Simon Fraser University picked up four medals and finished in fourth spot at the Women’s College wrestling national championships.
Freshman Abby Lloyd was a runner-up at 109 pounds, while Clan senior Bailley Halvorson, junior Darby Huckle and freshman Payten Smith all picked up bronze medals at the nationals in St. Louis, Missouri last weekend.
Lloyd, ranked third in the tournament, won her first four matches and was leading on points in the final before she was caught in an attempted throw and pinned at 2:50 of the first round by Cody Pfau of Oklahoma City University in the championship final.
Lloyd upset second seeded Breonah Neal of King University in a narrow decision in the semifinal.
Halvorson, the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 155 lbs., was upset in the quarter-final by Diaysha Moore of Lindenwood University, but came back to earn the bronze with a 7-3 decision over Alexis Porter of Mckendree University.
Huckle also won bronze at 101 lbs. in her third consecutive All-American showing at the women’s nationals. She lost to the eventual titlist and just the third-ever, four-time champion Emily Webster of Oklahoma City by a technical fall in the semifinal.
Huckle went on to defeat Tayler Resuriz of Mckendree by a 3-0 decision before taking the bronze on a forfeit.
Smith was a surprise of the nationals, earning SFU’s third bronze medal despite coming into the tournament ranked ninth at 191 lbs.
The Sport B.C. high school athlete of the year finalist won five of her six matches at the nationals by a fall. Her lone loss came in the quarter-finals to Jackie Williams of King University.
Smith upset No. 2 seed Heather O’Connor of Oklahoma City by a pin in the consolation semifinal. She went on to earn the bronze by fall over Jackie Williams of King in the third-place match.
SFU had four other wrestlers earn All-American honours at the nationals. Laura Anderson, Jennifer Anderson and Francesca Giorgio all placed fifth in their respective weight divisions, while New Westminster’s Monika Podgorski, who pinned four straight opponents on the consolation side of the draw, was eventually sixth at 170 lbs.
Defending champion King University won its second consecutive national women's title.
