Oklahoma City returning WCWA national champion Joey Miller. Photo courtesy of OCU Athletics

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Oklahoma City University, which has won four straight national titles, has put the most athletes into the semifinals of the WCWA Women’s College Nationals with 11.

Host King College, second last year at the national tournament, is next with 10 semifinalists. Simon Fraser, which entered the tournament as the No. 1 ranked team in the WCWA, put eight into the semifinals.

There are no team standings published at this time, but these three teams are well ahead of the other 14 teams in the field. The WCWA team scoring is entirely based upon the final placements of the athletes.

All 10 No. 1 seeded wrestlers advanced to the semifinals. 

The only unseeded wrestler to reach the semifinals was Simon Fraser’s Bailey Halvorson, who defeated No. 3 seed Tamyra Mensah of Wayland Baptist in her first match, then stopped No. 6 seed Crystal Borrow of Lindenwood in her second bout. She draws No. 2 seed Stephanie Geltmacher of Oklahoma City in the semifinals.

All three Simon Fraser wrestlers who have won two WCWA National titles and are aiming for their third have advanced to the semifinals: Victoria Anthony at 109 pounds, Helen Maroulis at 130 pounds and Danielle Lappage at 150 pounds. 

Other past WCWA champions in the semifinals are Emily Webster of Oklahoma City (101), Emily Martin of King (109), Joey Miller of Oklahoma City (116), Shauna Isbell of Lindenwood (130) and Justina DiStasio of Simon Fraser (170).

This is the first year that the WCWA Nationals has been held over two days, due to the growth of the tournament. There are 17 teams entered and 197 entries, both new records for the event. This is the 10th year in which a women’s college national tournament has been held.

WCWA WOMEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Bristol, Tenn., January 25

Semifinal pairings

101 pounds
No. 1 Emily Webster (OCU) vs. No. 4 Shannon Constantine (King)
No. 2 Darby Huckle (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 6 Caitlyn Chase (Missouri Baptist)

109 pounds
No. 1 Victoria Anthony (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 4 Kristi Garr (OCU)
No. 2 Emily Martin (King) vs. No. 3 Amy Fearnside (Jamestown)

116 pounds
No. 1 Joey Miller (OCU) vs. No. 4 Kayla Brendlinger (King)
No. 2 Jacarra Winchester (Missouri Valley) vs. No. 3 Samantha Klingel (King)

123 pounds
No. 1 Sarah Hildebrandt (King) vs. No. 4 Tiffany Sluik (Jamestown)
No. 2 Kat Perez (King) vs. No. 6 Brieana Delgado (OCU)

130 pounds
No. 1 Helen Maroulis (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 4 Audrey Morehouse (OCU)
No. 2 Shauna Isbell (Lindenwood) vs. No. 3 Randi Beltz (Missouri Valley)

136 pounds
No. 1 Ali Ragan (King) vs. unseeded Kayla Aggio (OCU)
No. 2 Monica Ramirez (Lindenwood) vs. No. 3 Beatrize Martinez (OCU)

143 pounds
No. 1 Racheal Shannon (Lindenwood) vs. No. 4 Sidney Morrison (Simon Fraser)
No. 2 Stephanie Geltmacher (OCU) vs. unseeded Bailey Halvorson (Simon Fraser)

155 pounds
No. 1 Danielle Lappage (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 4 Christina Zamora (Jamestown)
No. 2 Julia Salata (King) vs. No. 3 Demi Strub (OCU)

170 pounds
No. 1 Justina DiStasio (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 5 Lorrie Ramos (King)
No. 2 Brittney Roberts (OCU) vs. No. 3 Brittany David (Lindenwood)

191 pounds
No. 1 Jenna McLatchy (Simon Fraser) vs. No. 4 Malexis McAdoo (King)
No. 2 Heather O’Connor (OCU) vs. No. 3 Angela Vyborny (Wayland Baptist)

Semifinalists
Oklahoma City, 11
King College, 10
Simon Fraser, 8
Lindenwood, 4
Jamestown, 3
Missouri Valley 2
Wayland Baptist, 1
Missouri Baptist, 1