Pirozhkova, Gray headline women’s World Team Trials

Updated: June 3, 2015

Photo: Adeline Gray, the two-time World champion, earned a spot in the Championship Series of the upcoming World Team Trials by beating Jackie Cataline in the 165-pound final in the U.S. Open last month. (John Sachs photo)

The women’s freestyle competition of the 2015 World Team Trials features perhaps the best depth USA Wrestling has enjoyed in women’s wrestling as seven wrestlers with World/Olympic medals will contend for one of eight World Team spots at this year’s Trials, which will be held June 13-14 in Madison, Wisc.

That includes a pair of World champions in Elena Pirozhkova (2012) and Adeline Gray (2012 and ’14). While Gray will once again shoot for her fifth World tournament at 75 kilos/165 pounds, Pirozhkova — a five-time World medalist at 63k/138.75 pounds — will wrestle at 69k/158 pounds at the Alliant Energy Center, which will also host competition in men’s freestyle that weekend. (WIN will provide a preview of men’s freestyle later in the week).

Pirozhkova and Gray are among seven women who earned automatic spots in the Best-of-3 Championship Series at this year’s Trials, based on winning U.S. Open titles in May. Other women who are ranked No. 1 and will await the winners of Challenge tournaments earlier in the day will be Victoria Anthony (48k/105.5), Whitney Conder (53k/116.5), Sharon Jacobson (55k/121), Leigh Jaynes-Provisor (60k/132) and Erin Clogdo (63k/138.75).

Helen Maroulis, who won the 58k/128-pound U.S. Open title, is expected to either drop down to 53k or 55k for the World Team Trials. Maroulis is a two-time World medalist at 55k.

Other former World medalists competing are:

Alyssa Lampe (bronze in 2012 and ’13) and Clarissa Chun (2008 World champ and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist), who hope to meet Anthony in the Championship Series at 48k; Randi Miller, a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, at 59k; and 2005 World champ Iris Smith, at 75k.

The winners of the women’s freestyle World Team Trials will compete in the 2015 World Championships this September at the Orleans in Las Vegas. Women’s freestyle bouts will take place Sept. 9-11 in the week-long event.

The following is a closer look at all eight weight classes, broken down by the days they compete in Madison.

Saturday, June 13

10 a.m. – Challenge Tournament

5 p.m. — Best-of-3 Championship Series

53k/116 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

she defeated Carlene Sluberski (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 5-3 in U.S. Open final
Conder, 27, from Pallyup, Wash., competed in last fall’s Worlds and finished seventh. She was also on the U.S. World Team in 2011
she won a Junior World championship in 2007

Other possible challengers:

Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids)

Maroulis competed at 58k/128 pounds in the U.S. Open and won by tech fall over Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) in U.S. Open final
Maroulis, 23, from Magruder, Md., may also compete at 55k/121 pounds; the weight in which she won a 2012 World silver medal and 2014 World bronze medal. She also finished fifth in 2011 Worlds and seventh in the 2013 Worlds.

2015 U.S. Open second place – Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (New York AC)

she is a 2011 Junior World Team member

2015 U.S. Open third place – Michaela Hutchison, Lebanon, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Amy Fearnside, Morgan Hill, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (NYAC)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Rachel Archer, Winlock, Wash. (Gator/OKCU Women/Men RTC)

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Laura Anderson, Indo, Calif. (Brea WC)

2015 WCWA Nationals, runner-up, 116 – Diaysha Moore, Hearne, Texas (Lindenwood)

2015 University Nationals, runner-up – Shelby Morrison, Amarillo, Texas (Gator OKCU RTC)

Mongolia Open, 2nd place – Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)

Past World/Olympic Team member – Jessica Medina, Champaign, Ill. (Sunkist Kids)

2015 UWW Junior National Team member at 51 kg – Marizza Birrueta, Grandview, Wash. (Gator OKCU Women’s RTC)

2015 UWW Junior National Team member at 51 kg – Cassidy Jasperson, League City, Texas (Gator OKCU Women’s RTC)

58k/128 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)

Campbell, 29, from Milwaukie, Ore., lost to Helen Maroulis in the U.S. Open final, but defeated Alli Ragan in the semifinals;
She also competed in the 2010 (fifth) and 2011 World Championships at 59k and wrestled at 55k in the 2012 Olympics.

Other possible challengers:

2015 U.S. Open third place – Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)

Ragan, 22, has wrestled in two World Championships, finishing ninth in 2013 and fifth in 2014.

