TONKAWA, OK – The McMurry University Women's Wrestling program achieved a significant first this weekend, crowning its inaugural individual tournament champion of the season at the Maverick Open, hosted by Northern Oklahoma College on Friday, November 7. Freshman Kailyn Bridges (110 lbs) delivered a spectacular performance, leading the War Hawks' push for multiple podium finishes and signaling strong competitive potential early in the campaign.

Bridges Dominates 110-lb Field
Bridges was flawless throughout the 110-lb bracket, relying on speed and power to secure the gold medal. The freshman clinched two bonus-point victories on her way to the title: winning by Fall (1:27) in Round 1 against Melanie Fragua (Trinidad State), and securing the championship with a decisive Technical Fall (13-0, 1:37) over Dalilah Aguayo (Trinidad State) in the final round.

Two Silver Medals Anchor the War Hawks
McMurry celebrated two individual silver medals, underscoring their success in the middle weights.

Kayla Jose (124 lbs) battled her way to the 1st Place Match to earn a silver medal. Jose was dominant in her preliminary matches, claiming a Technical Fall (10-0, 4:24) against Jordan Williams (Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa) in the quarterfinals, followed by a hard-fought victory by Fall (4:43) over Archer McLain (Southeastern community college) in the semifinals. Jose settled for second after falling by Decision (10-3) in the final to an unattached competitor.

Zoe Gamboa (145 lbs) also earned a 2nd Place silver medal, securing her spot on the podium after a strong tournament run that included a victory by Fall (2:28) over Rachel Burns (Unattached) in the opening round.

Resilience and Depth at 131 lbs
The 131-lb class showcased the War Hawks' resilience. After dropping her opening match, Alexis Schmotzer mounted a gritty comeback through the consolation rounds, racking up crucial victories. Schmotzer secured two key wins by Fall, including one over Emma Warth (Southeastern community college, 2:48) and a tough victory against teammate Chelsey Upton (2:57) in the consolation semifinals. Schmotzer ultimately finished in 4th Place, while Upton secured 6th Place overall.

Head Wrestling Coach Lance Brown praised the team's collective effort: "This tournament showed the true fight in our program. To earn our first champion with Kailyn, have Kayla and Zoe battle for silver, and watch Alexis fight back through the consis—that's the character we're building. Every athlete stepped up and competed hard. We are building something special, and today proved we are heading in the right direction."

Up Next
The McMurry Women's Wrestling team will look to build on this momentum when they return to the mat for the Tri Dual Meet on Wednesday, November 12, at Texas Women's University in Denton, Texas.