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2023-24 high school individual state champions list, as of January 15, adding in Indiana girls champs

January 16, 2024 by Tara S

Gary Abbot | USA Wrestling

Once again, USA Wrestling will publish regular updates on the 2023-24 state high school champions for both boys and girls.

Winning a state high school title is an amazing achievement for a high school student-athlete. We will post the champions from official state high school championships for boys, as well as the girls who have won official state high school titles, as well as the recognized state competitions which are not run by their state high school association. We will also post the team champions at the state level as available. As available, we will include the state champion’s year in school and final record.

This week, we add the Indiana girls state champions, who competed in Kokomo this past week. New Haven, led by state champions Julianna Ocampo (110) and Ysabelle Ocampo (115) won the team title.

Below are the girls state champions from Alaska. State champions will be updated on a weekly basis until the state championship season has been completed in mid-March.

Indiana State Championships

at Kokomo, IN. January 13

100 – Kendall Moe (Hamilton Heights) 27-3, So.

105 – Heather Crull (Northeastern) 22-0, Jr.

110 – Julianna Ocampo (New Haven) 22-1, Jr.

115 – Ysabelle Ocampo (New Haven) 25-2, Fr.

120 – Sophia Buechner (Terre Haute North Vigo) 20-3, Sr

125 – Rose Kaplan (West Lafayette) 24-5, Sr.

130 – Kyra Tomlinson (Noblesville) 22-1, Sr.

135 – Maddie Marsh (Pendleton Heights) 14-0, Fr.

140 – Aleksandra Bastaic (Highland) 16-6, So.

145 – Elly Janovsky (Lake Central) 34-0, Sr.

155 – Mallory Winner (Jay County) 26-0, Jr.

170 – AvaLyn Mosconi (Southport) 26-0, Jr.

190 – Jaiah Oneal (Brownsburg) 23-8, Sr.

235 – Varzidy Batchelor (Northview) 26-1, Sr.

Team Champion – New Haven

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS (in alphabetical order)

Alaska State Championships

At Anchorage, Alaska, Dec. 15-16

Div. I Boys

103 – Noah Justice (Colony) 34-5, Fr.

112 – Lincoln Werner (Student Wrestling Development Program) 34-4, Fr.

119 – Anan Siackhasone (South Anchorage) 36-4, Sr.

125 – Jacob Strausbaugh (Soldotna) 37-1, Jr.

130 – Deshawn Barbee (East Anchorage) 23-1, Sr.

135 – Matthew Mitchell (Colony) 26-1, Sr.

140 – Kenton Cooke (East Anchorage) 26-0, Sr.

145 – Cody Vansiegman (Palmer) 26-5, Sr.

152 – Trevor Michael (Soldotna) 23-3, Jr.

160 – Aaron Concepcion (South Anchorage) 27-0, Sr.

171 – Roth Powers (South Anchorage) 42-1, Sr.

189 – Kaelan Vesel (Palmer) 28-3, Jr.

215 – Spencer Johnson (Chugiak) 31-2, Sr.

285 – Arnold Baffour (Service) 16-4, Sr.

Team champion – South Anchorage

Div. II Boys

103 – Tommy Jarnig (Seward) 30-4, Jr.

112 – Ridge Conant (Seward) 30-8, Fr.

119 – Dylan McCambly (Dillingham) 14-2, Jr.

125 – Daylon Brown (Quinhagak) 18-4, Sr.

130 – Hunter Forshee-Kurtz (Seward) 37-5, Jr.

135 – Paul Dyment (Bethel) 25-9, Sr.

140 – Daniel Steffensen (Kenai Central) 31-3,

145 – Myles Campbell (Redington) 33-6, Sr.

152 – Keegan Hanson (Wrangell) 29-1, Sr.

160 – Dalton Henry (Haines) 21-3, Jr.

171 – Richard Didrickson (Mt. Edgecumbe) 18-2, Jr.

189 – Bryant Holloway (Craig) 24-0, Sr

215 – Aiden Ojala (Sitka) 23-5, Sr.

285 – Uatahouse Tuifua (Barrow) 21-0, Sr.

Team champions – Seward

Girls

100 – Jessica LeClair (Soldotna) 28-2, Jr.

107 – Valarie McAnelly (Soldotna) 30-6, Fr.

114 – Megan Spencer (Lathrop) 21-2, Sr.

120 – Rowan Peck (Soldotna) 34-8, Fr.

126 – Saoirse Cook (Homer) 27-1, So.

132 – Kaytlin McAnelly (Soldotna) 42-5, Sr.

138 – Daisy Hannevold (Soldotna) 37-3, Jr.

145 – Amelia Fawcett (Colony) 29-0, Jr.

152 – Jahzara O`Neil (Dimond) 4-0, Sr.

165 – Jessailah Thammavongsa (South Anchorage) 24-0, Jr.

185 – Roane Cook (Homer) 27-1, Sr.

235 – Manusiu Muti (Barrow) 17-0, Sr.

Team champions – Soldotna

When a world record puts the icing on the cake for gold medal Paralympians

January 16, 2024 by Tara S

The ultimate aim of an elite Para athlete is to become a Paralympic champion, to have that gold medal round the neck as validation of years of sweat and tears competing on the biggest stage.

To stand on the centre of the podium may be a dream come true but why stop there?

Winning is the priority but doing it with a world record time, well, that is just a perfect bonus.

Sports like swimming, athletics, cycling, rowing, often see many world records at the Paralympic Games, rivals pushing each other harder, faster. Barriers are smashed down every edition and that is likely to happen again at Paris 2024.

At Rio 2016 there were 177 events in athletics and 69 world records set.

Four years later, at Tokyo 2020, there were 167 events in athletics and 45 world records claimed.

There were 152 swimming events at Rio and more than 60 world records broken.

At Tokyo 2020 there were 146 swimming events and 70 world records broken. Cycling saw 25 official world records established at the Izu Velodrome. In total, 48 were broken as some were lowered several times over the 51 events.

Rio recap

Gold medalist Anna Stetsenko of Ukraine celebrates on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Women's 100m Backstroke - S13 on day 10 of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games — Anna Stetsenko (Ukraine) won a gold medal and broke an old-standing world record in Rio 2016. @Buda Mendes/Getty Images

Records tend to tumble anyway when it comes to the pool but Rio 2016 proved to be a watershed for some of the oldest records.

Bradley Snyder (USA) and Ukraine’s Anna Stetsenko (UKR) demolished two of the longest-standing marks in the sport.

Snyder broke the 30-year-old world record held by countryman John Morgan in the men’s S11 100m freestyle to take his third Paralympic gold medal in a time of 56.15 seconds.

“It is something that I have been trying very hard to do during the last three years. And to break that record was a remarkable experience,” Snyder said.

We inspire each other to push each other even harder – Bradley Snyder

“I know I will not be the world record holder for long. There are many athletes and we inspire each other to push each other even harder.”

Stetsenko bettered the mark set by Germany’s Yvonne Hopf in the women’s 50m freestyle S13 at Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, touching in 27.34 seconds, just 0.04 faster.

“I can’t say that I was really surprised because I trained a lot for it. I felt a delight, happiness and lots of positive emotions which overwhelmed me that moment,” Stetsenko said.

As mentioned before, there were 152 swimming events at Rio and more than 60 broken world records.

The dominating star of the Rio Aquatics Centre was China’s Wenpang Huang, who swam world record times in S3 and SB2 events in the 50m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley. Tragically he died in a car accident in 2018.

Durand, the legend

A female Para athlete celebrates after winning her race at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games — Cuban Omara Durand is the fastest female Para athlete in the world and has set several world records. @Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Looking back to the Brazilian edition of the Games, the best was saved to last as the final day of the athletics programme saw seven world records broken.

The headlines belonged to Cuba’s Omara Durand, the sprinter who never stops winning. The fastest female Para athlete on the planet won the 400m T12 to add to her 100m and 200m titles. She did it with her third world record of the Games.

She posted a time of 51.77 seconds knocking over a second off her qualifying run two days earlier. Durand also reduced her own 100m T12 record to 11.40 seconds.

Tokyo 2020 was a great success for the Cuban too and who would bet against the eight-time gold medallist breaking even more records in Paris?

Durand, who originally set her T12 200m world record of 23.03 seconds in Doha in 2015, finally broke it in Japan with a time of 23.02 seconds.

The future is bright

So, what will we see at Paris 2024? More world records, certainly. American runner Nick Mayhugh was a hugely exciting prospect at Tokyo, and he is not afraid to state his aim of more world records having finished with three.

He also won three gold medals from his four events in the T37 class. In the men’s 200m, Mayhugh broke the world record for the second time with his time of 21.91. It was his third world record of Tokyo 2020.

The footballer turned athlete confirmed his spot in the final of the 100m with a world record sprint of 10.97 seconds in the qualifying heats becoming the first T37 runner to beat the 11-second barrier. In the final he lowered his time again, recording 10.95.

“I expected things to happen the way they did in Tokyo. I have worked for it and I had world record times written and taped on my wall,” Mayhugh said after his success.

