Paxton Ritchey-CSC Sports Information
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Freshman Rylee Balcazar placed sixth in the varsity 110-pound weight class to lead Chadron State women’s wrestling at the Luther Hill Open hosted by Simpson College on Saturday.
The event featured 389 competitors from 26 different schools across 11 weight classes in a “varsity” division and 10 weight classes in a “freshman/sophomore” division. The University of Iowa dominated the day, with wins in six of the 10 varsity weight classes.
In her first collegiate competition, Balcazar, a Fort Lupton, Colorado native, immediately advanced to the varsity semifinal with an opening round 12-0 tech fall win over Northern Michigan’s Trinity Valentin before earning a pin in 4 minutes and 32 seconds against Lindenwood’s Sienna Caruso in the quarterfinal. Balcazar then lost via 10-0 tech fall decisions in the semi, consolation semi and 5th-place match to earn her sixth-place finish.
The CSC wrestler with the most victories on the day was another freshman, Columbus, Nebraska’s Ella Shevlin. Competing in the freshman/sophomore division at 180 pounds, Shevlin received a first-round bye and suffered an 11-1 tech fall loss in round two to Baker University’s Nevaeh Wardlow.
However, Shevlin stormed through the consolation bracket, picking up four consecutive wins, two by pin. Although a consolation semifinal loss knocked her down to the fifth-place match, Shevlin defeated Quincy’s Madison Crawford 12-1 to win by tech fall and earn fifth.
Chadron State’s two returning and competing national qualifiers each went 1-2 on the day – Mana Chanthasone at 103 pounds and Heavynne Robles-Wright at 110 pounds. Chanthasone’s win came over teammate Brianna Vollendroff.
Shania Wear (117) and Alissa DuBois (160) also went 1-2 at the varsity level.
Balcazar, DuBois and Esther Peters (207) were the three freshmen to compete in the varsity division for Chadron State on Saturday. Freshmen Maddox Gehlhausen (124), Trona Bates (124), Sicily Frates (180) and Shevlin all made their collegiate debuts in the freshman/sophomore division.
Chadron State women’s wrestling will have a couple weeks until its next competition date at the Missouri Valley Open in Marshall, Missouri on November 22 and 23. CSC will open the dual portion of its schedule with a series of home duals on December 6.