Ogunsanya, Kolawole Debut with Titles at Indiana Tech Open

Fort Wayne, Ind.--Christianah Ogunsanya (Fr., Akure, Nigeria) and Esther Kolawole (Fr., Akure, Nigeria) made unbelievable first impressions as they led the Statesmen women's wrestling team at the Indiana Tech Open Saturday.

The Statesmen flexed their muscles all day against a wide variety of NAIA talent, finishing second as a team and claiming a pair of champions in Ogunsanya and Kolawole.  A total of six team members reached the title bout of their respective weight classes as the Open featured a Maximus (Gold) and Pancake (Silver) division.

Maximus Division

Ogunsanya and Kolawole, who both came to WPU this semester, competed for Nigeria at the Paris Olympics last summer.

Ogunsanya topped the 117-pound weight class with a 4-0 record (all technical falls).  She defeated two ranked NAIA foes, including teammate and No. 2 ranked Zao Estrada (Fr., Bluffton, S.C., Sociology) 10-0 in the finals.  Ogunsanya also took down Kaelani Shufeldt 10-0 in the semifinals; Shufeldt was a national runner-up at last year's NCWWC National Championship.

Kolawole earned the crown at 138 pounds with a 5-0 mark (four technical falls).  She disposed of current NAIA No. 1 Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp of Providence (Mont.) 11-0 in the semifinals before dropping Taina Fernandez (Unattached) 5-3 in the finals.

Estrada's runner-up placing at 117 pounds was one of three for William Penn.  The freshman, who was 3-1 with two technical falls and one fall, beat three ranked opponents to get to the title matchup.

124-pounder Joanna Vanderwood (Sr., Graham, Wash., Nursing) and 131-pounder Devin Patton (Jr., Plano, Texas, Business Management) also claimed silvers.  Vanderwood, who fell 3-0 to No. 4 Katie Gomez of Cumberlands (Ky.) in the finals, won all three of her matches by technical fall.  Patton was 4-1 with two falls and one technical fall.  She posted one top-10 victory to reach the championship against No. 5 Sarah Savidge of Life (Ga.).

Kendall Bostelman (Jr., Napoleon, Ohio, Exercise Science) notched two top-10 victories en route to a fifth-place effort at a stacked 138-pound weight class.  She was 3-1 with one technical fall.

131-pounder Tyler Swanigan (Fr., Northville, Mich., Kinesiology) also faced a plethora of talent, including taking on four ranked wrestlers.  She finished eighth with two falls.

124-pounder Catherine Steinkamp (Sr., Quincy, Ill., Exercise Science), with a 3-1 record, and 131-pounder Bronwyn Brenneman (Jr., Parnell, Iowa, Biology), with a 4-1 mark, each tallied two technical falls on their ways to consolation titles.

America Lopez (So., Val Verde, Calif.) was seventh with one technical fall at 180 pounds, while Phoebe Burt (Sr., Iowa City, Iowa, Psychology and Sociology) was eighth at 207 pounds, claiming two wins (one fall).

Naida Abdijanovic (Jr., St. Louis, Mo., Biology) pinned one opponent at 145 pounds as well.

Pancake Division

Alexa Wolf (Fr., Rogers, Ark., Business Management) was WPU's top wrestler in the Pancake division, winning the 160-pound weight class with a 5-0 record (two technical falls).

160-pounder Kylee Eastwood (Jr., Fontana, Kan., Biology) won twice (one fall, one technical fall), while 103-pounder Olivia Atkins (So., St. Peters, Mo., Nursing) collected one fall as well.

"I am extremely proud of our team today," Head Coach Jake Kadel said.  "We had a lot of really good wins and showed a great progress since the beginning of the season.  We will have good stuff to evaluate as we look to keep getting better for the postseason."

Next Up: William Penn travels to Crete, Neb. next Friday to face Doane in a non-conference dual meet at 5 p.m.