Shufeldt, Stem & Steigler lock up All-American honors as No. 7 Women’s Wrestling opens National Championship

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: March 9, 2024

Courtesy of Lock Haven Athletics

No. 7 Lock Haven opens 2024 NCWWC National Championship in style as Kaelani Shufeldt, Grace Stem and Stella Steigler lock up All-American honors on Day 1 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

https://www.golhu.com/news/2024/3/6/womens-wrestling-ncwwc-national-championship-preview-no-7-womens-wrestling-set-to-compete-on-biggest-stage.aspx

Results / Brackets (TrackWrestling.com)

https://www.trackwrestling.com/opentournaments/MainFrame.jsp?newSession=false&TIM=1709905193503&pageName=%2Fopentournaments%2FTournamentHub.jsp&twSessionId=qmvljmwhmg

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The No. 7 Lock Haven women’s wrestling team opened the 2024 NCWWC National Championship today (Friday, March 8) in thrilling fashion as a trio of Bald Eagles locked up All-American honors on the first of two days competition in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Kaelani Shufeldt (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina), Grace Stem (Snow Shoe, Pa./Bald Eagle) and Stella Steigler (Orange County, Va./Orange County) all secured All-American status after stellar day-one performances.

Shufeldt and Stem are now two-time All-Americans.

Shufeldt, ranked fourth at 109, went a perfect 2-0 to advance to Saturday night’s semifinal round. After a first-round bye, the Bald Eagle opened the tournament by pinning Pauline Granados (McKendree) in round two in just 47 seconds. In the quarterfinals, Shufeldt pinned fifth-ranked Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin) at the 5:20 mark.

Shufeldt will wrestle in the semifinals tomorrow with a trip to the title-bout on the line.

Stem, ranked third at 136, was 2-1 on the day. After a first-round bye, Stem opened the tournament in round two with a tech fall as she downed Raya Carpenter (Huntingdon), 10-0. In the quarterfinals, Stem was downed by No. 6 Viktorya Torres (McKendree), 15-5 (tech fall). The Bald Eagle bounced back in a big way and her consolation quarterfinal win over Gianna Anaya (Emmanuel) helped locked up All-American honors. Stem teched Anaya, 10-0.

Stem can still finish as high as third, but she’s guaranteed a top-eight finish.

Ranked No. 7, Steigler was 3-1 on the day as the freshman locked up All-American status for the first time in her career. Like Stem, Steigler can finish as high as third, but she’s clinched a spot on the podium among the top-eight finishers.

In the first round, Steigler pinned Rupinder Johal (Simon Fraser) in 1:34. She made it back-to-back falls as she needed just 46 seconds to pin Elizabeth Stricklin (D’Youville) in round two. In the quarterfinals, Steigler fell to No. 2 Yelena Makoyed (North Central) by tech fall. She bounced back in a big way however, and topped No. 10 Jade Herzer (Wisconsin Stevens Point), 3-0, which helped her advance and secure All-American status.

Lily Sherer (Shohola, Pa./Delaware Valley), Paige Jackson (Harpers Ferry, W.Va./Spring Mills) and Azariah Moore (Montross, Va./Westmoreland) also represented Lock Haven in action today at the national championships as well.

The six individual national qualifiers mark the most in school history.

Sherer went 2-2 at 130, Jackson was 1-2 at 143 and Moore went 3-2 at 155.

Day 2 action at the 2024 NCWWC National Championship will pick up tomorrow (Saturday, March 9) at 12 p.m. EST with the semifinal round. The finals are scheduled for 8 p.m. EST.

Lock Haven Results:

109: #4 Kaelani Shufeldt

First Round, bye

Round 2 vs. Pauline Granados (McKendree) W, pin (0:47)

Quarterfinals vs. #5 Jenavi Alejandro (Tiffin) W, pin (5:20)

2-0

130: Lily Sherer

First Round vs. #6 Salome Walker (North Central) L, pin (2:41)

Consolation Round 2 vs. Bayley Trang (Sacred Heart) W, dec., 9-1

Consolation Round 3 vs. #4 Jennifer Soto (McKendree) W, dec., 10-5

Consolation Quarterfinals vs. #7 Ngao Shoua Whitethorn (Wisconsin Stevens Point) L, pin (1:21)

2-2