times is not possible under normal circumstances and likely will not be possible in the future.

In 2019, during the advent of multi-division championships, the WCWA provided a national championship for all divisions as they had been doing since 2011. That same year, the NAIA programs hosted their first-ever National Championship Invite, which created the possibility of being an All-American twice that year. If a wrestler made the podium at both of those events and was an All-American in their three other seasons, they are a 5x All-American.

Please note that in 2019 at the inaugural NAIA Invitational Championship, only the top 4 were considered All-Americans. Those who placed 5th-8th place were considered honorable mentions.

Then in 2020, the WCWA offered their final national championship. That was also the first year that NCAA programs hosted the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC). If a wrestler placed at both of those events and was an All-American in their other three seasons, they are a 5x All-American.

In 2021, the NCAA gave a “pass” to anyone competing in the NCWWC as part of the “Covid year.” So anyone who placed at that event and also placed in their other four seasons is a 5-timer.

McKayla Campbell is the only 6x All-American, as she made the podium at three WCWA national championships (2018-2020) and three NAIA Championships (2019, 2021-2022).

There will possibly be a few more added to this group in the next few years, but here’s the list of 5x All-Americans. (If we missed any, please contact us, but this is what we found in our research).

Nina Pham (101) - Gray’s Harbor (2018), Wayland Baptist (2019-2022)
2018 7th WCWA
2019 3rd WCWA
2019 2nd NAIA
2021 1st NAIA
2022 1st NAIA

Asia Ray (101/109) - Wayland Baptist (2018-2022)
2018 3rd WCWA
2019 1st WCWA
2019 1st NAIA
2021 2nd NAIA
2022 6th NAIA

Emily Shilson (109) - Augsburg (2020-2022), McKendree (2023)
2020 1st WCWA
2020-2023 1st NCWWC 4x

Campbellsville’s McKayla Campbell (2018-2022) was a 6x All-American for the Tigers. Photo courtesy of Campbellsville Athletics.

McKayla Campbell (109/116) - Campbellsville (2018-2022)
2018 4th WCWA
2019 2nd WCWA
2019 2nd NAIA
2020 2nd WCWA
2021 1st NAIA
2022 6th NAIA

Jaslynn Gallegos (116) - Presbyterian (2020-2022), North Central (2023)
2020 1st WCWA
2020 4th NCWWC
2021 3rd NCWWC
2022 4th NCWWC
2023 1st NCWWC

Koral Sugiyama (123/130/136) - Campbellsville (2016-2019)
2016 7th WCWA
2018 5th WCWA
2017 3rd WCWA
2019 4th WCWA
2019 2nd NAIA

Ana Luciano (136/143) - King (2019-2023)
2019 6th WCWA
2020 4th NCWWC
2021 2nd NCWWC
2022 3rd NCWWC
2023 1st NCWWC

Destiny Lyng (136/143) - Oklahoma City (2019-2022)
2019 3rd NAIA
2019 7th WCWA
2020 4th WCWA
2021 5th NAIA
2022 1st NAIA

Ashlynn Ortega (143) - King (2019-2023)
2019 3rd WCWA
2020 3rd NCWWC
2021 2nd NCWWC
2022 1st NCWWC
2023 2nd NCWWC

Sienna Ramirez (143/155) - Southern Oregon (2018-2022)
2018 6th WCWA
2019 5th WCWA
2019 5th NAIA*
2021 1st NAIA
2022 3rd NAIA
*In 2019, the NAIA only named the top 4 as All-Americans, 5th-8th were Honorable Mention AA’s.

Mariah Harris (155/170) - Campbellsville (2017-2020)
2017 7th WCWA
2018 2nd WCWA
2019 4th NAIA
2019 3rd WCWA
2020 1st WCWA

Joye Levendusky (155/170) - McKendree (2019-2022), Southern Oregon (2023)
2019 7th WCWA
2020 4th NCWWC
2021 2nd NCWWC
2022 2nd NCWWC
2023 2nd NAIA

Cumberlands and Team USA member Dymond Guilford not only became a 4x national champion last weekend, but also joined the ranks of 5x All-Americans. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo/WrestlersAreWarriors.com

Dymond Guilford (170) - Missouri Baptist (2018-2019), Cumberlands (2022-2023)
2018 4th WCWA
2019 1st WCWA
2019 1st NAIA
2022 1st NAIA
2023 1st NAIA

Alexandra Castillo (170/191) - Campbellsville (2019-2021), McKendree (2023)
2019 5th NAIA
2019 7th WCWA
2020 1st WCWA
2021 2nd NAIA
2023 5th NCWWC