Power point

Three women posing for photos on the podium with their medals — Folashade Oluwafemiayo (center) won the gold medal and set a world record in the 86 kg category in Para Powerlifting in Tokyo 2020. @Hiroki Nishioka/WPPO

There were 20 Para powerlifting events at both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Nine world records were broken in the Brazilian edition of the Games and just two in the Japanese one. The latter came by the efforts of Guo Lingling and Folashade Oluwafemiayo.

China’s Lingling will be favourite to break a world record or two in Paris, having gone from strength to strength since making her Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo.

She set a world record of 109kg in the 41kg event at Tokyo 2020. Her starting lift was 105kg (a Paralympic record) and she failed once at 108kg before making it. She then succeeded in an extra world record attempt at 109kg.

The other world record holder, in the 86kg category, was Nigeria’s Oluwafemiayo, who beat her own world record twice before using a fourth and final attempt to set a mark of 152kg.

Expect rowing world records

Rowing is likely to produce world records at Paris 2024 after the changes to the rules. Tokyo 2020 was the first time the Para crews raced 2,000m (instead of 1,000m) to put the sport in line with able-bodied world rowing.

The standard is rising very quickly, and world’s best times are being set constantly. It seems inevitable that records will go in the ‘City of Light’.

There are five events scheduled including, for the first time, the PR3 mixed double sculls.

Rutgers Women’s Basketball lands 2024 Five-Star G Kiyomi McMiller

January 8, 2024 by Tara S

Alec Crouthamel • TheKnightReport

In the wake of facing off against star Caitlin Clark, the Rutgers women’s basketball team landed another star in the form of a verbal commitment from five-star guard Kiyomi McMiller, who joins signee Zachara Perkins in the team’s 2024 recruiting class.

McMiller, who is in her second season playing at the Life Center Academy in Burlington, New Jersey, chose the Scarlet Knights over the likes of Ole Miss, Florida State, and Temple.

The 5-foot-9 point guard is currently ranked 22nd in the country according to espnW’s recruiting rankings.

On the court, McMiller is at her best with the ball in her hands as a scoring guard. She has great speed with the ball and elite handles to get past defenders and find an open look, even drawing (lofty) comparisons to former NBA star Jamal Crawford with her ability to dribble in space with the ball. Appropriately nicknamed “The Product”, arguably McMiller’s best trait is her creativity on the court, with or without the ball.

“I’m inspired by both of my parents,” she told Business of College Sports. “I get my creativity from my dad and my grandmother, which carries over to my dribbling. I’m always in the gym with my mom and dad working on my game.”

She’ll join a stacked guard room with youth and experience mixed in at Rutgers, with contributors such as Kaylene Smikle, Mya Petticord, Lisa Thompson, and Jillian Huerter. Head coach Coquese Washington, formerly a guard herself in college and in the WNBA, is putting together a room of guards that can attack off the perimeter to either set up teammates or take it themselves for the score.

Similarly, off the court, McMiller has also become a trailblazer. Back in February, she became the first high school athlete to sign a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with the iconic Jordan Brand. Bringing that brand recognition to Piscataway will put more eyes on the program, and Rutgers as a whole.

The Silver Spring, Maryland native grew up in a basketball family, as both of her parents coached at nearby Montgomery College. Her father, Mike, also joined on at Life Center Academy as an assistant coach.

“It’s a dream come true being with the brand that stands for the same passion that I have for the game,” she said. “I look forward to encouraging basketball players to use their creativity and platform to define their purpose.”

McMiller and Perkins currently make up the program’s 2024 class, but Washington and the staff may not be done yet. Fellow five-star guard Mikayla Blakes, ranked tenth in the class, also has Rutgers among her finalists. There’s plenty of familiarity with the program, as Blakes attends Rutgers Prep in Somerset, and current Scarlet Knight Antonia Bates played for the Argonauts out of Easton, Pennsylvania.

Both Blakes and McMiller were listed as two of the top scorers in the class by espnW, and adding both players would bring a lot of attention and hype to a Scarlet Knights program looking to get back on track in the Big Ten.

Rutgers women’s basketball lands a 5-star recruit in Kiyomi McMiller

January 8, 2024 by Tara S

By Kristian Dyer via Rutgers Wire

Kiyomi McMiller committed to Rutgers women’s basketball on Saturday afternoon, giving the Scarlet Knights the highest-ranked recruit since head coach Coquese Washington took over the program.

A five-star guard, McMiller is ranked the No. 22 player in the nation by ESPNW. She is a part of the 2024 recruiting class.

McMiller plays for Life Center Academy (Burlington, New Jersey). Through 11 games this season, she is averaging 29.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Playing a strong schedule both nationally and in-state, Life Center is currently 5-7 on the season.

She is the second-highest-ranked recruit in the nation in the 2024 class behind five-star guard behind Mikayala Blakes. ESPNW ranks Blakes as the ninth-best recruit in the nation.

For Washington, this is a huge recruiting win for her and the program. Landing a top-tier in-state target who is ranked among the best players in the nation is certainly an important building block for the Scarlet Knights

Kate Douglass took different strokes to swimming success

January 5, 2024 by Tara S

By: Nick Zaccardi | NBC Sports

Kate Douglass went from squeezing onto the Tokyo Olympic team by two hundredths of a second in 2021 to becoming arguably the world’s most versatile swimmer in 2023, winning six medals at July’s world championships.

At USA Swimming’s annual Golden Goggles awards in November, Douglass shared the stage with Katie Ledecky as co-Female Athlete of the Year winners.

Douglass made the 2023 World team in freestyle, breaststroke and individual medley events. No American woman has swum all of those disciplines over an Olympic career. Douglass could do it over five days in Paris in July. She is an NCAA champion in the butterfly, too.

The 22-year-old native of suburban New York looked ahead to 2024 in a September goal-setting session with Todd DeSorbo, her coach at the University of Virginia.

“I said I wanted to make the Olympic team in multiple events,” Douglass recalled, “and kind of be as dominant as I can this summer.”

“She loved doing things correctly and challenging herself to see how fast you can go using perfect technique,” said Carle’ Fierro, who coached her then. “I would set goals for her, and then once she was close to that goal, I would set another one.”

Westchester swimmers received rubber ducks for personal bests or remarkable efforts in practice. Douglass’ mom, Allison, estimated she collected more than 50.

In January 2015, the reward was ice cream after Douglass qualified for her first Olympic Trials less than two months after her 13th birthday. At the same meet, she took photos with Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte (images courtesy Fierro).

Around that time, she spent 16 months wearing a back brace for 16 hours a day to treat moderate scoliosis. Douglass said that was likely the biggest challenge of her life to this point. She lugged the brace to her first Olympic Trials in 2016, where she raced four events with a best finish of 32nd as one of the youngest swimmers at the meet.

Douglass then spent her last two years of high school swimming at Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club in Stamford, Connecticut. Her coach there, Jamie Barone, had trained with Michael Phelps in the early 2000s at North Baltimore Aquatic Club.

“I watched Phelps go from an unknown 15-year-old to who he is. I swam at a national, international caliber for quite a while, and never in my life have I seen a swimmer move through the water the way Kate Douglass moves through the water,” Barone said of her efficient and deceptively effortless strokes. “She cuts through the water like a knife.”

Swimswam ranked her the No. 1 high school recruit of the class of 2019 in one of their 1,000-plus articles tagging her over the last decade.

Douglass considered schools in California, the longtime hotbed of women’s swimming, but ultimately stayed closer to home at the University of Virginia.

The Cavaliers were coming off a 12th-place finish at NCAAs and a coaching change, hiring DeSorbo to lead a program for the first time.

“She wasn’t going to college to try to make an Olympic team,” Allison said. “(Douglass and DeSorbo) matured together.”

Three more in Swimswam’s top 16 of the class of 2019 also went to Charlottesville. Virginia has since three-peated as national champion, with Douglass turning pro (but not moving) after sweeping all seven of her events at last March’s NCAAs (three individual, four relay).

“She takes days off,” DeSorbo said, “but mainly because I force her to. She gets really anxious and stressed if she feels like she’s not doing enough.”

The nerves were there on the fourth night of the Tokyo Olympic Trials, where the top two make the team in each individual event.

Douglass, after placing third in the 100m butterfly, was seeded second going into the final of the 200m individual medley, a race she hated at the time. It was a hard event for her, and it caused anxiety.

Still, she considered it her last real chance to qualify, though she still had other races remaining.

“That was kind of the first time I’ve ever really been under that kind of pressure,” she said. “Making the team was something I kind of never really believed that I’d do. I just didn’t really want to set that goal for myself and be disappointed.”

Douglass trailed second place by 1.03 seconds after the first 100 meters. She then powered home in her two best strokes — breast and free — to out-touch Madisyn Cox by two hundredths for the second and final Olympic spot behind Virginia teammate Alex Walsh.

“After I made it, I was like, oh, this is legit,” she said, “and then I think that I kept that momentum going.”

