By Richard Immel
USA Wrestling

SPOKANE, Washington – Senior World Team members Cristelle Rodriguez and Adaugo Nwachukwu secured repeat titles in the U23 division with dominant performances in the finals on Sunday afternoon at the 2026 USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals.

Rodriguez, a U20 World champion and three-time NAIA champion, swept 2025 U23 Pan American bronze medalist Sydney Petzinger in straight matches, 12-2 and 14-4, for the 53 kg title. Including the championship series, Rodriguez wrestled six matches, with six technical falls as a result. She put up 74 match points to her opponents’ 13.

After narrow wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals, Nwachukwu cut loose in a championship series win over Claire DiCugno at 62 kg. The 2022 U17 World bronze medalist and five-time age-group World Team member notched an 11-1 technical fall in round one before cementing the series with a 12-second pin in round two.

An instant classic best-of-three series took place between 2024 U23 World champion Sage Mortimer and two-time U17 World champion Morgan Turner at 50 kg. It was a punishing series from a physicality standpoint, and points were aplenty. Mortimer appeared in control with a 14-5 win in round one. However, Turner stole the momentum and won the next two rounds by decision, 9-9 and 12-9.

Turner was named Outstanding Wrestler in the U23 division, an honor she also collected in the U20 division on Friday.

A second U20 division champion completed the double in Spokane. 2025 U20 World champion Everest Leydecker took the 57 kg championship series two matches to one over four-time college All-American Sara Sterner. After an 11-0 win in round one, it appeared Leydecker would cruise to the finish. However, Sterner converted a headlock to pin Leydecker in round two, a favor Leydecker returned in round three.

Two other championship series went the distance, with Annelise Obermark taking the 68 kg title in three matches over Noelle Gaffney and Alexandria Alli doing the same against Shenita Lawson at 76 kg.

The upset special of the day was three-time age-group World medalist Alexis Janiak dropping the 59 kg final in straight matches to 2019 U17 World Team member and NCAA All-American Alexandra Szkotnicki.

Additional champions in the U23 division were Karissa Turnwall at 55 kg, Nina Makem at 65 kg and Taylor Graveman at 72 kg.

The 10 U23 division champions are in prime position to represent Team USA at the 2026 U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, this October. The U23 World Team spot goes to the U23 national champion unless a higher-ranking, age-eligible Senior National Team member elects to take the roster spot.

Watch all the matches from the USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals on-demand at FloWrestling. Brackets and final results are available on USA Bracketing.

2026 USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals 

April 12, The Podium, Spokane, Washington  

Reference Links 

• Event website

• Live stream

• Brackets

• Photos

U23 Women  

Best-of-Three Championship Series Results 

50 kg 

Morgan Turner (All I See Is Gold Academy/Titan Mercury WC) defeats Sage Mortimer (Titan Mercury WC), two matches to one

Round 1 – Mortimer dec. Turner, 14-5

Round 2 – Turner dec. Mortimer, 9-9

Round 3 – Turner dec. Mortimer, 12-9

53 kg 

Cristelle Rodriguez (Titan Mercury WC) defeats Sydney Petzinger (Cardinal WC), two matches to none

Round 1 – Rodriguez tech. fall Petzinger, 12-2

Round 2 – Rodriguez tech. fall Petzinger, 14-4

55 kg 

Karissa Turnwall (Emmanuel Training Center) defeats Alexandra Waitsman (The Nest WC), two matches to none

Round 1 – Turnwall dec. Waitsman, 10-5

Round 2 – Turnwall dec. Waitsman, 6-2

57 kg 

Everest Leydecker (Thorobred/NYAC) defeats Sara Sterner (Cardinal WC), two matches to one

Round 1 – Leydecker tech. fall Sterner, 11-0

Round 2 – Sterner fall Leydecker, 5:11

Round 3 – Leydecker fall Sterner, 2:17

59 kg 

Alexandra Szkotnicki (Bearcat WC) defeats Alexis Janiak (Titan Mercury WC), two matches to none

Round 1 – Szkotnicki fall Janiak, 4:46

Round 2 – Szkotnicki dec. Janiak, 11-6

62 kg 

Adaugo Nwachukwu (Army WCAP) defeats Claire DiCugno (Cardinal WC), two matches to none

Round 1 – Nwachukwu tech. fall DiCugno, 11-1

Round 2 – Nwachukwu fall DiCugno, 0:12

65 kg 

Nina Makem (NYAC/Storm) defeats Bella Williams (Iowa Women’s WC), two matches to none

Round 1 – Makem tech. fall Williams, 10-0

Round 2 – Makem tech. fall Williams, 10-0

68 kg 

Annelise Obermark (Storm RTC) defeats Noelle Gaffney (Laker WC), two matches to one

Round 1 – Gaffney dec. Obermark, 2-1

Round 2 – Obermark dec. Gaffney, 10-3

Round 3 – Obermark fall Gaffney, 2:13

72 kg 

Taylor Graveman (Cardinal WC) defeats Shannon Workinger (Quincy Regulator Wrestling), two matches to none

Round 1 – Graveman dec. Workinger, 13-11

Round 2 – Graveman dec. Workinger, 9-6

76 kg 

Alexandria Alli (USOPTC) defeats Shenita Lawson (Cardinal WC), two matches to one

Round 1 – Alli dec. Lawson, 9-0

Round 2 – Lawson dec. Alli, 8-6

Round 3 – Alli dec. Lawson, 5-3

Medal Match Results 

50 kg 

3rd - Jaclyn Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary) forfeit Mia Palumbo (Statesmen WC),