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Teshya Alo, Honolulu, Hawaii (Titan Mercury WC)

Alo, 17, from Honolulu, Hawaii, won a 2014 Cadet World championship

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Trinity Griffin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Maya Nelson, Denver, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Melissa Apodaca, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (Marines)

2015 WCWA Nationals, 3rd place, 130 – Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (Oklahoma City)

2015 WCWA Nationals champion, 136 – Kayla Miracle, Campbellsville, Ky. (Campbellsville)

2015 University Nationals, champion – Montana Drum, Neosho, Mo. (MBU Wrestling Club)

2015 University Nationals, runner-up – Erica Mihalca, Petaluma, Calif. (MBU Wrestling Club)

UWW Junior National Team member at 59 kg– Francesca Giorgio, West Lawn, Pa. (Simon Fraser)

63k/138.75 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

she defeated Amanda Hendey (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 9-3, in U.S. Open final
Clodgo, 24, from Richmond, Vt., finished second in the 2010, ’13, and ’14 World Team Trials

Other possible challengers:

2015 U.S. Open second place – Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 U.S. Open third place – Randyll Beltz, St. Louis, Mo. (Team St. Louis)

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Jessica Kee, Laurinburg, S.C. (King University)

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Forrest Molinari, Benicia, Calif. (King Univ.)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Koral Sugiyama, Pocatello, Idaho (Pocatello Grapplers),

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Marina Briceno, Simi Valley, Calif. (Black Tornadoes)

2015 WCWA Nationals, runner-up – Shai Mason, Gardenia, Calif. (Jamestown)

2015 University Nationals, champion – Alexis Porter, Ballston Lake, N.Y. (McKendree Univ.)

UWW Junior National Team member at 63 kg– Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Simon Fraser)

75k/165 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Adeline Gray, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)

she won by tech fall over Jackie Cataline (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club), 15-4 in U.S. Open final
Gray, 24, from Bear Creek, Colo., won World Championships in 2012 and 2014, while claiming bronze medals in the 2011 and ’13 Worlds.

Other possible challengers

2015 U.S. Open second place – Jackie Cataline, Eastvale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

Cataline, 25, finished second to Gray in the 2014 World Team Trials

2015 U.S. Open third place – Victoria Francis, Litchfield, Ill. (Lindenwood Women’s Wrestling)

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)

Smith, 35, from Albany, Ga., won a World championship in 2005

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Niauni Hill, Oakland, Calif. (Lindenwood Belleville)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Courteney Tompkins, Santa Maria, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Clarc Walker, Aubrey, Texas (San Francisco State Univ.)

2015 WCWA Nationals, runner-up 170 –Ashley Miles, Katy, Texas (McKendree Univ.)

UWW Junior National Team member at 72 kg – Rachel Watters, Ankeny, Iowa (Gator OKCU Women’s RTC)

UWW Junior National Team member at 72 kg – Katerina Lobsinger, Concord, Calif. (Combat Sports Academy/Battle)

UWW Junior National Team member at 72 kg – Kendall Reusing, Riverside, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

UWW Junior National Team member at 79.5 kg – Clarc Walker, Aubrey, Texas (Cumberlands)

UWW Junior National Team member at 79.5 kg – Destane Garrick, New York, N.Y. (Nieves Wrestling)

UWW Junior National Team member at 79.5 kg – Tatiana Vazquez, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Gator OKCU Women’s RTC)

Sunday, June 14

10 a.m. – Challenge Tournament

5 p.m. — Best-of-3 Championship Series

48k/105.5 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

she defeated Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 6-4, in U.S. Open final
Anthony, 23, qualified for the 2013 Worlds at 51k and finished in fifth place. She is a four-time Women’s college champion from Simon Fraser in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
She won Junior World championships in 2009 and ‘10

Other possible challengers

2015 U.S. Open second place – Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

Lampe, 27, has wrestled in the last three Worlds, earning bronze in both 2012 and ’13 and settled for fifth last year.