In Tokyo, Douglass rallied from sixth place at the midpoint to grab bronze by 11 hundredths of a second. Upon returning home, she donated a bunch of Olympic swag to Westchester Aquatic Club.

In 2022, she took a break from the 200m IM. She won 200m breast bronze at worlds instead.

Then came the summer of 2023. At the U.S. Championships, she won the 100m free and 200m IM, placed second in the 200m breast and third in the 50m free and 100m fly. At worlds, she took 200m IM gold and 200m breast silver, was fourth in the 100m free and anchored four medal-winning relays. Her six medals tied for the most of any swimmer.

“The variety of events that Kate can be competitive on an international level is, as far as I know, unrivaled in swimming history,” Barone said.

Douglass said in November that she will probably race four events at June’s Olympic Trials. She will likely skip the 100m fly even though it’s held on days one and two, and she would have no other events until day four. If trials go well, she can become the first American woman to swim six events at an Olympics (including relays) since Missy Franklin swam a record seven in 2012.

Kate Douglass’ Possible Olympic Trials Schedule

Date	Session	Event	Round
June 18	Day	100m Freestyle	Heats
	Night	100m Freestyle	Semifinals
June 19	Day	200m Breaststroke	Heats
	Night	100m Freestyle	Final
	Night	200m Breaststroke	Semifinals
June 20	Night	200m Breaststroke	Final
June 21	Day	200m Individual Medley	Heats
	Night	200m Individual Medley	Semifinals
June 22	Day	50m Freestyle	Heats
	Night	50m Freestyle	Semifinals
	Night	200m Individual Medley	Final
June 23	Night	50m Freestyle	Final

“I can’t remember if she said it or I said it, but I think one of the big goals is to try and break the world record in the 200m IM,” DeSorbo said. The world record is 2:06.12. Douglass is the sixth-fastest woman in history at 2:07.09.

Douglass is also working toward a master’s degree in statistics. Her busy summer included a remote data analytics internship with Dell Technologies.

In a Nov. 3 Virginia swimming Instagram Q&A, she said, “I see retirement in the near future. I don’t know when, but it’s coming. And I’m looking forward to it,” according to Swimswam.

She later clarified it was sarcasm.

“I always joke about retiring because I’m like, I can’t wait for retirement,” she said. “But at the same time, I mean, I have no idea. I definitely wouldn’t retire after this summer.”

Douglass admires Maya DiRado, who decided before her first Olympics in 2016 that it would be her final meet. DiRado won gold in her last race, then began a career as a business analyst at age 23. Douglass met DiRado to learn more about that transition.

“She’s so talented and also knows that there’s plenty to life after swimming,” DiRado wrote in an email, “which I hope young athletes, coaches, and parents appreciate when they watch her next summer.”

Cherotich – the “small Faith” inspired to rising heights by Kipyegon

January 3, 2024 by Tara S

Mike Rowbottom | World Athletics

For the athlete that Faith Kipyegon calls “small Faith”, it has been a very big year.

At the age of 19, Faith Cherotich – the rising talent who has recently been mentored by the multiple world and Olympic champion Kipyegon – is a senior world medallist in the 3000m steeplechase and reigning world U20 champion.

She is also the women’s World Athletics Rising Star awardee for 2023.

“I am very happy and proud to receive this award,” Cherotich said shortly before receiving her honour at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, where ‘big Faith’ received the World Athlete of the Year award for women’s track after setting three world records and earning two world titles.

Kipyegon has set a dizzyingly high bar in 2023. But one day, perhaps, Cherotich – who had only finished her studies at school two weeks before the Monaco event – can hope to operate at a similar level in the No.1 Olympic sport.

“Faith Kipyegon has been mentoring me on how to be a good athlete,” she said. “I want to be a champion, to follow her. She has been teaching me a lot. I really appreciate it.

“It was a very good year for me. It was my first World Championships and I was happy with how I ran. It was a good race for me.”

Faith Kipyegon and Faith Cherotich at the World Athletics Awards 2023 (© Mattia Ozbot)

The year had begun for her at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, where she helped Kenya earn silver in the women’s U20 team event, missing out on an individual medal by one place.

Having finished third in the previous year’s Wanda Diamond League Final, where her time of 9:06.14 moved her to third on the world U20 all-time list, Cherotich began her 2023 Diamond League season by finishing third in the opening meeting in Doha.

But a few weeks later her progress was traumatically undermined when the car she was travelling in – en route to compete in another Diamond League meeting – was involved in a collision with a runaway truck, leaving her with minor injuries and concussion.

“I had an accident in a car,” she said. “But then I recovered, and I had three weeks to train before the World Championships trials. I was able to qualify, so that was good.”

In the final at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, she was the last in the field to hold on to the eventual respective gold and silver medallists, Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi and her fellow Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech, the 32-year-old world record-holder.

Cherotich finished almost five seconds clear of her nearest rival, Ethiopia’s Zerfe Wondemagegn, clocking a personal best of 9:00.69.

Faith Cherotich at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 (© Getty Images)

In the first Diamond League meeting after the World Championships, in Zurich, Cherotich was again third behind Yavi and Chepkoech.

And in a super-fast Diamond League Final in which the world champion set an area record of 8:50.66 and Chepkoech followed her home in a season’s best of 8:51.67, Cherotich broke the nine-minute barrier with a personal best of 8:59.65. That time in Eugene places Cherotich 11th on the senior world all-time list.

Valentijn Trouw from Global Sports Communication, who manages Cherotich’s career, is quietly confident of her continuing progress.

“I think she is going to be a future star,” he said. “She has all the ingredients. It reminds me – we are here with Faith Kipyegon and Faith Cherotich, and Faith Kipyegon 10 or 12 years ago was coming into athletics like Faith Cherotich is coming into athletics now.

“She is extremely talented. But besides that, she has a good mentality, she is calm and she is composed. She knows what she wants and she is coming in gradually in a very nice way but has the future on her side.

“She has incredible opportunities. But she has had a tough year this year because she had a quite serious car accident at the beginning of the year,” he added. “She was on her way to Eldoret to take a flight for one of the Diamond Leagues and a truck hit the car and that took her out for about six weeks.

“Everybody survived in a good way but with some injuries. But Faith had to take some rest because she had some minor injuries, including concussion. We needed to make sure she took it really easy and didn’t start back too quickly.

“Then she had a very short time to come up to the trials and she made the team, and then she had time to build on that and be ready for the World Championships.”

Faith Cherotich at the Diamond League meeting in Doha (© Matthew Quine / Diamond League AG)

It further proved her positive mindset.

“In those kinds of situations, you see how somebody is handling the situation. And to be honest, I have never seen her panicking,” Trouw continued. “She is always calm, she accepts life as it comes and makes the best out of it. And with that attitude, plus her talent, she can achieve anything.

“Many times, for us from the outside, if you look at how an athlete is handling those kinds of situations you see also how they are behaving when they are under immense pressure in an Olympic final or going for a record in the Diamond League – it is very telling.

“Faith stayed extremely calm and accepted advice from the team around her. I think she joined our team two years ago. She was at school and she was showing some great potential in cross country.

“She helped win team silver at the World Cross Country Championships – and she expected a little more, but she did well.

“She is still very young, but you feel there is so much inside that if we go slow she can have a 15- or 20-year career and go a long way.”

Asked if her securing a senior medal in Budapest had surprised him, Trouw added: “No. It could have happened that she ran fourth, fifth or sixth and still ran a good race. But to try to go for a medal was realistic. Because after the trials, she still had the time to prepare for the World Championships.

“Some people, you don’t need to tell them what to do in a competition because their intuition is such that they know what to do. And she is somebody that senses extremely well what she can do and what she can’t do.

“And so tactical races – be it fast, be it slow – it doesn’t matter so much for her because she is very much herself and she knows how much fuel is inside to bring it in a good way to the finish line.

“So far, I have not seen her making any tactical mistakes, where you would say: ‘You should have done this different’. And that, combined with her strength and talent, means she can do good things in championships.”

Kenya’s Faith Cherotich on her way to the world U20 3000m steeplechase title in Cali (© Oscar Munoz Badilla)

Prior to the World Championships, it had appeared that Cherotich’s predecessor as world U20 champion – her 20-year-old compatriot Jackline Chepkoech – stood a better chance of reaching the podium in Budapest. Jackline Chepkoech ran a PB of 8:57.35 in London in the lead up and then placed ninth in Budapest.

“I think both Faith and Jackline are the future for Kenya in the steeplechase,” said Trouw. “We help them both. They don’t train together, but they are very good together when they are in the Diamond League. They share the room together and they are friendly, but they don’t train together.

“Faith is still a bit younger and newer to athletics and to settings like this. But at the same time, she is very much herself, and that helps not just in life in general, but also in sports.

“As for her coach, we are now looking for someone to take her career forward. So far, she has been in school and she had a local coach who has been overseeing her. For 2024 she would like to get more experience in the Diamond Leagues, and to run consistently under nine minutes, and to go for a good result at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“She just wants to make the next step in athletics. But she is in a phase of her career where things can go fast.”

Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

North Central scores five champs, second-straight women’s team title at Ken Kraft Midlands Championships

January 2, 2024 by Tara S

By: Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

The No. 2 ranked North Central College squad delivered its second-straight team title at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on the strength of five individual champions, nine finalists and 17 women placing in the top five of their weight classes.

Three-time NCWWC national champion Yelena Makoyed led the way for the Cardinals with a masterful performance at 170 pounds. Makoyed, the inaugural recipient of the USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year award, went unscored upon, teching each opponent, on the way to her first Midlands title.

2023 U20 World bronze medalist and two-time NCWWC All-American Amani Jones posted a similar effort for North Central on her way to the 123-pound title. The Junior from Locust Grove, Ga., won two bouts by 10-0 scores before pinning unattached wrestler Carissa Qureshi at the 2:04 mark of the championship match.

Also earning top prize for the defending NCWWC team champions were two-time All-Americans Sydney Petzinger at 116 pounds and Tiera Jimerson at 155 pounds, plus returning national runner-up Traeh Haynes at 191 pounds.

One area of surprise for North Central came at 101 pounds as unattached high schooler Madison Nieuwenhuis of Michigan pinned defending NCWWC champion Madison Avila in the finals. Nieuwenhuis is one of the top prospects in the women’s division coming off a 16U national title in Fargo, N.D., last summer.

North Central posted 148 team points to dominate a stout Midlands field that included seven programs ranked in the top 15 of the NWCA NCAA Coaches Poll. No. 5 McKendree wound up in second place with 95.5 team points. No. 7 Lock Haven, No. 10 Northern Michigan, No. 12 Aurora, No. 13 Presbyterian and No. 15 UW-Stevens Point all represented well. Not to mention, Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) sent a solid group of high school athletes that wound up placing in the top five of the team standings.

U15 Pan American gold medalists Kayla Batres and Taina Fernandez, both wrestling unattached, wound up atop the podium at NOW Arena. Batres, who was a 16U runner-up in Fargo, N.D. last summer, took down Lock Haven All-American Kaelani Shufeldt 4-2 in the 109-pound finals. Fernandez teched North Central All-American Salome Walker in the 130-pound finals, 10-0.

Marisol Nugent of Sunkist Kids (136) and two-time NCWWC All-American Viktorya Torres of McKendree (146) round out the list of champions from this year’s event.

Final results and complete brackets of the 59^th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships are available on Trackwrestling.com. Replays from the event are available online with a Big Ten Plus subscription.

2023 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships

At Hoffman Estates, Ill., Dec. 30

Team Standings

1. North Central, 148

2. McKendree, 95.5

3. Aurora, 64.5

4. Presbyterian, 63

5. Wyoming Seminary, 59.5

6. UW-Stevens Point, 44.5

7. Northern Michigan, 43.5

8. Lock Haven, 28

9. Team Nazar, 26.5

10. Sunkist Kids, 18.5

Final Results

101 pounds

1^st – Madison Nieuwenhuis (Unattached) fall Madison Avila (North Central), 5:20

3^rd – Lizette Rodriguez (McKendree) dec. Genesis Ramirez (Aurora), 9-0

5^th – Lisa Pastoriza (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Emma Heslin (Lock Haven), 7-0

109 pounds

1^st – Kayla Batres (Unattached) dec. Kaelani Shufeldt (Lock Haven), 4-2

3^rd – Rianne Murphy (Wyoming Seminary) tech. fall Taylor Whiting (Team Nazar), 10-0

5^th – Natalie Majer (Unattached) tech. fall Alexis Winecke (UW-Stevens Point), 14-4

116 pounds

1^st – Sydney Petzinger (North Central) fall Clare Booe (Wyoming Seminary), 1:13

3^rd – Janessa George (North Central) fall Julia Vidallon (McKendree), 1:48

5^th – Salyna Shotwell (McKendree) fall Chloe Ayres (Princeton), 1:46

123 pounds

1^st – Amani Jones (North Central) fall Carissa Qureshi (Unattached), 2:04

3^rd – Shelby Moore (McKendree) tech. fall Alyssa Mahan (Presbyterian College), 10-0

5^th – Emma Bacon (Wyoming Seminary) tech. fall Zhivanna Magdaleno (Northern Michigan), 10-0

130 pounds

1^st – Taina Fernandez (Unattached) tech. fall Salome Walker (North Central), 10-0

3^rd – Alexis Janiak (Aurora) tech. fall Nichole Moore (McKendree), 10-0

5^th – Haley Vann (North Central) inj. def. Cassia Zammit (Presbyterian College), 0:00

136 pounds

1^st – Marisol Nugent (Sunkist Kids) fall Taylor Graveman (North Central), 2:29

3^rd – Alondra Morales (North Central) dec. Niya Teresita Gaines (North Central), 7-0

5^th – Sydney Park (North Central) dec. Amor Tuttle (UW-Stevens Point), 7-6

143 pounds

1^st – Viktorya Torres (McKendree) dec. Alexis Gomez (Gomez RTC), 7-4

3^rd – Alissa Caltagirone (Northern Michigan) fall Kendall Bostelman (North Central), 4:40

5^th – Maddie Kubicki (Presbyterian College) forfeit Lillian Freitas (Unattached)

155 pounds

1^st – Tiera Jimerson (North Central) dec. Noelle Gaffney (Northern Michigan), 3-2

3^rd – Maddie Hayden (Unattached) dec. Sarina Bertram (North Central), 8-3

5^th – Antonia Phillips (Aurora) tech. fall Caroline Gilstrap (McKendree), 11-0

170 pounds

1^st – Yelena Makoyed (North Central) tech. fall Henlee Haynes (Presbyterian College), 10-0

3^rd – Jade Herzer (UW-Stevens Point) tech. fall Fiona McConnell (North Central), 12-0

5^th – Tabitha Breitrick (UW-Stevens Point) dec. Ruby Joseph (Northern Michigan), 8-5

191 pounds

1^st – Traeh Haynes (North Central) dec. Caroline Ward (North Central), 10-2

3^rd – Sydney Manos (Aurora) dec. Brooke Huffman (Team Nazar), 14-11

5^th – Logan Ryan (Albion) forfeit Ella Beam (Presbyterian College)

10 BREAKOUT PERFORMANCES BY TEAM USA ATHLETES IN SUMMER SPORTS IN 2023

December 22, 2023 by Tara S

BY CHRÖS MCDOUGALL | Team USA

New stars emerge every four years at the Olympics and Paralympics. If you were paying attention in 2023, though, you might have caught a preview of what’s to come next summer.

The year before the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 saw several breakout performances from Team USA athletes, results that included world championships, world records and drought-busting finishes.

Fans can follow along throughout the year at TeamUSA.com, but as we look ahead to the Olympic and Paralympic year in 2024, here are 10 athletes who showed in 2023 that they could be names to watch for in Paris:

Minna Stess, Skateboarding

Currently ranked 5th in the world, Minna Stess made history this year by placing third at the WST Park World Championship 2023 in Rome Ostia. In addition to securing crucial points for the Road to Paris 2024, Stess became the first U.S. woman ever to podium at an Olympic qualifier or Worlds event. At just 17 years old, she is considered the top U.S. female athlete in park skateboarding.

Mark Reis: Team USA

Sarah Adam, Wheelchair Rugby

Long a mixed-gender sport in name only, wheelchair rugby in the United States now has a female star. Adam broke through to become the first U.S. woman to compete at the world championships in 2022, and in 2023 she established herself as a go-to scorer on a team with Paralympic gold-medal aspirations. Adam, who when not playing is a professor of occupational therapy at St. Louis University, played key roles for Team USA in two major tournaments this year, including the Parapan American Games in November in Santiago, Chile. A victory there made Adam the first woman to win Parapan Ams gold in the sport and secured Team USA’s spot in Paris next year. Only Chuck Aoki, a three-time Paralympic medalist, scored more points than Adam.

Team USA

Hannah Chadwick guide Skyler Espinoza, Para-Cycling

Chadwick and her visual guide Espinoza didn’t plan to race the track sprint event at August’s world championships in Scotland. Yet in their first sprint race together, the new tandem won a bronze medal. Later, at the Parapan American Games, they opened with another unexpected win in the 3,000-meter individual pursuit. One day later they were back at their preferred 1,000-meter distance, and back atop the podium, this time in the time trial. The winning time also set a new Parapan Ams record for the event. In Paris, Chadwick, of El Cerrito, California, and Freeport, Maine, native Espinoza will aim to win Team USA’s first Paralympic medal in a visually impaired cycling event since 2008.

Mark Reis

CJ Nickolas, Taekwondo

The 21-year-old Nickolas put U.S. men’s taekwondo back on the map in May when he finished as runner-up in the men’s 80 kg. class at the world championships in Azerbaijan. Nickolas, of Brentwood, California, defeated the reigning Olympic bronze medalist in the semifinals before falling to the division’s top-ranked athlete in the final. In doing so, he became the first U.S. man to win a world championships medal in the sport since 2009. After no U.S. men qualified for the Olympics in taekwondo in 2021 — the first time that had happened — Nickolas should be in position to not only qualify for Paris but maybe even contend for a medal.

