Northern Michigan University women wrestlers host intrasquad on Superior Dome floor this afternoon
MARQUETTE — Led by a pair of national top-10 sophomores, the Northern Michigan University women’s wrestling team opens its season this afternoon on the floor of the Superior Dome in Marquette.
The Green and Gold Intrasquad meet starts at 1 p.m. and is free to attend.
Sophomores Alissa Caltagirone at 145 pounds and Zhivanna Magdaleno at 124 were both ranked in the top 10 in their divisions after competing at the nationals last season. Caltagirone is scheduled to wrestle today.
Meanwhile, incoming sophomore Yu Sakamoto of Japan won a world championship title on Friday at the Under-23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania.
She went against Serena Di Benedetto of Canada in the gold medal final, according to an NMU Sports Information news release about the program. Sakamoto picked up four points in the first 30 seconds on a hip toss. She won another two points in the first round for a 6-0 lead. She added a takedown and back exposure in the second round to win 11-0 by technical fall.
Sakamoto earlier defeated wrestlers from Sweden, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
Beginning its fourth season this fall, NMU is ranked No. 24 in the NCAA Women’s Preseason Coaches Poll released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
The Wildcats have had 10 regional top-five finishes, with Diana Dzasezava winning a regional title in 2023, the same year that Tony DeAnda earned Regional Coach of the Year.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.