moccia seventh place

Women's Wrestling Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Weary Golden Knights to Compete in Missouri Valley Open on Friday and Saturday

No. 11 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS at MISSOURI VALLEY OPEN
DATE: Friday, November 18 to Saturday, November 19, 2022
TIME: 12 noon l 9:00 a.m.
ARENA: Burns Athletic Complex l Marshall, Mo.
 
LIVE COVERAGE:  Live Stats
 
ERIE, Pa. – With her team hopefully turning the corner in terms of injuries and illness, head coach Breonnah Neal will take her Gannon women's wrestling team to compete in the Missouri Valley Open on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, November 19 in Marshall, Mo.

The only problem is the Golden Knights first must get there. Upon leaving on Thursday morning the team found itself stuck on I-90 due to a deadly traffic accident in northeast Ohio. Stranded for hours, the road was finally cleared in early afternoon.

The Golden Knights opened the season finishing third out of 14 teams in the ESU Open, with 11 wrestlers finishing as place winners. Last week they competed in the Adrian Open, coming in 11th out of 21 teams. Two wrestlers – Lana Perez (Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua) at 136 lbs. and Stephanie Floor (Pago Pago, American Samoa/Leone) at 143 lbs. -- reached the podium.

The NWCA Women's Coaches poll was released earlier today with Gannon remaining in a tie for 11th place. Three Golden Knights appear in the individual rankings. Julianne Moccia (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) remained fourth at 109 lbs. while a pair of Gannon grapplers are ranked at 170 lbs. Jewel Gonzalez (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) is seventh and Annabelle Helm (Vancouver, Wash./Union) is eighth. Lana Perez (Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua) had previously been ranked fifth at 136 lbs. but dropped out of the latest rankings.

Floor is the only Gannon wrestler to place in both opens. Competing at 143 lbs., the graduate student was sixth at the ESU Open and seventh at the Adrian Open. She comes in with a 4-4 record.

The team will no doubt benefit from the return of Perez. The junior sat out the ESU Open before returning in the Adrian Open and going 3-2 to finish fourth at 136 lbs. She is a two-time All-American and was ranked fifth at 136 lbs. in the preseason rankings. She was eighth at Nationals a year ago, finishing with a 20-11 record, after finishing sixth in 2021.

Julianne Moccia (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) (3-1) came in third at 109 lbs. at the ESU Open but did not compete last week. The sophomore enjoyed an outstanding freshman campaign. She earned All-American honors, placing seventh at Nationals, after a first-place finish at the NCWWC Northeast Regional. Moccia ended the year with a 23-8 record and enters her second season ranked fourth in the preseason poll.

Jewel Gonzalez (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) has Gannon's best finish to date, placing second at 170 lbs. at the ESU Open. She too did not travel to Adrian. She vaulted into the national rankings in the seventh position, one spot ahead of teammate Annabelle Helm (Vancouver, Wash./Union).

Here's a look at the wrestlers who will compete in the Missouri Valley Open:

109 lbs. – No. 4 Julianne Moccia (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) (3-1)
116 lbs. -- Jade Nguyen (Sacramento, Calif./Grant Union) (4-4)
123 lbs. -- Zoe Gaetjens (Mogadore, Ohio/Mogadore) (2-4)
130 lbs. -- Jayden Bazemore (Cypress, Texas/Cypress Ranch) (4-3)
130 lbs. -- Lana Perez (Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua) (3-2)
143 lbs. -- Stephanie Floor (Pago Pago, American Samoa/Leone) (4-4)
143 lbs. -- Sam Houser (0-0)
155 lbs. -- Gabby Malinowski (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) (0-4)
155 lbs. -- Lili Ujfalvi (Kecskemet-heteny, Hungary/Bolyai Janos Secondary School) (4-4)
170 lbs. – No. 7 Jewel Gonzalez (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) (2-1)
170 lbs. – No. 8 Annabelle Helm (Vancouver, Wash./Union) (3-1)
191 lbs. -- Kendall McGarity (New Braunfels, Texas/Smithson Valley) (3-1)
 
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Players Mentioned

Stephanie Floor

Stephanie Floor

143
5' 7"
Graduate Student
143
Jewel Gonzalez

Jewel Gonzalez

170
Junior
155
Annabelle Helm

Annabelle Helm

170
5' 9"
Senior
170
Gabby Malinowski

Gabby Malinowski

143
5' 6"
Senior
143
Julianne Moccia

Julianne Moccia

109
Sophomore
109
Lana Perez

Lana Perez

130
Junior
130
Jayden Bazemore

Jayden Bazemore

130
5' 3"
Freshman
130
Zoe Gaetjens

Zoe Gaetjens

123
5' 2"
Freshman
Jade Nguyen

Jade Nguyen

109/116
Freshman
Lili Ujfalvi

Lili Ujfalvi

155
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Stephanie Floor

Stephanie Floor

5' 7"
Graduate Student
143
143
Jewel Gonzalez

Jewel Gonzalez

Junior
155
170
Annabelle Helm

Annabelle Helm

5' 9"
Senior
170
170
Gabby Malinowski

Gabby Malinowski

5' 6"
Senior
143
143
Julianne Moccia

Julianne Moccia

Sophomore
109
109
Lana Perez

Lana Perez

Junior
130
130
Jayden Bazemore

Jayden Bazemore

5' 3"
Freshman
130
130
Zoe Gaetjens

Zoe Gaetjens

5' 2"
Freshman
123
Jade Nguyen

Jade Nguyen

Freshman
109/116
Lili Ujfalvi

Lili Ujfalvi

Freshman
155