LHU Women’s Wrestling finishes second at Region I Championships behind titles from Shufeldt & Stem
LOCK HAVEN – Kaelani Shufeldt (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina) and Grace Stem (Snow Shoe, Pa./Bald Eagle) both claimed gold and they were two of six total national qualifiers as the No. 8 Lock Haven women’s wrestling team finished second overall at the 2023-24 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC) Region I Tournament.
By way of their individual titles, both Shufeldt and Stem punched their ticket to the upcoming national championships. Joining them as national qualifiers was Lily Sherer (Shohola, Pa./Delaware Valley), Stella Steigler (Orange County, Va./Orange County), Azariah Moore (Montross, Va./Westmoreland) and Paige Jackson (Harpers Ferry, W.Va./Spring Mills).
The second-place team finish is the best for Lock Haven in three total regional championship appearances. The six national qualifiers are also the most ever for the Bald Eagles.
In all, 12-of-13 Lock Haven wrestlers who hit the mats today placed (top-8).
Both Shufeldt are Stem are now back-to-back region champions.
Steigler and Moore both qualified for nationals as well by way of their top-four finishes. Steigler was third at 170 and Moore was fourth at 155. Jackson battled back to win a true-fourth place match to advance to the national championships.
Emma Heslin (Marlborough, Conn./RHAM), Jayleah Pletz (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin) and Isabella DeVito (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) all placed fifth.
Madison Matta (Blue Ridge, Pa./Waynesboro) finished sixth. Carly Gross (York, Pa./West York) and Lindsay Laws (Halifax, Mass./Silver Lake) rounded out Lock Haven’s 12 total place-winners with seventh-place finishes.
Shufeldt, ranked fifth nationally, was a perfect 4-0 on the way to the 109-pound title. She had three pins and a tech fall, including a pin in the finals.
Stem, nationally-ranked, went 4-0 on the way to the 136-pound title. She had three falls and a pin, including a tech fall in the finals.
Today’s championship tournament served as a qualifier for the national championships, which are scheduled for March 8-9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The top-four women in each of the 10 weight classes qualified for the 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.
This was Lock Haven’s first time ever hosting this event. Region I is the largest of the six regions and No. 7 Sacred Heart won the team title.
Lock Haven finished a remarkable second of 12 teams today.
Lock Haven Results:
101: Emma Heslin, #4 seed
Quarterfinal vs. Lauren Jackson (Cedar Crest) W, pin (0:48)
Semifinal vs. Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart) L, pin (3:37)
Consolation Semifinal vs. Samantha Yap (Sacred Heart) L, tech fall, 11-1
5th – place Match vs. Jesenia Camargo (Delaware Valley) W, tech fall, 13-0
Fifth Place, 2-2
109: #5 Kaelani Shufeldt, #1 seed
Round 1 vs. Kaitlyn Potter (Elmira) W, pin (1:01)
Quarterfinal vs. Leilani Martinez (Cedar Crest) W, pin (1 :28)
Semifinal vs. Alanna Barberio (East Stroudsburg) W, tech fall, 10-0
Finals vs. Abby Duke (Elmira) W, pin
CHAMPION, National Qualifier, 4-0
116: Jayleah Pletz, #6 seed
Quarterfinal vs. Tatiana Walker (Sacred Heart) L, pin (5:59)
Consolation Round 2 vs. Alana Durham (Alvernia) W, pin (0:36)
Consolation Round 3 vs. Josey Wehr (Delaware Valley) W, tech fall, 10-0
Consolation Semifinals vs. Emily Klein (East Stroudsburg) L, dec., 7-0
5th – place Match vs. Natalie Dunn (East Stroudsburg) W, dec., 5-4
