Pios' Five All-Americans Conclude NCWWC National Championships

Saturday, March 4

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Sacred Heart

NCWWC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Pios' Five All-Americans Conclude NCWWC National Championships

3/4/2023 9:13:00 PM | Women's Wrestling

Broadus placed fourth at 170 pounds to pace SHU

By: Josh Smith

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Cara Broadus finished in fourth place at 170 pounds to highlight the No. 9-ranked Sacred Heart University women's wrestling team's showing at the 2023 NCWWC National Championships, which concluded on Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The Pioneers took seventh place in the final standings with 57.0 points as a team. Winning the championship was North Central (IL) with 198.0 points, ending the three-year reign of McKendree.

Five of the Pios' 10 competitors at this year's national championships earned All-America status and competed in today's action. Broadus was the highest finisher in fourth, while Alexandra Fitzgerald (130) and Jacklyn Smith (191) were next with seventh-place showings. Aaliyah Payne-Parris (101) and Madison Sandquist (155) rounded out SHU's All-Americans with eighth-place finishes.

Broadus, the No. 6 wrestler at 170 pounds, bounced back from her setback in the quarters by winning her next three bouts, two today, to place fourth. She first beat No. 7 Jewel Gonzalez of Gannon with a 10-0 tech fall before besting No. 5 Brooklyn Hays of Augsburg by a decision in the consolation semis. Unfortunately, Broadus lost to No. 3 Emily Cue of Simon Fraser in the third-place match.

After being named an All-American for the first time last night, No. 8 Fitzgerald finished the event in seventh at 130 pounds. She started the day with setback against No. 5 Hailey Chapman of Colorado Mesa before pinning No. 6 Lillian Sherer of Lock Haven in 5:41 in the seventh-place match.

Joining Fitzgerald with a seventh-place showing in the event was Smith at 191 pounds. A day after winning her second All-America honor, Smith suffered a setback to No. 5 Jayleen Sekona of Colorado Mesa. She bounced back in the seventh-place match by pinning Mount Olive's Jada Arnold.

No. 8 Sandquist capped her second national championship appearance by finishing eighth after winning her second All-America honor last night. However, she faced a gauntlet in her two matches today, suffering losses to North Central's No. 5 Malea Palahniuk and No. 2 Tiera Jimerson, both by decision. Her setback against Jimerson came in the seventh-place match.

No. 8 Payne-Parris wrapped up her first national championship by taking eighth place at 101 pounds after earning All-America status last night. The first year suffered a pair of losses today, first to No. 5 Samantha Miller of Presbyterian and Isabella Morales of Colorado Mesa.