By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Alijah Jeffery announced the commitment of 17 individuals who will be the pioneers of the new women’s wrestling program at Fort Hays State. Though the team will officially start competition in 2024-25, these individuals are allowed to compete on their own in open competitions during the 2023-24 academic year, while they attend their first year of school at FHSU.
Coach Jeffery’s initial wave of signings prior to the 2023-24 academic year consists of four transfers and 13 incoming freshmen. Below is the list of individuals joining the Tiger program.
Lila Bloomer, So., 170, Callaway, Neb. / Callaway HS / Chadron State College
Chadron State: As a freshman in 2022-23, posted a record of 13-10 overall…Placed second at the Maverick Open.
Callaway HS: Placed third at the 2022 NSAA State Championships.
Addison Broxterman, Fr., 130, Topeka, Kan. / Washburn Rural HS
Washburn Rural HS: Set the Kansas state record for wins in a prep career with 146…Also set the Kansas state record for wins by fall at 132…Holds the school record for wins in a season with 45…Two-time state finalist and three-time state placer…Four-time Centennial League champion…Helped Washburn Rural to three state titles as a team…Named the TopSports.news Topeka Shawnee County Winter Female Athlete of the Year.
Lyndsey Buechman, So., 191, Abilene, Kan. / Abilene HS / York College
York College: Posted a record of 4-6 in her freshman season of 2022-23…Competed in five duals and a pair of tournaments.
Abilene HS: Three-time state medalist in Kansas Class 4-1A…Two-time state finalist…2022 freestyle state champion…Placed fourth at the National High School Showcase for All-America honors.
Piper Cadden, Fr., 136, Gilbert, Ariz. / Gilbert HS / Valiant College Prep
Valiant College Prep: Won five tournaments she competed in throughout the 2022-23 year and won six tournaments she competed in throughout the 2021-22 year…Placed fourth at the U23 World Team Trials in 2023.
Ashlyn Canizalez, Fr., 116, Grass Valley, Calif. / Bear River HS
Bear River HS: California state championship qualifier in 2020…California freestyle state placer in 2019.
Ashlynn Goodwin, Fr., 143, Wichita, Kan. / Goddard HS
Goddard HS: Two-time state champion in Kansas Class 6-5A (143 pounds as a sophomore, 140 pounds as a senior)…Three-time state placer, also taking third her junior year…Had a high school record of 114-8…Went 41-1 as a senior and 24-1 as a sophomore to win state titles…Academic all-state performer.
Gabby Hampton, Fr., 109, Blue Springs, Mo. / Blue Springs South HS
Blue Springs South HS: Named the GKC Suburban Gold Girls Wrestler of the Year…Placed third in the state at 105 pounds…Posted a record of 44-8 as a senior.
Marina Johnson, Jr., 136, Paola, Kan. / Paola HS
Paola HS: Competed in cross country, wrestling, and track and field…State runner-up in the 800 meters in Kansas Class 4A as a senior.
Other: Member of the FHSU Cross Country and Track and Field teams from 2021-23.
Chloe Mader, Fr., 155, Grand Island, Neb. / Northwest HS
Northwest HS: Two-time state qualifier in Nebraska…Placed fifth in the state at 152 pounds in 2021-22…Compiled a 49-18 record over her final two years of high school, going 27-7 as a junior and 22-11 as a senior…Letterwinner in five different sports throughout high school (wrestling, volleyball, track and field, basketball, and soccer).
Arianna Ortiz, Fr., 101, Kansas City, Kan. / Kansas City Turner HS
Kansas City Turner HS: State champion as a senior at 100 pounds in Kansas Class 6-5A…Finished senior season with a record of 36-2…Three-time state placer, including a runner-up finish as a junior at 101 pounds.
Isabell Ortiz, So., 116, Lakin, Kan. / Lakin HS / Chadron State College
Chadron State: Posted a record of 16-7 her freshman year for the Eagles…National qualifier for the NCWWC Championships…Recorded third-place finishes in the Maverick Open and Hastings Open…Runner-up finish at the York Open…Named team’s Freshman of the Year…Named to President’s List for a perfect 4.0 GPA.
Lakin HS: Two-time state champion at 115 pounds…Four-time state placer…Multiple folkstyle All-America honors…Homecoming queen in 2021…Lakin High School Athlete of the Year in 2022…All-league academic performer…Two-time all-league selection in softball.
Josiah Ortiz, Fr., 123, Lakin, Kan. / Lakin HS
Lakin HS: Won the Kansas Class 4-1A state title as a senior at 115 pounds…Won all but one tournament as a senior in 2022-23, going 40-1 for the season.
Noelle Peters, Fr., 109, Lindsborg, Kan. / Smoky Valley HS
Smoky Valley HS: Posted a record of 30-7 during senior year…Placed third at the USAWKS Folkstyle State Championship in both 2023 and 2022.
Marissa Porsch, So., 155, Selden, Kan. / Hoxie HS / Chadron State College
Chadron State: Posted a record of 26-5 overall as a freshman in 2022-23 for the Eagles, all at 155 pounds…Won the York Open, placed second at the Hastings Open, and had third-place finishes at the Maverick Open and Doane Conner/Oppenheim Open…Went 5-0 in dual competition…Placed fifth at the U23 USA World Team Trials in 2023.
Hoxie HS: State champion at 138 pounds in Kansas Class 4-1A as a senior in 2022…Went 37-1 during her senior year…Three-time state placer…Valedictorian of her class.
Kaylee Ricketts, Fr., 170, Wahoo, Neb. / Wahoo HS
Wahoo HS: Two-time Nebraska state champion…Went 99-0 over her last two years, including a 52-0 record at 170 pounds as a senior and 47-0 mark at 165 pounds as a junior…Set the Nebraska single-season record for wins in 2022 with 52…Placed fifth at the U17 World Team trials in 2022.
Katelyn Schmidt, Fr., 143, Towanda, Kan. / Circle HS
Circle HS: Posted a 70-11 record over her final two years of high school…State runner-up at 143 pounds in Kansas Class 4-1A as a junior in 2022…2023 state champion in USA Kansas Wrestling folkstyle state championship at 145 pounds.
Hannah Selle, Fr., 109, Winfield, Kan. / Winfield HS
Winfield HS: Two-time state qualifier and placed 5th in Kansas Class 4-1A as a senior at 105 pounds…Had a record of 30-7 as a senior…Four-year letterwinner in volleyball…Also competed in soccer, track and field, and powerlifting.