5th - Isabel Kaplan (Central Indiana Academy Of Wrestling) dec. Kaelani Shufeldt (Cardinal WC), 11-9

7th - Katey Valdez (Army WCAP) fall Ava Fodera (Poway Wrestling), 5:21

53 kg 

3rd - Christina Estrada (Dethrone WC) tech. fall Clare Booe (West Point WC), 10-0

5th - Ava Bayless (Iowa Women’s WC) tech. fall Kinzie Williams (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 11-0

7th - Taylin Long (Hawks WC) fall Mariana Gonzalez (California), 2:19

55 kg 

3rd - Elena Ivaldi (California) fall Cali Leng (Iowa Women’s WC), 3:40

5th - Jenna Anderson (Vision Wrestling) fall I-Cart Galumette (Hornets WC), 0:38

7th - Haley Narahara (Menlo WC) forfeit Savannah Witt (Eagle WC)

57 kg 

3rd - Tonya Flournory (Pembroke RTC) dec. Aspen Blasko (Pinnacle WC), 12-6

5th - Brianna Holcomb (Maryland) fall Ellabelle Taylor (Washington), 1:48

7th - Ava Ebrahimi (Poway RTC) dec. Kandice Spry (Beast Mode Wrestling), 3-1

59 kg 

3rd - Sarah Savidge (Army (WCAP)) tech. fall Grace Stem (Cardinal WC), 16-4

5th - Jennifer Soto (Tarleton WC) dec. Emily Frost (Iowa Women’s WC), 7-6

7th - Cassia Zammit (Hilltopper WC) fall Shelby Moore (Bearcat WC), 3:12

62 kg 

3rd - SaVannah Cosme (Southwest WC) tech. fall Skye Realin (Iowa Women’s WC), 10-0 (3:13)

5th - Hanna Errthum (USOPTC) fall Caley Graber (Summit Wrestling Academy), 4:53

7th - Ruby Julien-Newsom (Tornado WC) fall Emma Bacon (Titan Mercury WC), 0:33

65 kg 

3rd - London Houston (Mat Demon WC) tech. fall Maddie Kubicki (Vision Wrestling), 10-0

5th - Paige Wehrmeister (Missouri) tech. fall Violette Lasure (Team Pennsylvania), 12-2

7th - Kaiulani Garcia (Cowgirls WC) fall Jordyn Parker (Best Trained Wrestling), 0:56

68 kg 

3rd - Darby Weidl (Lucky Duck WC) dec. Liv Wieber (The Factory WC), 9-6

5th - Selina Moore (Team Worldwide Wrestling Academy LLC) fall Elise Twait (Argo WC), 1:36

7th - Clarissa Agostini (Laker WC) fall Amelia Fawcett (Pioneer Grappling Academy), 1:05

72 kg 

3rd - Stella Steigler (Team Tornado WC) fall Margaret Buurma (Laker WC), 4:55

5th - Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa WC) tech. fall Rebecca Strong (Missouri), 10-0

7th - Ella Poalillo (Iron Horse WC) fall Love Daley (Maryland), 0:57

76 kg 

3rd - Madison Sandquist (Rise RTC) tech. fall Caitlyn Davis (Cowgirls WC), 10-0

5th - Teagan McGuinness (Team Worldwide Wrestling Academy LLC) dec. Azariah Moore (Mat-Town WC), 11-5

7th - Keeley Kehrli (Storm RTC) fall Isabella Gretzinger (Vision Wrestling), 0:21

Semifinal Results 

50 kg 

Sage Mortimer (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Mia Palumbo (Statesmen WC), 12-1

Morgan Turner (All I See Is Gold Academy/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Jaclyn Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary), 8-0

53 kg 

Cristelle Rodriguez (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Clare Booe (West Point WC), 10-0

Sydney Petzinger (Cardinal WC) tech. fall Ava Bayless (Iowa Women’s WC), 10-0

55 kg 

Karissa Turnwall (Emmanuel Training Center) fall Elena Ivaldi (California), 1:42

Alexandra Waitsman (The Nest WC) dec. Cali Leng (Iowa Women’s WC), 3-1

57 kg 

Everest Leydecker (Thorobred/NYAC) fall Aspen Blasko (Pinnacle WC), 2:13

Sara Sterner (Cardinal WC) tech. fall Tonya Flournory (Pembroke RTC), 10-0

59 kg 

Alexis Janiak (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Sarah Savidge (Army WCAP), 14-2

Alexandra Szkotnicki (Bearcat WC) fall Grace Stem (Cardinal WC), 1:12

62 kg 

Adaugo Nwachukwu (Army WCAP) dec. SaVannah Cosme (Southwest WC), 2-2

Claire DiCugno (Cardinal WC) tech. fall Caley Graber (Summit Wrestling Academy), 10-0

65 kg 

Bella Williams (Iowa Women’s WC) dec. Maddie Kubicki (Vision Wrestling), 2-1

Nina Makem (NYAC/Storm) fall London Houston (Mat Demon WC), 0:28

68 kg 

Noelle Gaffney (Laker WC) fall Elise Twait (Argo WC), 4:21

Annelise Obermark (Storm RTC) dec. Darby Weidl (Lucky Duck WC), 8-5

72 kg 

Shannon Workinger (Quincy Regulator Wrestling) fall Rebecca Strong (Missouri), 3:49

Taylor Graveman (Cardinal WC) dec. Stella Steigler (Team Tornado WC), 6-5

76 kg 

Shenita Lawson (Cardinal WC) tech. fall Teagan McGuinness (Team Worldwide Wrestling Academy LLC), 10-0

Alexandria Alli (USOPTC) dec. Caitlyn Davis (Cowgirls WC), 6-2