GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa women's wrestling team hosted the Maverick Open in Brownson Arena. The open tournament featured nine total teams with NCAA, NAIA and NWCA teams and 84 total wrestlers on two mats.
The Mavericks came away with five of the ten total individual champions and 12 top three finishes in the tournament.
Freshman
Claire DiCugno won the title at 130 pounds after nearly tech falling her way through the bracket. The Lake Tapps, Wash. native's closest match came in the quarterfinals where she defeated Wayland Baptist's Deanna Prince 4-2. She earned an 11-0 technical fall win over teammate
Slate Delsman in the semifinals and defeated Dixie State's Robin Yunis in the final 10-0.
Redshirt junior
Kaylee Lacy (Haynes) earned her second straight trip to the podium after winning the 143-pound final by pin at 1:44 over Leanna Souza of Wayland Baptist. The Grand Junction native went 3-0 on the day with all three wins coming via the fall. She defeated Chadron State's Karstin Hollen in the quarters and Wayland Baptist's Sadie Foreman in the semis.
Three straight technical fall victories gave redshirt freshman
Zoe Gress the 155-pound title on Saturday. Gress picked up an 11-1 win over Anyakaa Besco of Dixie State before a 13-0 win over Chaeyenne Williams of Ottawa in the semifinals. The Hoosick Falls, N.Y. native defeated Vanessa Ceja of Wayland Baptist in the final, 11-0.
Freshman
Tatum Heikkila went 4-0 to secure the 170-pound title. In her first collegiate appearance, Heikkila earned a narrow 8-6 win in her opening match before back-to-back pins led her to the final. In the championship bout, she came away with a 14-4 technical fall win over teammate
Alex Brulotte.
It took Meleena Jones just two wins to earn her crown at 191-pounds. Jones earned a 10-0 technical fall in her opening match before a forfeit in the semifinals gave way to a 52 second pin of teammate
Jayleen Sekona in the final.
Kaylie Catalano (101),
Maya Cortes (109),
Anja Tschohl (116),
Alexis Allen (116),
Lillian Broadrick (123),
Ja'mae Barnes (130),
Jolynn Harris (136), and
Erica Schroeder (136) all finished in the top four at their respective weights as well.
Colorado Mesa will host Dixie State in a dual tomorrow at 12pm in Brownson Arena. Following that, they will be off until Saturday December 4 when they travel to Great Falls, Mont. for the Rocky Mountain Inviational.