Noelle Malkamaki, Para Track & Field

Breaking a world record is so fun Malkamaki decided to do it three times this summer. The 22-year-old from Decatur, Illinois, first established a new global mark in the women’s shot put F46 at the U.S. championships in May. In July, she did it twice more at the world championships in Paris. Her final throw of 13.32 meters secured both the world title and her second world record of the day. Malkamaki, who throws collegiately for DePaul, only recently began throwing in Para competitions, and already she’s a favorite for a Paralympic medal next year in Paris.

Getty Images

Fred Richard, Gymnastics

Richard arrived on the scene in 2022 eager to draw attention to his sport , both through TikTok and his performances. It’s safe to say he’s succeeded in both. In April, the 19-year-old wrapped up his freshman season at Michigan by winning the all-around and two event titles at the NCAA championships. Six months later, in Belgium, he broke through on a higher level. Richard left the world championships with a pair of bronze medals — in the team and the all-around. Those marked the first medals for U.S. men in those events at a global championship since 2014 and 2012, respectively. And Richard’s high-flying ways aren’t limited to his stunning floor exercise and high bar routines. His creative gymnastics challenge videos have earned him a following of 645,000 and counting on TikTok.

(L-R0 Valarie Allman and Laulauga Tausaga-Collins pose with their U.S. flags.

Laulauga Tausaga-Collins, Track & Field

Talk about owning the moment. Tausaga-Collins unleashed the biggest throw of her life — by far — to become the first U.S. woman to win a discus world title. The Hawaii-born, California-raised thrower missed the Tokyo Olympics and finished 12th of 12 in the final of last year’s world championships, both while battling back injuries. At this year’s worlds in August in Hungary, Tausaga-Collins sat in fifth place with two throws to go. That’s when she broke out for a 69.49-meter throw, beating her personal best by nearly four meters. Her U.S. teammate and the defending Olympic champ, Valarie Allman, was just behind Tausaga-Collins in second (69.23 m).

Joe Kusumoto

Sam Watson, Climbing

Speed climbing will debut as an Olympic medal event in Paris after being rolled into a combined event in 2021 in Tokyo. That’s good news for Watson, who at 17 is already one of the fastest in the history of the sport. In April, Watson, of Southlake, Texas, scaled the 15-meter wall in 5.02 seconds to establish a new U.S. record. The only thing missing for Watson was a climb like that when it counts most, in a final. He finally put everything together at the Pan American Games in October in Santiago, where he not only won the gold medal but also clinched his first Olympic berth.

Getty Images

Joscelyn Roberson, Gymnastics

The world championships didn’t end quite how Roberson had hoped — a “freak injury” in warmups kept her out of the team and vault finals. But just about everything prior in 2023 was a dream for the 17-year-old from Texarkana, Texas. Following a switch to Simone Biles’ gym last year, Roberson enjoyed a breakthrough winter racking up medals at competitions in Germany, Egypt and Colombia. The powerful tumbler is particularly strong on floor and vault, the latter of which she won at the U.S. championships. In only in her second year at the senior elite level, Roberson showed she can hang with the best in the world.

Joe Kusumoto Team USA

Jeromie Meyer, Wheelchair Basketball

Make no mistake, the U.S. men’s wheelchair basketball team is still a veteran-led group. If the team is to win a third consecutive Paralympic gold medal next year, though, it’ll need key contributions from players like Meyer, of Woodbine, Iowa, who proved to be a key contributor off the bench this year. Meyer closed out his first senior tournament with Team USA by dropping in five points in a 67–66 win over Great Britain to secure the world title in June in Dubai, UAE. He was the only bench player to record a point. Meyer was at it again at the Parapan Am Games, scoring seven points and grabbing three rebounds in the final as Team USA thumped Colombia to secure the gold medal and a spot in the Paris Games.

Chrös McDougall has covered the Olympic and Paralympic Movement for TeamUSA.org since 2009 on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc. He is based in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

INS AND OUTS: Every club’s list changes ahead of 2024

December 22, 2023 by Tara S

By Sarah Black | AFL

Check out every club’s list changes after the AFLW trade and draft periods

IT’S HARD to believe Brisbane won the flag less than three weeks ago, but we’ve had a full AFLW Trade Period and Draft since then.

Some club lists – like West Coast and the Western Bulldogs – are nearly unrecognisable after significant turnover, while others have merely tinkered around the edges during the combined player movement period.

It’s useful to look at both the trade and draft periods as one – a club may not be able to replace a departed key forward through trade, but bring in a young goalkicker through the draft.

Top five draft selections Brooke Barwick, Kaitlyn Srhoj, Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner, Jessica Rentsch and Alyssia Pisano after the 2023 AFLW Draft at Marvel Stadium . Picture: Getty Images

Geelong, Greater Western Sydney, Melbourne and North Melbourne will have the opportunity to complete their lists in the Supplemental Selection Period and Rookie Signing Period, which run from February 5 to March 1.

All four sides have been active in recruiting Irish players in the past, and it wouldn’t surprise if they go down that path early in the new year.

Ins: Brooke Boileau, Tamara Henry, Lily Tarlinton (draft)

Outs: Montana McKinnon (Richmond), Yvonne Bonner, Lisa Whiteley (retired), Hannah Button, McKenzie Dowrick, Amber Ward (delisted)

2024 list: Jess Allan, Sarah Allan, Najwa Allen, Abbie Ballard, Chelsea Biddell, Brooke Boileau, Amy Boyle-Carr, Teah Charlton, Sarah Goodwin, Caitlin Gould, Anne Hatchard, Tamara Henry, Eloise Jones, Niamh Kelly, Keeley Kustermann, Taylah Levy, Ebony Marinoff, Rachelle Martin, Kiera Mueller, Hannah Munyard, Maddi Newman, Danielle Ponter, Zoe Prowse, Chelsea Randall, Brooke Smith, Lily Tarlinton, Stevie-Lee Thompson, Brooke Tonon, Deni Varnhagen, Jess Waterhouse

Adelaide has done well to hold onto the majority of its list, despite the best efforts of opposition clubs. Marinoff, Hatchard, Sarah Allan and Kelly have signed four-year deals, and even coach Matthew Clarke has extended his contract by another two seasons. Of this year’s best 21, only ruck McKinnon and forward Bonner have left, with 21-year-old Tarlinton an important draftee given her height of 180cm and experience in the QAFLW. Irish recruit Boyle-Carr, a Gaelic footballer and soccer player, will provide plenty of speed across any line.

Lily Tarlinton in action during the AFLW U19 Girls Championships match between Vic Country and Queensland at Port Melbourne FC on May 23, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Shanae Davison, Eleanor Hartill (West Coast), Evie Long, Sophie Peters, Indiana Williams, Rania Crozier, Jacinta Baldwick (draft), Kate Lutkins (inactive, pregnancy), Luka Yoshida-Martin (inactive, ACL)

Outs: Zimmie Farquharson, Analea McKee (Western Bulldogs), Kiara Hillier (Sydney), Courtney Murphy, Mikayla Pauga (Greater Western Sydney), Bella Smith (Geelong), Ella Smith (Gold Coast), Phoebe Monahan, Sharni Webb (retired), Brooke Sheridan, Caitlin Wendland (delisted)

2024 list: Ally Anderson, Jacinta Baldwick, Poppy Boltz, Shannon Campbell, Sophie Conway, Rania Crozier, Dakota Davidson, Shanae Davison, Belle Dawes, Jen Dunne, Jade Ellenger, Nat Grider, Ellie Hampson, Eleanor Hartill, Dee Heslop, Tahlia Hickie, Courtney Hodder, Bre Koenen, Evie Long, Kate Lutkins, Charlie Mullins, Orla O’Dwyer, Sophie Peters, Lily Postlethwaite, Jade Pregelj, Taylor Smith, Cathy Svarc, Ruby Svarc, Indiana Williams, Luka Yoshida-Martin

It was the busiest “quiet” trade period we’ve ever seen for Brisbane. Even so, the Lions will only have two positions on offer in their best 21 next year, assuming all remaining 19 premiership players hold their spots, after Pauga and Monahan moved on. Davison will slot in nicely to the forward line, while Hartill provides some rare height in defence and ruck depth. The Lions have effectively replaced all their departed depth with five Academy recruits – forward/mids Long, Peters and Baldwick, and two key talls in Williams and Crozier. Hodder has signed a four-year deal, with Mullins and Smith locked away for three, while coach Craig Starcevich has extended his contract by two.

