The NMU women’s wrestling team returned home from Coralville, Iowa last week after concluding their season at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.

The team competed against 63 other teams at the championships, where they placed 14th. 

Three wrestlers from the team headed down for the championships. 

The first Wildcat to compete at the championships was sophomore Kailyn Garrett, who did not advance through the championship rounds, but picked up a win by fall in her consolation match-up. 

Moving up the leaderboard into the top ten, two Wildcats placed. First, sophomore Alissa Caltagirone placed eighth in the championships after winning her first two championship round matches. She fell in the quarterfinals, but gained another win in the consolation matches to go 3-3 in the tournament. Caltagirone’s performance was rewarded with All-America honors, marking the first time in her college career. 

The last wildcat to take the mat was sophomore Yu Sakamoto. Sakamoto placed third in the nation after dominating her first two matches in the championship round. She was defeated by decision in the quarterfinal match, but won the next two consolation matches to earn a bronze medal and All-America honors.

Sakamoto made Northern history with the program’s highest finish and first medal at the National Championships to date. 

These performances conclude the women’s 2024-25 wrestling season.