Fifth Place, 3-2
123: Carly Gross, #7 seed
Round 1 vs. Olivia Delegas (New England) W, pin (0:16)
Quarterfinal vs. Mia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg) L, tech fall, 10-0
Consolation Round 2 vs. Megan Knapp (York) W, pin (1:32)
Consolation Round 3 vs. Bridgett Schoultz (Delaware Valley) L, pin (0:49)
7th – place Match vs. Janieliz Cotto (Western New England) W, tech fall, 11-0
Seventh Place, 3-2
130: Lily Sherer, #2 seed
Quarterfinal vs. Gabby Bradigan (Elmira) W, tech fall, 13-3
Semifinal vs. Bayley Trang (Sacred Heart) W, dec.,8-1
Finals vs. Zoe Gress (East Stroudsburg) L, pin (1:49)
Second, National Qualifier, 2-1
130: Isabella DeVito, #5 seed
Round 1 vs. Lauren Gherman (Ursinus) W, pin (3:45)
Quarterfinal vs. Linda Holeman (Western New England) L, dec., 4-3
Consolation Round 2 vs. Carmela Velasco (Delaware Valley) W, pin (2:10)
Consolation Round 3 vs. Claire Daity (New Jersey City) W, pin (1:16)
Consolation Semifinal vs. Bayley Trang (Sacred Heart) L, pin (5:02)
5th – place Match vs. Gabby Bradigan (Elmira) W, dec., 8-5
Fifth Place, 4-2
136: #5 Grace Stem, #1 seed
Round 1 vs. Tess Clabaugh (Elmira) W, tech fall, 10-0
Quarterfinal vs. Sabrina Sedor (Western New England) W, pin (1:57)
Semifinal vs. Ruth Ansah (East Stroudsburg) W, tech fall, 10-0
Finals vs. Maura White (York) W, tech fall, 12-2
CHAMPION, National Qualifier, 4-0
136: Madison Matta, #2 seed
Round 1 vs. Eva Herrera (Delaware Valley) W, pin (0:48)
Quarterfinal vs. Aliza Leander (Sacred Heart) L, dec. 10-7
Consolation Round 2 vs. Tess Clabaugh (Elmira) W, pin (2:15)
Consolation Round 3 vs. Leslie Monterrosa (Elmira) W, pin (4 :26)
Consolation Semifinal vs. Ruth Ansah (East Stroudsburg) L, dec.,5-0
5th – place Match vs. Aliza Leander (Sacred Heart), L, dec., 8-1
Sixth Place, 3-3
143: Paige Jackson, #8 seed
Quarterfinal vs. Zoey Lints (Elmira) L, tech fall, 11-0
Consolation Round 2 vs Brooke Dylon (Delaware Valley) W, tech fall 12-2
Consolation Round 3 vs. Olivia Kinder (Delaware Valley) W, tech fall, 10-0
Consolation Semifinal vs. Dakota-Marie Dinielli (Western New England) L, pin (1 :56)
5th – place Match vs. Carney Wyble (East Stroudsburg) W, pin (1:46)
True-Fourth Match for Nationals Qualifying vs. Cloe Charlesworth (Ursinus) W, pin (2:15)
Fourth Place, 4-2
155: Azariah Moore, #5 seed
Quarterfinal vs. Paityn (East Stroudsburg) W, dec., 4-4
Semifinal vs. Madison Sandquist (Sacred Heart) L, pin (1:38)
Consolation Semifinal Gabriella Reid (Delaware Valley) W, dec., 5-2
3rd – place Match vs. Emma Matera (Ursinus) L, dec., 5-4
Fourth Place, National Qualifier, 2-2
170: #10 Stella Steigler, #3 seed
Quarterfinal vs. Karime Carmarena-Tejeda (New England) W, tech fall, 10-0
Semifinal vs. Cara Broadus (Sacred Heart) L, pin (1:40)
Consolation Semifinal vs. Allison Brandt (York) W, tech fall, 10-0
3rd – place Match vs. Jade Huerta (East Stroudsburg) W, pin (0:43)
Third Place, National Qualifier, 3-1
191: Trinity Monaghan, #5 seed
Quarterfinal vs. Jacklyn Smith (Sacred Heart) L, dec., 3-1
Consolation Round 2 vs. Zoe Waters (New England) L, dec., 10-9
0-2
191: Lindsay Laws, #6 seed
Round 1 vs. Zoe Waters (New England), W, tech fall, 10-0
Quarterfinal vs. Tayana Labady (Elmira) L, dec., 7-0
Consolation Round 2 vs. Emma Lavalle (York) W, tech fall, 10-0
Consolation Round 3 vs. Sophie Pollack (Delaware Valley) L, pin (1:58)
7th – place Match vs. Kaili Shifflett (East Stroudsburg) W, dec., 6-2
Seventh Place, 3-2
Up Next:
The 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships are scheduled for March 8-9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
