An impressive seven Badgers are set for gold medal matches at the national championships after a commanding Day 1 performance.
The 2025 Wrestling Canada Lutte U SPORTS Invitational Championships started on Friday, Feb. 28 with pool play matches at Canada Games Park. Placement and medal contests are set for tomorrow Saturday, March 1.
2024 gold medallists Francesca Lo Greco (53kg) and Brianna Fraser (76-83kg) are back in first-place matches at the national championships. Lo Greco defeated Sierra Mullin in a gritty 8-2 decision victory and won her other round robin matches by either fall or technical fall while Fraser bested all of her opponents by fall, with the longest contest lasting one minute and 36 seconds.
In the 53kg final, Lo Greco will take on Serena Di Benedetto from the McMaster Marauders while in the 76-83kg side, Fraser will battle the Concordia Stingers' Alexia Sherland.
Cassie Corbett (76kg) and Vanessa Keefe (68kg) both won silver medals last year and are back at it in the gold medal match once again, with the former winning all of her matches by fall while the latter won all three of her contests by technical fall 10-0. Corbett is scheduled for a clash with Haley Florell of the Lakehead Thunderwolves, while Keefe has a bout with Angelina Ellis-Toddington of the Calgary Dinos.
Last winning a silver medal (48kg) in 2017-18, Samantha Romero is competing in the 50kg weight class in 2024-25 and is going for a first-place result after three technical fall victories and a 10-4 decision win on Day 1. She will take on Kelvyn Young of the Guelph Gryphons.
Rounding out the Badgers' gold medal hopefuls is last year's bronze medallist in the 59kg division Michaela Rankin and first-time national medallist Bronwyn MacGregor.
Rankin, who is competing at 62kg in 2025, defeated Beatriz Herrera Bustama of the Alberta Pandas by a close 6-4 decision en route to an undefeated day. MacGregor (65kg) also had to squeak out a decision win during her round robin competition as she defeated Alberta's Maria Sawiak 12-8.
First-year wrestler Olivia Mathezer is aiming for her first national medal as she goes up against Alberta's Natasha Ekundayo. Mathezer won two matches by fall but fell 11-0 by technical fall to Gabi Cross of the Calgary Dinos.
Rlachell Hall wil compete for fifth against Myla Lawson of the Lakehead Thunderwolves while Jusleen Sidhu is set for a seventh-place match against Lethbridge's Payton Shields.
Placement matches start tomorrow Saturday, March 1 at 9 a.m. Bronze medal contests are set for noon while gold medal matches begin at 3 p.m.
LIST OF SCHEDULED MEDAL MATCHES FOR THE BROCK BADGERS WOMEN'S WRESTLING TEAM
Gold Medal Matches
50kg - Samantha Romero (Brock) vs Kelvyn Young (Guelph)
53kg - Francesca Lo Greco (Brock) vs Serena Di Benedetto (McMaster)
62kg – Michaela Rankin (Brock) vs Annika Fines (Calgary)
65kg - Bronwyn MacGregor (Brock) vs Mackenzie Cayer (Calgary)
68kg – Vanessa Keefe (Brock) vs Angelina Ellis-Toddington (Calgary)
76kg - Cassie Corbett (Brock) vs Haley Florell (Lakehead)
76-83kg - Brianna Fraser (Brock) vs Alexia Sherland (Concordia)
Bronze Medal Matches
56 kg - Olivia Mathezer (Brock) vs Natasha Ekundayo (Alberta)