2015 U.S. Open third place – Clarissa Chun, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids)

Chun, 33, is a 2008 World champion who also earned a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Erin Golston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Amy Golding, Duanesburg, N.Y. (ATWA)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Sarah Allen, Huber Heights, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands)

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Allene Somera, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)

2015 WCWA Nationals champion, 101 – Emily Webster, Sedalia, Mo. (Oklahoma City)

2015 WCWA Nationals runner-up, 101 – Marina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif. (King Univ.)

2015 WCWA Nationals champion, 109 – Cody Pfau, Brush, Colo. (Oklahoma City)

2015 WCWA Nationals, 3rd place, 109 – Grace Paxton, Crawfordsville, Ind. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)

2015 Northern Plains Regionals champion – Candace Workman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 UWW Junior National Team member at 44 kg – Regina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 UWW Junior National Team member at 44 kg – Maia Phanthadara, Honolulu, Hawaii (Univ. of the Cumberlands)

2015 UWW Junior National Team member at 48 kg – Sara Allen, Huber Heights, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands)

2015 UWW Junior National Team member at 51 kg – Amy Hou, Rome, Ga. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)

55k/121 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

she defeated Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC/Viking WC, IA), 12-9 in U.S. Open final
Jacobson, 31, finished fifth in the 2005 World Team Trials and second in the 2006 and ’07 WTT

Other possible challengers

2015 U.S. Open champ, 58k/128 – Helen Maroulis may wrestle at this weight

2015 U.S. Open second place – Jacarra Winchester, San Leandro, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 U.S. Open third place – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (NYAC)

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Hanna Grisewood, Warsaw, N.Y. (King Univ.),

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Hailee Lilly, Sanford, N.C. (McKendree Univ.)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Samantha Klingel, Kregesville, Pa. (King Univ.)

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Alyssa Gonzalez, Vallejo, Calif. (McKendree Univ.)

2015 WCWA Nationals, 3rd place – Tarkiya Mensah, Katy, Texas (Wayland Baptist)

Klippan Lady Open, third place – Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. (Chocktaw WC)

UWW Junior National Team member at 55 kg – Areana Villaescusa, Rio Rico, Ariz. (Rio Rico WC/OTC)

UWW Junior National Team member at 55 kg – Dominique Parrish, Scott Valley, Calif. (Scotts Valley Wrestling Academy)

60k/132 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S, Army WCAP)

she defeated Jenna Burkert (NYAC), 6-1, in U.S. Open final
married to 2012 Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler Ben Provisor, Leigh, 34, from Rancocas, N.J., represented the U.S. in the 2007 and ’12 World Championships

Other possible challengers

2015 U.S. Open second place – Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)

2015 U.S. Open third place – Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Lauren Louive, Williamsburg, Ky. (Lindenwood Women`s Wrestling)

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Brandy Green, Ottawa, Kan. (Braves Wrestling Club)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Arian Carpio, Federal Way, Wash. (Sunkist Kids),

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Olivia Seppinni, Rocklin, Calif. (McKendree Univ.)

2015 University Nationals, runner-up – Rachel McFarland, DeWitt, Mich. (Gator OKCU RTC)

69k/152 pounds —

Top-Ranked wrestler in Championship Series:

Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)

she defeated Randi Miller (Army WCAP), 4-3, in U.S. Open final
Pirozhkova, 28, born in Russia and raised in Greenfield, Mass., has competed in every World Championships — at 63k/138.75 — since 2008; winning a gold medal in 2012; silvers in 2010 and 2014; and bronze in 2013. She also represented the U.S. in the 2012 Olympics at 63k.

Other possible challengers

2015 U.S. Open second place – Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

Miller, 31, from Arlington, Texas, was a World Team member in 2014, her first international competition since winning a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics at 63k/138.75 pounds

2015 U.S. Open third place – Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)

2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Kayla Aggio, Rohnert Park, Calif. (Gator/OKCU Women RTC)

2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Lisa Gonzalez, Rio Grande City, Texas (Lindenwood Women’s Wrestling)

2015 U.S. Open sixth place – Lorrie Ramos, Orlando, Fla. (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 U.S. Open seventh place – Monica Ramirez, Baldwin Park, Calif. (Lindenwood Women’s Wrestling)

2015 WCWA Nationals, 3rd place, 143 – Cheyenne Youngblood, Temecula, Calif. (Missouri Baptist)

2015 WCWA Nationals, champion, 155 – Julia Salata, Canton, Mich. (King Univ.)

2015 WCWA Nationals, runner-up, 155 – Hanna Hall, Doylestown, Ohio (Campbellsville)

2015 University Nationals, champion – Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC)

2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion –Michelle Organ, Reedsburg, Wis. (Campbellsville Univ.)

UWW Junior National Team member at 67 kg – Skylar Grote, Blairstown, N.J. (Blair Academy)

UWW Junior National Team member at 67 kg – Jessika Rottier, Little Suamico, Wis.

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