The #3 nationally ranked Mavericks women’s wrestling team put on another great performance during their last regular season tournament at the Bearcat Open in Lebanon, Illinois on Feb. 5. Colorado Mesa University (CMU) finished with one champion and five other wrestlers who placed in the top five.
Redshirt junior Marissa Gallegos came into the tournament undefeated and ranked first in the country at the 123 pound weight class. The future Olympian hopeful won all five of her matches by technical fall (when a wrestler goes up by 10 or more points in a match) or by straight pin. Gallegos pinned Adrian’s Isabella Richardson in the semifinals and Lindenwood’s Amanda McAleavey in the championship match on route to a first place tournament finish. Gallegos is now 87-8 in her illustrious Maverick career.
Redshirt sophomore Dalia Garibay was the next highest placing Maverick at second overall for the 155 pound weight class. Garibay, who came in as the first seed and won all 3 of her matches by technical fall, would have had a good shot to win her weight class but instead had to forfeit the championship match to Sacred Heart’s Madison Sandquist.
Seventh ranked 130-pound wrestler Hailey Chapman finished third in her weight class after going 4-1 and upsetting third ranked Alexandra Fitzgerald of Sacred Heart via technical fall.
Chapman was joined at third place by teammates Samantha Vasquez (170 pounds) and Celina Cooke (143 pounds).
Vasquez finished 2-1 on the day with two pins and her only loss coming from a close 10-8 minor decision match to second place finisher Sierra Hall of Lindenwood University. Cooke went 3-2 with all wins coming by pin.
Sophomore Jayleen Sekona finished fourth at 190 pounds after also going 3-2. Sekona recorded a pin, technical fall and a major decision victory on the day.
CMU now gets a short two-week break before hosting the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship (NCWWC) Region 5 Tournament for the first time in program history on Sunday, Feb. 19. The top four wrestlers from each respective weight class will advance to the NCWWC National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 4 and 5.