Ins: Tarni Brown (Collingwood), Yasmin Duursma (Port Adelaide), Celine Moody (Western Bulldogs), Lila Keck, Meg Robertson (draft), Lulu Beatty (inactive, leg), Maddy Guerin (inactice, ACL)

Outs: Mua Laloifi (Western Bulldogs), Annie Lee (Collingwood), Paige Trudgeon (St Kilda), Phoebe McWilliams (retired), Daisy Walker (delisted, then Greater Western Sydney), Imogen Milford, Chloe Wrigley (delisted)

2024 list: Marianna Anthony, Mia Austin, Lulu Beatty, Tarni Brown, Harriet Cordner, Jess Dal Pos, Yasmin Duursma, Dayna Finn, Ciara Fitzpatrick, Erone Fitzpatrick, Jess Good, Lily Goss, Maddy Guerin, Maddy Hendrie, Mimi Hill, Lila Keck, Gen Lawson-Tavan, Abbie McKay, Breann Moody, Celine Moody, Taylor Ortlepp, Kerryn Peterson, Gab Pound, Tahlia Read, Meg Robertson, Keeley Sherar, Keeley Skepper, Amelia Velardo, Darcy Vescio, Brooke Vickers

Celine Moody will complete a straight swap with the retiring McWilliams in attack. There are a few concerns around the normally rock-steady backline after the puzzling decision not to extend Laloifi‘s contract, back-up defenders Trudgeon and Lee seeking opportunities elsewhere and the delisting of small defender Walker. None of the inclusions fill those roles. Duursma‘s pace on the wing will be a boost, as is Keck‘s across half-forward. Sherar and Skepper have signed for four years, with McKay and Pound for three.

Lila Keck is presented her jumper by Kerryn Peterson during the AFLW Draft on December 18, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Kalinda Howarth (Gold Coast), Mikayla Hyde (Fremantle), Annie Lee (Carlton), Muireen Atkinson (rookie), Georgia Clark, Lucy Cronin, Amber Schutte (draft)

Outs: Ash Brazill (Fremantle), Tarni Brown (Carlton), Liv Barber, Sophie Casey, Imogen Evans, Jo Lin, Emily Smith (delisted)

2024 list: Jordyn Allen, Muireen Atkinson, Imogen Barnett, Charlotte Blair, Brit Bonnici, Lauren Brazzale, Lauren Butler, Grace Campbell, Mikala Cann, Georgia Clark, Lucy Cronin, Bri Davey, Erica Fowler, Sabrina Frederick, Kalinda Howarth, Mikayla Hyde, Eliza James, Selena Karlson, Annie Lee, Stacey Livingstone, Eleri Morris, Nell Morris-Dalton, Alana Porter, Sarah Rowe, Sarah Sansonetti, Ruby Schleicher, Amber Schutte, Aishling Sheridan, Charlotte Taylor, Tarni White

The Pies have significantly boosted their defence, losing versatile tall Brazill (who wished to move back to Perth with her family) and stalwart Casey but bringing in Lee, Cronin and rebounder Schutte. Howarth adds some dynamism to a forward line that’s still a work in process, and it remains to be seen just where the Irish Atkinson fits into the mix. Hyde will be hoping for some midfield time at the Pies. Butler, Cann, James, Rowe and White all signed three-year deals, but skipper Davey has only signed for one.

Ins: Maddi Gay (Essendon), Bess Keaney (Gold Coast), Amy Gaylor (expansion pre-signing), Emily Gough, Chloe Adams (draft), Cat Phillips (inactive, pregnancy)

Outs: Danielle Marshall, Jess Wuetschner (retired), Alana Barba, Leah Cutting, Jo Doonan, Renee Tierney (delisted)

2024 list: Chloe Adams, Sophie Alexander, Daria Bannister, Brooke Brown, Mia Busch, Steph Cain, Georgia Clarke, Amber Clarke, Matilda Dyke, Ellyse Gamble, Maddi Gay, Amy Gaylor, Georgia Gee, Emily Gough, Kodi Jacques, Bess Keaney, Alex Morcom, Georgia Nanscawen, Cat Phillips, Maddy Prespakis, Amelia Radford, Paige Scott, Bonnie Toogood, Sophie Van De Heuval, Mia Van Dyke, Ash Van Loon, Jacqui Vogt, Steph Wales, Brooke Walker, Lily-Rose Williamson

The Bombers have brought in some serious midfield and defensive depth, with Gay able to line up on either line (or even forward), Gaylor and Adams through the engine room, and Keaney at half-back. Gough is another versatile product, who at 179cm, is unlike any player currently on Essendon’s list. Of the players who have moved on, only Wuetschner was a regular member of the best 21 this year.

Emily Gough completes the 2km time trial during the 2023 Victoria AFL State Combine at Margaret Court Arena on October 8, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Ash Brazill (Collingwood), Aisling McCarthy (West Coast), Gabby Newton (Western Bulldogs), Holly Ifould (draft), Mikayla Morrison (inactive, ACL)

Outs: Mikayla Hyde (Fremantle), Roxy Roux (West Coast), Emmelie Fiedler, Nikki Nield, Sarah Wielstra (delisted)

2024 list: Ebony Antonio, Ash Brazill, Kiara Bowers, Jo Cregg, Dana East, Jae Flynn, Serena Gibbs, Ariana Hetheringon, Holly Ifould, Megan Kauffman, Orlagh Lally, Aisling McCarthy, Hayley Miller, Mikayla Morrison, Tahleah Mulder, Amy Mulholland, Gabby Newton, Emma O’Driscoll, Gabby O’Sullivan, Laura Pugh, Airlie Runnalls, Madi Scanlon, Philipa Seth, Angelique Stannett, Tara Stribley, Mim Strom, Aine Tighe, Makaela Tuhakaraina, Sarah Verrier

The Dockers hit the trade period hard, consequently having one live selection with pick No.49 in the draft (Runnalls was delisted and re-drafted). Brazill and Newton will provide some serious firepower to a forward line that was often a one-woman show, starring Tighe. The former can also swing into defence where required, while McCarthy‘s defensive pressure will add another layer to Fremantle’s engine room. The outgoing Hyde and Roux played six and five games respectively this year, primarily up forward, which the inclusions should cover.

Airlie Runnalls in action during the match between Melbourne and Fremantle at Casey Fields in round nine, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Bella Smith (Brisbane), Chantal Mason, Bryde O’Rourke (draft)

Outs: Annabel Johnson (West Coast), Renee Garing (retired), Sam Gooden*, Ingrid Houtsma, Mia Skinner (delisted)
*Geelong had an extra player on its list in 2023 while Gooden returned from pregnancy

2024 list: Mikayla Bowen, Mel Bragg, Julia Crockett-Grills, Kate Darby, Chantel Emonson, Gabbi Featherston, Zali Friswell, Liv Fuller, Claudia Gunjaca, Erin Hoare, Rachel Kearns, Anna Rose Kennedy, Chantal Mason, Abbey McDonald, Amy McDonald, Meghan McDonald, Aishling Moloney, Darcy Moloney, Nina Morrison, Bryde O’Rourke, Jacqui Parry, Brooke Plummer, Georgie Prespakis, Georgie Rankin, Chloe Scheer, Shelley Scott, Bella Smith, Kate Surman, Becky Webster, one spot left to fill

There’ll be at least one change from the side that played in a preliminary final after the retirement of Garing, and the Cats are hoping for much more footy from Kennedy, who was injured for much of 2023. Geelong is unlikely to rush their three inclusions, and with decent internal improvement, arguably don’t have to push the new Cats into the side from round one. Mason is a developing key forward, O’Rourke is an athletic but raw midfielder and Smith provides good depth to a strong centre line. Morrison, Prespakis and Webster have signed for four years, with Scheer, Parry and Bowen adding three years.

Chantal Mason in action during the Coates Talent League Girls preliminary final between Eastern Ranges and Geelong Falcons at Shepley Oval on September 16, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Katie Lynch (Western Bulldogs), Charlotte Wilson (Melbourne), Ella Smith (Brisbane), Keely Fullerton, Taya Oliver, Kiara Bischa, Sienna McMullen, Annabel Kievit (draft)

Outs: Lauren Ahrens, Jasmyn Smith (Western Bulldogs), Giselle Davies (Sydney), Ali Drennan (West Coast), Kalinda Howarth (Collingwood), Bess Keaney (Essendon), Claire Ransom (delisted, then Greater Western Sydney), Gabrielle Biedenweg-Webster, Kaylee Kimber, Tahlia Meyer (delisted)

2024 list: Elise Barwick, Lauren Bella, Kiara Bischa, Tara Bohanna, Maddy Brancatisano, Ashanti Bush, Georgia Clayden, Daisy D’Arcy, Darcie Davies, Jac Dupuy, Clara Fitzpatrick, Keely Fullerton, Alana Gee, Meara Girvan, Annabel Kievit, Katie Lynch, Ella Maurer, Cara McCrossan, Niamh McLaughlin, Sienna McMullen, Jordan Membrey, Taya Oliver, Wallis Randell, Charlie Rowbottom, Vivien Saad, Lucy Single, Ella Smith, Jamie Stanton, Claudia Whitfort, Charlotte Wilson

The Suns had an incredibly busy trade period, with significant turnover. Lynch and Ahrens have completed a straight swap, while there’s roles at half-back and in the midfield up for grabs after the departures of Keaney and Drennan. Of the draftees, Fullerton or Oliver could take that midfield spot, with Bischa in defence. There’s no getting around the loss of experience over the trade period, but a number of players were keen to return to their home state or move elsewhere for non-football reasons. Howarth‘s talent is a loss, but she only played one game in 2023 before rupturing her ACL. Two players who had been inactive (Kimber and Ransom) were delisted, hence the imbalance in the ins and outs.

