2021 NCWWC Brackets Released

The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships will take place in Tiffin, OH, on March 6^th on the campus of Tiffin University. The NCWWC includes NCAA schools sponsoring women’s wrestling and is the NCAA-specific championship as part of the steps for the NCAA to award women’s wrestling championship status.

McKendree University (Lebanon, IL) won the inaugural NCWWC title in 2020 and returns by leading the field with 15 individual qualifiers. They dominated the final NWCA Coaches Rankings for NCAA Women with #1 ranked wrestlers in four of the ten weight classes plus four more ranked #2. With returning champions Pauline Granado (currently #3 at 101; 2020 Champion at 101), Emma Bruntil (currently #1 at 143; 2020 champion at 136), and Sydney Kimber (currently #1 at 191; 2020 champion at 191), Sam Schmitz’s Bearcats are poised to make another championship run.

In addition to McKendree’s three returning champions, Augsburg’s Emily Shilson returns in her sophomore season as the top ranked 109-pound wrestler after a dominating performance last season that earned the Outstanding Wrestler award by pinning Sugey Ceja (Tiffin). Ceja is one of eight returning runner-up finishers from a year ago. Felicity Taylor (McKendree), Cheyenne Sisenstein (King), Amanda Martinez (North Central), Dalia Garibay (Colorado Mesa), Alara Boyd (McKendree), Yelena Makoyed (North Central), and Tavi Heidelberg-Tollson (King) were runner-up finishers last year, too.

The recent release of the brackets for the 2021 tournament has the women’s wrestling community excited. The depth and quality of the wrestlers who advanced from the four regional qualifiers is impressive. The champions at each weight class with qualify for the 2021 US Olympic Team Trials.

The 116-pound bracket is of note because the top two seeds finished 2^nd last year. Felicity Taylor (McKendree) and Sugey Ceja (Tiffin) were at different weight classes last year, however, Jaslyn Gallegos (Presbyterian) may have an impact on whether the top seeds will see each other in the finals.

One of the most talented weight classes of the tournament is 130-pounds.  Cameron Geurin (McKendree) is the top seed and has had a lot of success at the national scene. This is her first national championships competing for a collegiate team.  Returning All-Americans Amanda Martinez (North Central), Phoenix Dubose (King), Gabrielle Skidmore (Augsburg), and Allison Petix (King) are only some of the big names at this weight.

143-pounds is an intriguing weight class with Emma Bruntil bumping up a weight class from a year ago.  Past WCWA and age level national champion Ashlynn Ortega (King), Morgan Norris (Presbyterian) and Felicity Bryant (Emmanuel) will be factors at this difficult weight class.

Another exciting weight class will be 155-pounds. Kayla Marano (Emmanuel) is the top-ranked and top-seeded wrestler, however, Alara Boyd (McKendree) has a Cadet World Silver and Bronze medal on her resume, as well as a runner-up finish last year. Marlynne Deede (Augsburg) and  Viktorya Torres (King) are the 3^rd and 4^th seeds. 

One more stacked bracket is 170-pounds. Yelena Makoyed (North Central), last year’s runner-up, is the top seed and Joye Levendusky (McKendree) is #2.  Third seeded freshman Tristan Kelly (Colorado Mesa) brings a lot of age level success with her.

The NCWWC will be streamed live on TrackWrestling on Saturday, March 6th. 

BRACKETS