Cory Hansen
The Oklahoma City University (OCU) Stars sent eleven members of their women’s wrestling team to Jamestown, North Dakota to compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) women’s wrestling national championships on March 8-9. Unfortunately, Eliana Martinez, who was ranked 6th in the final NAIA coaches poll, was injured in the conference tournament and was unable to compete in the national championships, despite wrestling well enough throughout the season to earn a national at large bid. The ten Stars that competed, represented themselves well, and OCU was able to finish in 16th as a team while having two athletes earn All American honors.
The Sooner Athletic Conference wrestler of the year, Sophia Smith, led the Stars with a 5th place finish in the 123 pound bracket. After a first round bye, and then a victory by forfeit in the round of 16, Smith competed her first match in the quarterfinal round, picking up a 9-0 victory. After setbacks in the championship and consolation round semifinals, Smith dug deep in the 5th place match to end her OCU career on a high note. Smith, who earned her third All American status, was also named the Star’s lone 2024 Academic All American. She has had an amazing career for OCU, and truly embodied leadership on and off the mat, and has left some big shoes to fill going into next season for the Stars.
Sophomore Avery Ashley also had a fantastic tournament for the Stars. The brackets worked out in a strange way, and Ashley was in one of the two first round matches that was not a bye in the 116 pound bracket. Ashley was unrattled, however, and cruised to a 10-0 tech fall victory in the first round, an 11-0 tech fall victory in the round of 16, and a 10-0 tech fall victory in the quarterfinals. After coming up short in the championship and consolation semifinals, Ashley, unfortunately, had to forfeit her 5th place match and finished her season in 6th. Ashley was ranked number 1 in the final coaches poll and after a runner up finish in the conference tournament and a thrilling run to the podium at the national tournament to become an All American, Ashley will surely be looked to as a leader going into her junior year next season.
Makayla Munoz and Marissa Jimenez both qualified for the national tournament at 143 pounds. Munoz came up shy in her first round match, but bounced back in the consolation round. After taking a bye, she picked up a nice 10-5 victory before her freshman…