Ins: Mikayla Pauga, Courtney Murphy (Brisbane), Aliesha Newman (Sydney), Daisy Walker (Carlton), Claire Ransom (Gold Coast), Kaitlyn Srhoj, Indigo Linde (draft)

Outs: Jodie Hicks, Ally Dallaway (Richmond), Rene Caris (St Kilda), Annalyse Lister (retired), Tess Cattle, Teagan Germech, Zara Hamilton, Grace Hill, Tait Mackrill, Isadora McLeay (delisted)

2024 list: Nicola Barr, Bec Beeson, Annise Bradfield, Madi Brazendale, Chloe Dalton, Fleur Davies, Jess Doyle, Alicia Eva, Tarni Evans, Meghan Gaffney, Georgia Garnett, Zarlie Goldsworthy, Jasmine Grierson, Isabel Huntington, Indigo Linde, Cambridge McCormick, Caitlin Miller, Brodee Mowbray, Courtney Murphy, Aliesha Newman, Alyce Parker, Mikayla Pauga, Emily Pease, Pepa Randall, Claire Ransom, Katherine Smith, Kaitlyn Srhoj, Daisy Walker, Haneen Zreika, one list spot to fill

Hicks, Dallaway, Caris and Lister were all regular members of the Giants’ 21 this year. Walker is one who could take Hicks’ spot, top draftee Srhoj in Dallaway’s role, with the untried Brisbane rookie Murphy in Lister’s key defensive position. Pauga and Newman are talented enough to force their way into the line-up, with Ransom also more than capable if she’s ready to play, sitting out 2023 for personal reasons. Ruck support for Davies remains an issue after Caris‘ departure, but the Giants still have one list spot to fill. GWS had to reduce its 2023 list by two due to injury replacement players. Goldsworthy, Evans and Garnett have signed four-year deals, with Parker opting to turn her back on rival interest and sign for two. Eva – who has stood down as captain – signed a one-year deal.

Alyce Parker celebrates a goal during round three, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Casey Sherriff, Eliza West (Melbourne), Laura Stone, Jess Vukic, Hayley McLaughlin (expansion pre-signings), Mikayla Williamson, Sophie Butterworth (draft)

Outs: Catherine Brown, Tegan Cunningham, Tamara Luke, Akec Makur Chuot (retired), Janet Baird, Zoe Barbakos, Sarah Perkins (delisted)

2024 list: Kaitlyn Ashmore, Charlotte Baskaran, Emily Bates, Greta Bodey, Mattea Breed, Sophie Butterworth, Bridget Deed, Casey Dumont, Mackenzie Eardley, Laura Elliott, Emily Everist, Tahlia Fellows, Jasmine Fleming, Aileen Gilroy, Bridie Hipwell, Ainslie Kemp, Sophie Locke, Tilly Lucas-Rodd, Aine McDonagh, Hayley McLaughlin, Jenna Richardson, Casey Sherriff, Tamara Smith, Louise Stephenson, Laura Stone, Kristy Stratton, Jess Vukic, Lucy Wales, Eliza West, Mikayla Williamson

It was a highly successful player movement period for Hawthorn, lucking out in the talent on offer this year through the aligned Eastern Ranges side, and benefiting from Williamson sliding somewhat in the draft. Butterworth was a canny pick-up, considering the tall timber who have retired. West immediately adds some grunt and Williamson outside speed to the midfield, Stone can slot in at half-back with ease, while Sherriff is a smart high half-forward, providing a clear and calm link into attack. While the squad has become much younger this off-season, the talent potential is enormous for any prospective coach keen on applying for the vacant role.

Ins: Lily Johnson (Port Adelaide), Alyssia Pisano, Ryleigh Wotherspoon, Jacinta Hose, Jemma Rigoni, Delany Madigan (draft), Grace Hill (Greater Western Sydney, injury replacement)

Outs: Libby Birch (North Melbourne), Maddi Gay (Essendon), Casey Sherriff, Eliza West (Hawthorn), Charlotte Wilson (Gold Coast), Georgie Fowler (retired), Jordi Ivey, Sammie Johnson* (delisted)
*Melbourne had an extra player on its list in 2023 while Johnson returned from pregnancy

2024 list: Alyssa Bannan, Georgia Campbell, Maeve Chaplin, Gabby Colvin, Megan Fitzsimon, Georgia Gall, Tahlia Gillard, Sinead Goldrick, Tyla Hanks, Tayla Harris, Shelley Heath, Grace Hill, Kate Hore, Jacinta Hose*, Lily Johnson, Sarah Lampard, Aimee Mackin, Blaithin Mackin, Delany Madigan, Eliza McNamara, Lily Mithen, Karen Paxman, Lauren Pearce, Alyssia Pisano, Liv Purcell, Jemma Rigoni, Saraid Taylor, Rhi Watt, Ryleigh Wotherspoon, Eden Zanker, one list spot to fill
*inactive

Melbourne may take a short-term hit to its tall defensive stocks, losing both Birch and Wilson, as well as Gay across half-back, but injury replacement player Hill provides a bit of depth. West had been squeezed out of the midfield late in the year, while the loss of Sherriff will hurt across half-forward. The Dees may have taken one step backwards in order to go two steps forward, hitting the draft hard for the first time since 2020. Pisano could play straight away in the forward line, the Demons pushed hard to lock away raw but exciting half-back flanker Wotherspoon, and father-daughter pick up Rigoni will provide plenty of pace on the wing or flanks. Hose will sit out the year with a torn ACL.

Alyssia Pisano is presented her jumper by Kate Hore during the AFLW Draft on December 18, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Libby Birch (Melbourne), Ella Slocombe, Georgia Stubs (draft), Zoe Savarirayan (inactive, ACL), Vikki Wall (TBC, inactive, rugby)

Outs: Ellie Gavalas (Western Bulldogs), Ailish Considine (retired), Hannah Bowey, Charli Granville, Cassidy Mailer, Sophia McCarthy (delisted)

2024 list: Libby Birch, Nicole Bresnehan, Jenna Bruton, Lucy Burke, Tess Craven, Bella Eddey, Jasmine Ferguson, Jasmine Garner, Taylah Gatt, Emma Kearney, Mia King, Emma King, Niamh Martin, Liz McGrath, Alice O’Loughlin, Erika O’Shea, Lulu Pullar, Tahlia Randall, Kim Rennie, Ash Riddell, Zoe Savarirayan, Eliza Shannon, Kate Shierlaw, Ella Slocombe, Amy Smith, Georgia Stubs, Ruby Tripodi, Vikki Wall (TBC), Sarah Wright, one list spot to fill

The Roos made just one move in the trade period, bringing in experienced key defender Birch. It’s difficult to work out just where Birch fits into the settled backline, and there’s going to be a very unlucky player who is pushed out, unless they’re redeployed forward. Gavalas is a loss, but she had conceded her spot to Martin by the end of the season. Slocombe and Stubs will have time to develop; both are quick players who provide plenty of run-and-carry. Burke was delisted and re-drafted.

The Power had a list of 33 in 2023 as part of an assistance package for expansion clubs (32 and an inactive player), reducing to 30 for the 2024 season

Ins: Kirsty Lamb (Western Bulldogs), Molly Brooksby, Shineah Goody, Lauren Young (expansion pre-signings), Piper Window, Alissa Brook (draft)

Outs: Yasmin Duursma (Carlton), Lily Johnson (Melbourne), Erin Phillips (retired), Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap, Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap, Jade De Melo, Jade Halfpenny, Maggie MacLachlan, Jacqui Yorston (delisted)

2024 list: Alex Ballard, Ella Boag, Amelie Borg, Alissa Brook, Molly Brooksby, Janelle Cuthbertson, Abbey Dowrick, Hannah Dunn, Hannah Ewings, Angela Foley, Shineah Goody, Cheyenne Hammond, Gemma Houghton, Georgie Jaques, Maddy Keryk, Kirsty Lamb, Olivia Levicki, Maria Moloney, Justine Mules, Ebony O’Dea, Katelyn Pope, Matilda Scholz, Jasmine Simmons, Jasmin Stewart, Sachi Syme, Indy Tahau, Julia Teakle, Ash Saint, Piper Window, Lauren Young

Port Adelaide hit the jackpot this year, with two of the top draft prospects in the country in Goody and Young eligible for pre-selection through its academy. Lamb will have an instant impact in the middle of the field, working in tandem with best-and-fairest Dowrick, who’s signed a three-year deal. Goody will provide some class on the outside, Window can rotate inside, while Young should slot straight into Phillips‘ spot as a forward-midfielder. It’s a very young list, but one that should have teams on their toes over the next few years.

