SFU Wrestlers Rep the Leaf at Inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships

After battling through one of the toughest NCCA Regionals, six Red Leafs proudly represented SFU at the first NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships.

Laura Alcantar Soto, Agnia Krakovska, Ella Finding, Liv Wieber, Lene-Marie McCrackin, and Paige Maher had all earned their way to the NCAA Championship's by finishing in the Top 3 at Regionals and can all say they were in the Top 18 in all of NCAA Div II Women's Wrestling for 2026.

"It was the best weekend. Such a monumental moment for women's wrestling being the first NCAA nationals. I am so lucky to have witnessed it let alone to have been a part of it. I'm so grateful for the athletes and coaching staff that allowed me to tag along and experience this moment. As I told the athletes, it's a moment we will be telling our kids and grandkids about one day" said Assistant Coach and former Red Leaf Danielle Lappage. "The six athletes we brought are so special. So hardworking, so committed, so resilient, so deserving of this moment. All six wrestled their best and as coaches, we truly couldn't have asked for anything more from them. All of us coaching staff are so unbelievably proud of each of them.

Wieber and Maher earned All-American status, with Wieber knocking off four straight opponents to finish in 3rd place and Maher battling back to finish in 7th. Wieber also took home the trophy for most Falls in the least amount of time (4 falls in 11 minutes).

"Our only two seniors on the team - Paige and Liv became all Americans which was incredible. They are so so deserving and I couldn't be happier for them. Sport is not always fair and it is sometimes unforgiving, but for these two at this tournament their dreams came true and it was an honour to watch that moment" shared Lappage about SFU's seniors. "A very special team, a very special moment and now a very special memory we all share together."

124 - Laura Alcantar Soto (1-2)
Alcantar Soto would start off the NCAA Championships against the 3rd seeded (and eventual NCAA Champion) Xochitl Mota-Pettis. After dropping their first match, Alcantar Soto would win a high-scoring match over Brianna Holcomb. Unfortunately, the Junior Season for Alcantar Soto would end by fall to 5th place finisher Aspen Blasko.

Xochitl Mota-Pettis (QUIN) TF 3:12 over Laura Alcantar Soto
Laura Alcantar Soto DEC 18-11 over Brianna Holcomb (FROS)
Aspec Blasko (GVSU) F 4:23 over Laura Alcantar Soto

160 – Lene-Marie McCrackin (2-2)
Redshirt Sophomore McCrackin would start off their NCAA Championship with a convincing technical fall victory over Tehana Savory in 1:59. After an early fall to Keely Kehrli, McCrackin would bounce back with a fall victory of their own over Vida Beckel. In a tight match-up against Noelle Gaffney, Gaffney would get the better of McCrackin in the final minute, ending McCrackin's season and just miss out on All-American status.

Lene McCrackin TF 1:59 over Tehana Savory (NJCU)
Keeley Kehrli (SIMP) F 0:28 over Lene McCrackin
Lene McCrackin F 3:00 over Vida Beckel (EMMA)
Noelle Gaffney (GVSU) F 5:36 over Lene McCrackin

Head Coach Justin Abdou on Alcantar Soto and McCrackin: "Lene [McCrackin] (2nd yr) and Laura [Alcantar Soto] (3rd yr) were one match from All-American honors and will be fun to watch next year. Both had amazing years and will rebound from these heartbreaking losses and come back stronger. It was a pleasure to coach this group of amazing women. I could not be prouder of them all."

131 - Agnia Krakovska (1-2)
Freshman Krakovska, would push all three of their matches to the limit, with all being decided by decision. Krakovska would lose their first match to Madeline Barton, but would get their first NCAA Championship match win over Yele Aycock. The first season for Krakovska would come to an end with a tight loss to Jazmene Molina.

Madeline Barton (QUIN) DEC 11-4 over Agnia Krakovska
Agnia Krakovska DEC 6-1 over Yele Aycock (NCC)
Jazmene Molina (WNE) DEC 4-2 over Agnia Krakovska

138 - Ella Finding (0-2)
Finding faced a tough first round matchup against the 2nd seed Claire DiCugno. Finding would be the first of three straight technical fall victories for DiCugno, who would finish in 2nd place. Redshirt Sophomore Finding's season would come to an end by fall to Ragan Retell.

Claire DiCugno (NCC) TF 4:59 over Ella Finding
Ragan Retell (ESU) F 2:05 over Ella Finding

Coach Abdou on Krakovska and Finding: "Agnia [Krakovska] (1st yr) and Ella [Finding] (2nd yr) both won big matches this year, with Agnia upsetting the #3 seed in round 2. Both can challenge for National titles next year."

145 - Liv Wieber – 3rd Place (5-1)
Wieber came in as the 7th seed but would leave as a 3rd place finisher.  After knocking off Louise Juitt in just 1:47, Wieber would fall to eventual NCAA Champion Bella Mir in the quarterfinal. Wieber would then go on an absolute run to finish their NCAA career. Wieber would win their final four matches, including falling behind 10-1 in the consolation semi-final before coming back to take victory by fall, to take home 3rd place.

Liv Wieber F 1:47 over Louise Juitt (DSU)
Bella Mir (NCC) TF 0:52 over Liv Wieber
Liv Wieber DEC 5-1 over Nichole Moore (FHSU)
Liv Wieber DEC 4-2 over Zoey Haines (EAST)
Liv Wieber F 5:02 over Alexandra Szkotnicki (MCK)
Third Place Match:Liv Wieber F 1:45 over Madeline Kubicki (PREB)

180 - Paige Maher – 7th Place (3-2)
Maher started off the NCAA Championships strong with a technical fall victory over 5th seed Abbie Miles. In the Quarterfinal against Shenita Lawson, Maher and Lawson would be neck-and-neck throughout the entire match until Lawson scored late to take the tight decision. Maher would respond with a fall victory Gemma Templeman, before dropping another tight decision to Azariah Moore. This would set up Maher against Mia Gaetjens for 7th place, which Maher would take by fall in just 1:24 and earn them All-American Status in their senior season.

From Head Coach Abdou: "Paige was super tough placing 7th. She showed so much resilience this year and throughout her career. It was her fourth straight year in the round of 12. This year she made it through. An exciting end to a great 4 years at SFU."

Paige Maher TF 4:05 over Abbie Miles (NMU)
Shenita Lawson (NCC) DEC 4-2 over Paige Maher
Paige Maher F 4:12 over Gemma Templeman (EMMA)
Azariah Moore (LHU) DEC 7-3 over Paige Maher
7th Place Match:Paige Maher F 1:24 over Mia Gaetjens (ADR)