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Liberty University Club Sports
LU Mid-Atlantic Conference Qualifier
Liberty women’s wrestling prepares for nationals
3/1/2023 1:30:00 PM | Women's Wrestling
Liberty University's women's wrestling team recorded multiple solid performances throughout the 2023 season as it set its sights on the March 9-11 NCWA Grand National Duals in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with nine Lady Flames qualifying to compete.
The Lady Flames began the semester at the Robert Horton Memorial Tournament, which was hosted by Emmanuel (Ga.) College. The following weekend, on Jan. 28, the team competed and finished first at the NCWA Regional Duals at James Madison University.
"We've seen a lot of growth as a team in general and as individual athletes," Head Coach Charisse McIlhenny said. "A good portion of our team is new to the sport, so the first semester was a lot of just laying the foundation of what it means to be a wrestler and how you do this sport. This second semester has really produced a lot of tangible improvement and growth to show evidence that we're learning and we're growing in our experience and our understanding."
The team next traveled to Limestone (S.C.) University for the Limestone Open Tournament on Feb. 5.
In a tough LU Dual match against Brewton-Parker (Ga.) College on Feb. 17, the Lady Flames fell by a score of 19-18.
"That was an awesome finish for us because Brewton-Parker is an established team and they have a great group of wrestlers," McIlhenny said after the LU Dual. "For us to be so close in score, the girls wrestled great. We had several victories; it was a really good event."
Liberty enters the national competition with momentum after dominating Saturday's NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference Qualifier at the LaHaye Multipurpose Center. The Lady Flames recorded 77.0 points, far surpassing Apprentice School (14), and ECU (10), and qualified a program-record nine wrestlers for nationals.
"We're really putting on the heat right now of intense practices, wrestling a lot of matches inside of our practices, so the girls are having to push one another and wrestle hard," McIlhenny said. "Even though these are your teammates, you're looking at them like opponents and setting aside the fact that you're a teammate for those matches so that you can give each other a run for your money and help you prepare for what another opponent might do to you in a real-match situation."
Liberty recorded three victories on Saturday and won several other matches due to forfeit.
Junior team captain Maile Ka'ahanui defeated Apprentice School's Raya Sessoms by a 5-2 decision for the 170-pound weight class title. Junior Ashley Asselin pinned Apprentice's Sydnie Dunham at the 6:03 mark in the 130-pound division. In an all-Liberty 136-pound final, freshman Madison Alcon pinned senior Maria Ferello.
Juniors Anna Holmes (191) and Claudia Keanini (143), sophomores Hannah Fisher (235) and Mackenzie Yates (155), and freshman Youngseo Choi (123) won their divisions by default with no challengers.
The Lady Flames next turn their eyes to nationals in Puerto Rico, where they will compete alongside Liberty's men, as they did in the MAC tournament.
"I am excited to experience (nationals) with my team," Ka'ahanui said. "The best thing about nationals is cheering on both the men's and women's teams in one facility."
"It's exciting because I can wrestle multiple matches per day," Ka'ahanui added. "Throughout the season, we've wrestled mostly freestyle against NAIA opponents, but for NCWA nationals, it will be folkstyle."
Nine Lady Flames will travel to nationals this season, the most in program history. McIlhenny and company will look to take full advantage of this and come back to the mainland with championship hardware.
By Christian Shields/Staff Writer
Players Mentioned