Shineah Goody, Lauren Young and Molly Brooksby during the 2023 AFLW Draft at Marvel Stadium on December 18, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Ally Dallaway, Jodie Hicks (Greater Western Sydney), Montana McKinnon (Adelaide), Isabel Bacon, Mackenzie Ford (draft), Tessa Lavey (inactive, toe)

Outs: Meagan Kiely (retired), Jess Hosking (delisted, then West Coast), Sarah D’Arcy, Meg Macdonald, Lilly Pearce, Steph Williams (delisted)

2024 list: Isabel Bacon, Katie Brennan, Monique Conti, Katelyn Cox, Ally Dallaway, Kate Dempsey, Molly Eastman, Grace Egan, Mackenzie Ford, Libby Graham, Caitlin Greiser, Jodie Hicks, Sarah Hosking, Courtney Jones, Poppy Kelly, Shelby Knoll*, Tessa Lavey, Beth Lynch, Laura McClelland, Ellie McKenzie, Montana McKinnon, Bec Miller, Amelia Peck, Stella Reid, Charley Ryan, Gabby Seymour, Eilish Sheerin, Maddie Shevlin, Charli Wicksteed, Jemima Woods, Emelia Yassir
*inactive

It’ll be interesting to see how Richmond juggles its talls in 2024, bringing ruck McKinnon into the side. They like the ground-level work of Seymour, so there’s a potential for Kelly to be pushed into a permanent forward role. Hicks is a steadier head in defence than Jess Hosking (who arguably has the edge in tackle pressure), while Lavey‘s work on the wing has almost been forgotten after a year on the sidelines. Bacon and Ford may not be needed straight away, given the older Dallaway has also been added to the midfield mix.

Richmond’s Tessa Lavey celebrates a goal during round two, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Rene Caris (Greater Western Sydney), Paige Trudgeon (Carlton), Kiera Whiley, Charlotte Simpson (draft)

Outs: Rosie Dillon, Deanna Jolliffe, Erin McKinnon, Renee Saulitis, Jayde Van Dyk (delisted)

2024 list: J’Noemi Anderson, Maddy Boyd, Alice Burke, Rene Caris, Steph Chiocci, Nat Exon, Ella Friend, Darcy Guttridge, Bianca Jakobsson, Grace Kelly, Jaimee Lambert, Caitlin Matthews, Molly McDonald, Simone Nalder, Rebecca Ott, Georgia Patrikios, Beth Pinchin, Nat Plane, Hannah Priest, Ash Richards, Tyanna Smith, Charlotte Simpson, Nicola Stevens, Hannah Stuart, Paige Trudgeon, Liv Vesely, Jesse Wardlaw, Serene Watson, Kiera Whiley, Nicola Xenos

The Saints have made a straight ruck swap, bringing in Caris for McKinnon. Trudgeon instantly boosts the backline, as will the returning Ott, who missed the year with an Achilles issue. The pair will be in competition with Pinchin and Boyd for spots, the latter also capable of playing forward. Dillon didn’t play much in 2023, but Simpson is a tenacious ball-winner in a similar model, with a longer kick. The midfield is arguably the Saints’ strongest line already, but they should be able to squeeze in the classy Whiley, who’s a neat, well-rounded player. A host of players – including Lambert, Patrikios, Smith and Vesely – have signed for four years.

The Swans had a list of 34 in 2023 as part of an assistance package for expansion clubs (33 and an inactive player), reducing to 32 for the 2024 season

Ins: Giselle Davies (Gold Coast), Kiara Hillier (Brisbane), Holly Cooper (expansion pre-signing), Sarah Grunden, Lara Hausegger (draft), Hayley Bullas (inactive, ACL)

Outs: Aliesha Newman (Greater Western Sydney), Jaide Anthony, Kiara Beesley, Sarah Ford, Jenny Higgins, Bridie Kennedy, Kate Reynolds (delisted)

2024 list: Montana Beruldsen, Hayley Bullas, Maddy Collier, Holly Cooper, Giselle Davies, Laura Gardiner, Montana Ham, Alexia Hamilton, Cynthia Hamilton, Lara Hauseggar, Ella Heads, Kiara Hillier, Sofia Hurley, Sarah Grunden, Tanya Kennedy, Brooke Lochland, Paris McCarthy, Lucy McEvoy, Alice Mitchell, Chloe Molloy, Ally Morphett, Julie O’Sullivan, Bec Privitelli, Ruby Sargent-Wilson, Paige Sheppard, Bella Smith, Lisa Steane, Lauren Szigeti, Brenna Tarrant, Eliza Vale, Aimee Whelan, Alana Woodward

Sydney has added some key position depth in the form of Davies, who can play at either end of the field. Hillier is yet to debut, but is a nice rebound defender, while Grunden could conceivably fill the spot in the 21 of Newman, although she isn’t quite as quick. Hauseggar is a very steady defender, while Cooper is an athletic midfielder. The Swans’ biggest player movement win was convincing star ruck Morphett to turn down a hefty contract offer from the Dogs, staying for four years, along with breakout midfielder Gardiner.

Ally Morphett in action during round six, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ins: Ali Drennan (Gold Coast), Roxy Roux (Fremantle), Annabel Johnson (Geelong), Jess Hosking (delisted free agent, Richmond), Verity Simmons (rookie), Jess Rentsch, Kayley Kavanagh, Georgie Cleaver, Matilda Sergeant (draft)

Outs: Shanae Davison, Eleanor Hartill (Brisbane), Aisling McCarthy (Fremantle), Kate Bartlett, Emma Humphries, Aimee Schmidt, Jess Sedunary, Issy Simmons (retired), Krstel Petrevski, Ella Smith (delisted)

2024 list: Jaide Britton, Abby Bushby, Georgie Cleaver, Ali Drennan, Emily Elkington, Amy Franklin, Kellie Gibson, Evie Gooch, Sasha Goranova, Dana Hooker, Jess Hosking, Annabel Johnson, Kayley Kavanagh, Sarah Lakay, Bella Lewis, Sophie McDonald, Jess Rentsch, Ella Roberts, Roxy Roux, Courtney Rowley, Beth Schilling, Matilda Sergeant, Verity Simmons, Belinda Smith, Emma Swanson, Charlie Thomas, Lauren Wakfer, Zoe Wakfer, Mackenzie Webb, Mikayla Western

It’ll be an entirely different West Coast outfit taking the field in 2024. A third of the list has once again been turned over, and Daisy Pearce will be at the helm as coach. Drennan will fill McCarthy‘s role, and Johnson or Sergeant covering Hartill. Roux can slot into Davison‘s spot. Hosking can play across any line, but considering the number of forwards to have hung up the boots, may be needed in attack alongside Cleaver. Kavanagh is a genuine inside mid, and will be competing with the existing Eagles core for a spot in the 21, while Rentsch can play off half-back if required. West Coast won a stack of signatures from its top ranks, with Roberts, Swanson and Thomas all signing for four years, and Lewis and Rowley (who will be rehabbing a torn ACL) for three.

Wild celebrations, tears as Rebel becomes an Eagle

Tears are shed as Jessica Rentsch is selected by West Coast with pick No.2 in the AFLW Draft

Ins: Lauren Ahrens, Jasmyn Smith (Gold Coast), Zimmie Farquharson, Analea McKee (Brisbane), Ellie Gavalas (North Melbourne), Mua Laloifi (Carlton), Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner, Brooke Barwick, Cleo Buttifant, Jorja Borg (draft)

Outs: Kirsty Lamb (Port Adelaide), Katie Lynch (Gold Coast), Celine Moody (Carlton), Gabby Newton (Fremantle), Richelle Cranston, Kirsten McLeod (retired), Daisy Bateman, Millie Brown, Bailey Hunt, Gemma Lagioia (delisted)

2024 list: Lauren Ahrens, Brooke Barwick, Elle Bennetts, Deanna Berry, Ellie Blackburn, Jorja Borg, Eleanor Brown, Cleo Buttifant, Dom Carruthers, Keely Coyne, Alice Edmonds, Zimmie Farquharson, Naomi Ferres, Jess Fitzgerald, Ellie Gavalas, Elisabeth Georgostathis, Maggie Gorham, Issy Grant, Brit Gutknecht, Sarah Hartwig, Mua Laloifi, Bree McFarlane, Analea McKee, Isabelle Pritchard, Aurora Smith, Jasmyn Smith, Elizabeth Snell, Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner, Rylie Wilcox, Heidi Woodley

The Dogs have turned over a third of their list, with four senior players requesting trades out of the club. Ahrens will cover for Lynch, Borg for Moody, Gavalas for Lamb and draftee Weston-Turner for Newton, with raw ex-Lion McKee also an option in attack after the retirement of Cranston. Farquharson will also move into the new-look forward line after McLeod hung up the boots, while Laloifi will slot into defence in place of Hunt. Barwick is an elusive midfielder, a slightly different type to work with Blackburn and Gavalas, while the inexperienced Buttifant provides dash out of defence.

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