WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Four wrestlers from West Liberty University punched their tickets to the inaugural NCAA Women's Wrestling National Championship following a standout performance at the Super Region 2 Tournament inside the ASRC.
The Hilltoppers finished second in the team standings with 116 points, trailing only regional champion Lehigh University, which totaled 151.5 points and crowned four individual champions.
West Liberty will send Cassia Zammit, Trinity Howard, Mariah Mills, and Jamie Shapton to nationals after each secured podium finishes.
At 131 pounds, Cassia Zammit (29-6) placed second to lead the Hilltoppers in the championship bracket.
Zammit advanced to the finals with a 6-1 decision over Ursinus' Stacy Bloomfield in the semifinals. She fell in the title match to Lehigh's undefeated Aubre Krazer by technical fall (14-3), finishing the tournament with 15.0 team points.
At 117 pounds, Trinity Howard (16-7) battled back for a third-place finish, scoring a team-high 20.5 points.
Howard rolled through the consolation bracket, earning a 10-0 technical fall over York's Gisele Ramirez before pinning Pitt-Johnstown's Tamara Humphries. She capped her tournament with another fall, securing third place with a 5:25 pin over Lock Haven's Journie Rodriguez.
Mariah Mills (19-4) rebounded from a semifinal setback to earn third place at 124 pounds.
After dropping a 7-2 decision in the semifinals, Mills responded emphatically with a 59-second fall over Pitt-Johnstown's Isabel Alvarez in the consolation semifinals. She clinched third with a 4:31 pin against Lehigh's Alexa Ciliotta, finishing with 17.5 team points.
At 138 pounds, Jamie Shapton (23-14) also earned a third-place finish.
Following a narrow semifinal loss, Shapton secured a 5-0 decision in the consolation semifinals before pinning Gannon's Kamila Castro in just 1:02 in the third-place match. She totaled 15.0 team points.
With four national qualifiers and a runner-up regional finish, the Hilltoppers now turn their focus to the inaugural NCAA Women's Wrestling National Championship, set for March 6-7 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.