Wrestling Room at Superior Dome | Northern Michigan University Athletics
Wrestling Room at Superior Dome | Northern Michigan University Athletics
The Northern Michigan women's wrestling team secured a third-place finish out of eight teams at the NCWWC Regional Qualifier held in Adrian, Michigan. The event saw Yu Sakamoto win a regional title, with Alissa Caltagirone and Kailyn Garrett also advancing to the National Championship.
Competing against eight Midwest teams, Northern Michigan scored 83.5 points to take third place. North Central narrowly won over Grand Valley with scores of 173.0 and 171.5 respectively.
Sakamoto stood out in the 117 weight class, achieving two technical fall victories to reach the finals. Trailing 1-0 after round one, she gained two points early in the second round and secured victory by fall at 3:47. "She is just the second regional champion in the program's four-year history."
In other results, Caltagirone earned bronze at 138 pounds with four wins, including a decision in her final match for third place. Garrett placed fourth at 207 pounds with three wins.
Sara Schroder (117), Sophia Bassino (160), Clarissa Wangen (180), Zhivanna Magdaleno (124), and Ozioma Ogu (207) also placed within the top six for Northern Michigan.
Sakamoto advanced through her matches with decisive victories by technical fall against opponents from Carthage College and Grand Valley State before defeating Sydney Petzinger from North Central College in the final bout.
Caltagirone's journey included a swift win by fall and subsequent victories leading to her podium finish. Meanwhile, Garrett’s performance included a victory over teammate Ogu in the consolation semifinals before finishing fourth overall.
Looking ahead, Sakamoto, Caltagirone, and Garrett will compete at the National Championships scheduled for March 7-8 in Coralville, Iowa.
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