Skyline College Women’s Wrestling Shines in Debut Season with 2nd Place Team Finish at ELAC Leader of the Pack Tournament

Skyline College Women’s Wrestling Shines in Debut Season with 2nd Place Team Finish at ELAC Leader of the Pack Tournament
April 10, 2025

In a remarkable showing for a first-year program, the Skyline College Women's Wrestling team made a powerful statement at the ELAC Leader of the Pack Tournament in Monterey Park, CA on April 5, 2025. Competing against 11 other CCCAA (3C2A) teams, Skyline finished second overall with 72.5 team points—just behind powerhouse Mount San Antonio College, who took first with 84 points. Skyline brought only seven wrestlers to the tournament, yet every single one contributed points to the team's impressive total, showcasing the strength, depth, and potential of the young program. Highlighting the effort were three individual champions:

• Graciela Caro (103 lbs) captured gold and delivered a statement win in the finals, avenging a previous loss to Larissa McDaniel of Sacramento City College with a gritty 5-2 victory. Caro earned 17.5 team points.

• Jamie Micallef (160 lbs) dominated her bracket, scoring 20 team points with three straight wins, including a quick fall in just 41 seconds in the finals over Nyomi Mesa of Mt. SAC.

• Alia Vunipola (207 lbs) stormed through a tough round-robin format, finishing undefeated with two pins and a technical fall. Her performance netted 17.5 team points and the title at 207 lbs. Additional standout performances included:

• Arianna McPike (138 lbs) secured a third-place finish with a fall in 2:29 over Martina Ifopo of Santa Ana College, scoring 16.5 points.

• Shannon Cleary (145 lbs) fought her way to a fourth-place finish, adding 9.5 points to the team total.

• Joselyn Gutierrez (145 lbs) added two pins and finished fifth, earning 10 team points.

• Annette Beltran (160 lbs) battled through six matches, won four, and placed fifth, contributing 11 team points.

Head Coach Olga Camacho praised the growth and grit of the team: "This result shows just how far these women have come in such a short time. Every wrestler fought with heart and purpose, and we're only getting started."

Assistant Coach Sirena Konishi echoed the sentiment: "This team has incredible resilience. They rise to the occasion, support each other, and show the kind of fight that builds champions."

Next up for Skyline is the 3C2A State Championships on April 19, 2025, once again hosted at East Los Angeles College (ELAC). With momentum and confidence on their side, Skyline College Women's Wrestling is ready to continue turning heads in California and beyond.