Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Saturday, January 17
Newport News, VA
9:00 AM
Liberty University Club Sports
at
Newport News Apprentice School
The Lady Flames won their first folkstyle tournament of the season Saturday in Newport News, Va.
Women’s wrestlers finish first in folkstyle tournament at Apprentice School
1/18/2026 7:45:00 PM | Women's Wrestling
Liberty had two individual champions and three runners-up in their respective weight classes to outpoint five other teams in Saturday’s Builder Invitational.
Competing in its first folkstyle tournament of the season, Liberty University's women's wrestling team captured the 2026 Builder Invitational team title, outscoring five other teams in the event hosted by the Apprentice School on Saturday in Newport News, Va.
The Lady Flames scored 68 points to overtake the host Builders (47.5), the Naval Academy (45), East Carolina (17), High Point (16), and Yale (10).
"The team had a great showing," Lady Flames Head coach Charisse McIlhenny said. "The Apprentice School has a tough lineup and gave us some great competition."
She said it was great practice for the March 14 Mid-Atlantic Conference and March 26-28 NCWA Grand National Championships, which will also feature folkstyle, rather than freestyle, wrestling.
Sophomores June Welch at 131 pounds and Faith Kiefer at 180 pounds earned individual championships in their respective weight classes.
Welch won all three of her matches by fall, decking ECU's Brianna Horne in 1 minute, 38 seconds, Apprentice's Skylar Schaefer in 4:28, and Navy's Angelina Quintero in 4:02. Kiefer pinned freshman teammate Elizabeth Shoemaker in 6:48 before clinching first place with a 27-second fall of Navy's Elaina Hernandez.
"June and Faith stood out, but everyone on the team wrestled great matches and has tangible things that they can adjust before the MAC tournament to result in more wins," McIlhenny said. "All of the girls were able to rely on the foundation of knowledge from their high school careers and capitalize on their skills and confidence in this style."
In addition to its two champions, Liberty had three runner-up finishers.
At 118 pounds, freshman Julia Malou Sylvia won her first match by 12-3 major decision over Navy's Anusha Nagar. She then recovered from being pinned in 23 seconds by Apprentice's Kaylee Campbell to deck ECU's Langston Partin in 4:23.
Lady Flames 125-pound senior Aurora Pennington defeated Navy's Alexis Jordan by fall in 42 seconds before being pinned by Apprentice's Janyla Anderson in 4:29 and needing only 23 seconds to deck Navy's Olunuga Omojolaade to clinch second place.
At 143, Liberty junior Amanda Walker bounced back from suffering a 17-2 technical fall against Apprentice's Jordyn Anderson by scoring back-to-back pins over Navy's Julia Fitzpatrick in 4:51 and Sophia Iverson in 1:01 to secure a runner-up finish.
Complete results are available online.
Liberty will next compete in the Frostburg (Md.) State University Bobcat Open on Feb. 7 before hosting a dual match against Apprentice School on Feb. 11.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
The Lady Flames scored 68 points to overtake the host Builders (47.5), the Naval Academy (45), East Carolina (17), High Point (16), and Yale (10).
"The team had a great showing," Lady Flames Head coach Charisse McIlhenny said. "The Apprentice School has a tough lineup and gave us some great competition."
She said it was great practice for the March 14 Mid-Atlantic Conference and March 26-28 NCWA Grand National Championships, which will also feature folkstyle, rather than freestyle, wrestling.
Sophomores June Welch at 131 pounds and Faith Kiefer at 180 pounds earned individual championships in their respective weight classes.
Welch won all three of her matches by fall, decking ECU's Brianna Horne in 1 minute, 38 seconds, Apprentice's Skylar Schaefer in 4:28, and Navy's Angelina Quintero in 4:02. Kiefer pinned freshman teammate Elizabeth Shoemaker in 6:48 before clinching first place with a 27-second fall of Navy's Elaina Hernandez.
"June and Faith stood out, but everyone on the team wrestled great matches and has tangible things that they can adjust before the MAC tournament to result in more wins," McIlhenny said. "All of the girls were able to rely on the foundation of knowledge from their high school careers and capitalize on their skills and confidence in this style."
In addition to its two champions, Liberty had three runner-up finishers.
At 118 pounds, freshman Julia Malou Sylvia won her first match by 12-3 major decision over Navy's Anusha Nagar. She then recovered from being pinned in 23 seconds by Apprentice's Kaylee Campbell to deck ECU's Langston Partin in 4:23.
Lady Flames 125-pound senior Aurora Pennington defeated Navy's Alexis Jordan by fall in 42 seconds before being pinned by Apprentice's Janyla Anderson in 4:29 and needing only 23 seconds to deck Navy's Olunuga Omojolaade to clinch second place.
At 143, Liberty junior Amanda Walker bounced back from suffering a 17-2 technical fall against Apprentice's Jordyn Anderson by scoring back-to-back pins over Navy's Julia Fitzpatrick in 4:51 and Sophia Iverson in 1:01 to secure a runner-up finish.
Complete results are available online.
Liberty will next compete in the Frostburg (Md.) State University Bobcat Open on Feb. 7 before hosting a dual match against Apprentice School on Feb. 11.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
Players Mentioned
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