ST. CHARLES, Mo. | Hyland Arena - No.2 McKendree University women's wrestling officially opened postseason action on Saturday and Sunday, dominating the competition at the NCAA Women's Wrestling Region VI Championships as the Bearcats collected 10 individual titles and the team title. The performance by the Bearcats was highlighted by being the only program to sweep the individual regional titles while posting the most team points of any team in the NCAA regional championships with 199.5  (six total regions). McKendree Head Coach Alexio Garcia was also named the Region VI Coach of the Year at the tournament, marking his second consecutive honor. Garcia and McKendree will head off to Coralville, Iowa and Xtreme Arena on March 6-7 for the inaugural NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships, looking to make history behind the squad's 10 national qualifiers.

PATH TO THEIR TITLES

103 | Heather Crull | 20.5 Team Points - 103 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Crull (McKendree University) 30-3 won by fall over Jaidyn Alvarado (Fort Hays State) 16-14 (Fall 1:12)
• Semifinal - Crull (McKendree University) 30-3 won by fall over Brianna Vollendroff (Chadron) 30-7 (Fall 2:03)
• 1st Place Match - Crull (McKendree University) 30-3 won by tech fall over Mia Zuniga (Colorado Mesa University) 21-6 (TF-1.5 2:56 (10-0))

110 | Gabriele Tedesco | 20.0 Team Points - 110 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Tedesco (McKendree University) 24-1 won by tech fall over Isabell Ortiz (Fort Hays State) 1-2 (TF-1.5 1:13 (10-0))
• Semifinal - Tedesco (McKendree University) 24-1 won by tech fall over Kate Cooper (Lindenwood University) 3-2 (TF-1.5 0:41 (10-0))
• 1st Place Match - Tedesco (McKendree University) 24-1 won by fall over Adriana Gomez (Colorado Mesa University) 29-12 (Fall 1:38)

117 | Yu Sakamoto | 20.5 Team Points - 117 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Sakamoto (McKendree University) 14-1 won by tech fall over Ivy Threatful (Simon Fraser University) 10-11 (TF-1.5 2:01 (10-0))
• Semifinal - Sakamoto (McKendree University) 14-1 won by fall over Leiannah Landreth (Fort Hays State) 21-9 (Fall 2:11)
• 1st Place Match - Sakamoto (McKendree University) 14-1 won by fall over Alexandra Waitsman (William Jewell College) 2-1 (Fall 4:48)

124 | Shelby Moore | 18.0 Team Points - 124 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Moore (McKendree University) 16-4 won by tech fall over Jada Hernandez (William Jewell College) 3-3 (TF-1.5 1:31 (10-0))
• Semifinal - Moore (McKendree University) 16-4 won by tech fall over Laura Alcantar Soto (Simon Fraser University) 11-8 (TF-1.5 4:30 (10-0))
• 1st Place Match - Moore (McKendree University) 16-4 won by decision over Lorianna Piestewa (Colorado Mesa University) 24-6 (Dec 4-2)

131 | Cameron Guerin | 21.0 Team Points - 131 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Guerin (McKendree University) 10-0 won by fall over Samara Markwardt (Fort Hays State) 17-12 (Fall 1:46)
• Semifinal - Guerin (McKendree University) 10-0 won by fall over Piper Cadden (Chadron) 22-10 (Fall 5:26)
• 1st Place Match - Guerin (McKendree University) 10-0 won by fall over Agnia Krakovska (Simon Fraser University) 18-5 (Fall 1:47)

138 | Haylie Jaffe | 18.0 Team Points - 138 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Jaffe (McKendree University) 21-4 won by tech fall over Keyla Ajoleza (Colorado Mesa University) 13-9 (TF-1.5 2:17 (10-0))
• Semifinal - Jaffe (McKendree University) 21-4 won by decision over Ella Finding (Simon Fraser University) 17-5 (Dec 7-0)
• 1st Place Match - Jaffe (McKendree University) 21-4 won by tech fall over Jacinda Espinosa (Lindenwood University) 2-1 (TF-1.5 0:32 (10-0))

145 | Alex Szkotnicki | 21.5 Team Points - 145 Regional Champion

• Champ. Round 1 - Szkotnicki (McKendree University) 28-5 won by tech fall over McKinzie Ross (William Jewell College) 0-2 (TF-1.5 1:42 (10-0))
• Quarterfinal - Szkotnicki (McKendree University) 28-5 won by tech fall over Kristy More (Sioux Falls) 12-7 (TF-1.5 1:48 (12-0))
• Semifinal - Szkotnicki (McKendree University) 28-5 won by tech fall over Gretchen Donally (Colorado Mesa University) 29-12 (TF-1.5 1:29 (10-0))
• 1st Place Match - Szkotnicki (McKendree University) 28-5 won by medical forfeit over Liv Wieber (Simon Fraser University) 20-2 (M. For.)

160 | Savannah Gomez | 20.0 Team Points - 160 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Gomez (McKendree University) 25-2 won by tech fall over Poorna Babu (Texas Woman`s University) 11-9 (TF-1.5 3:00 (10-0))
• Semifinal - Gomez (McKendree University) 25-2 won by tech fall over Alana Duggan (Lindenwood University) 3-2 (TF-1.5 6:00 (11-0))
• 1st Place Match - Gomez (McKendree University) 25-2 won by fall over Lene McCrackin (Simon Fraser University) 13-4 (Fall 2:04)

180 | Destiny Rodriguez | 20.5 Team Points - 180 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Rodriguez (McKendree University) 24-2 won by fall over Madilyn Schuck (Minot State) 16-14 (Fall 0:28)
• Semifinal - Rodriguez (McKendree University) 24-2 won by tech fall over Paige Maher (Simon Fraser University) 8-2 (TF-1.5 5:15 (12-2))
• 1st Place Match - Rodriguez (McKendree University) 24-2 won by fall over Isabella Renfro (Fort Hays State) 29-3 (Fall 3:36)

207 | Tristan Kelly | 19.5 Team Points - 207 Regional Champion

• Quarterfinal - Kelly (McKendree University) 10-1 won by tech fall over Kitana Leafaatoto (Texas Woman`s University) 8-5 (TF-1.5 2:44 (10-0))
• Semifinal - Kelly (McKendree University) 10-1 won by tech fall over Aniya Herbin (Minot State) 19-10 (TF-1.5 1:24 (11-0))
• 1st Place Match - Kelly (McKendree University) 10-1 won by tech fall over Jayleen Sekona (Colorado Mesa University) 27-8 (TF-1.5 5:10 (10-0))

NCAA REGION VI COACH OF THE YEAR
Alexio Garcia, 4th Season


TEAM RESULTS
1. McKendree - 199.5 Team Points | 10 Individual Regional Champions - 10 National Qualifiers
2. Simon Fraser - 115.0 Team Points
3. Colorado Mesa - 113.0 Team Points
4. Fort Hays State - 106.5 Team Points
5. William Jewell - 70.5 Team Points

UP NEXT
March 6-7, 2026 | NCAA Women's Wrestling Championship | Coralville, Iowa - Xtreme Arena

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