Lady Trojans Make Statement in Historic First Trip to Nationals
March 6, 2026
The inaugural season for the Colby Community College women’s wrestling program reached its pinnacle on March 6-7 as the Lady Trojans competed at the NJCAA Women’s National Wrestling Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Under first-year head coach Michael Ruiz, Colby turned in a strong showing, finishing 18th overall with 31 team points in a competitive 28-team field.
Indian Hills claimed the national title with 229 points, followed by Southeast Nebraska (203.5) and Iowa Central (195), but for a first-year program, Colby’s presence—and success—on the national stage marked a significant milestone.
Leading the way for the Lady Trojans was Catherine Dutton at 207 pounds, who earned All-American honors with a sixth-place finish. Dutton advanced to the quarterfinals after receiving two byes, then delivered a dominant 8-0 victory by fall over Wyntergale Oxendine. She battled through a tightly contested 4-4 loss to Martha Hannah in the quarterfinals before dropping a narrow 2-0 decision in the consolation semifinals to Harmoni Callins. Dutton concluded her tournament with a hard-fought effort against Alyson Krum, ultimately securing a top-six national finish and cementing her place as the program’s first All-Americans.
At 145 pounds, Atavia Cain put together one of the team’s strongest runs. Cain opened with back-to-back victories, defeating Alexandrea Estela 12-1 and Geraldine Honore 7-2 to advance to the quarterfinals. She later faced a tough bracket, falling to Delise Villa and Evelina Juzenaite to close out her tournament.
Kaylen McAtee also found success at 160 pounds, rebounding from an opening-round loss to win two consecutive matches. McAtee earned a 10-2 victory over Tenacious Villase and followed with an 11-1 win against Sam Meyer before being edged out in a narrow 4-3 decision to Anyia Roberts.
The 138-pound bracket featured two Lady Trojans, Jazmine Nieto and Destiney Gonzalez, who both battled through competitive draws. Nieto started strong with an 11-0 victory over Michelle Ramirez but later dropped matches to Lindsay Henggeler and teammate Gonzalez. Gonzalez responded after an opening loss by winning two straight matches, including a criteria decision over Leticia Tercero Perez and a 9-4 win over Nieto, before her tournament ended against Inaily Samaniego.
Emma Parker at 131 pounds showcased resilience throughout her run. After a 9-3 opening loss, Parker responded with a commanding 20-11 victory over Abigale Holtz and a dramatic 10-10 criteria win over Hannah Rosenberg. Her tournament came to a close following a loss to Ashlee Farrier.
Audrie Felkins at 110 pounds split her matches on the weekend, bouncing back from a narrow 5-3 loss to Molly Spader with a win over Mariah Hinojosa before falling in another tight contest to Isabella Sala.
At 103 pounds, Cristina Palacio Martinez faced a difficult path, dropping matches to KyLee Smith and Addyson Brown to conclude her national tournament appearance.
While the results reflect the ups and downs of a national tournament, the broader takeaway is clear: Colby’s women’s wrestling program has quickly established a competitive foundation. With multiple athletes earning wins on the national stage and Dutton securing All-American honors, the Lady Trojans demonstrated both depth and potential.
In just their first season, Coach Ruiz and his squad not only qualified for nationals but proved they could compete with established programs across the country. As the program looks ahead, this experience—and success—serves as a strong launching point for the future of women’s wrestling at Colby Community College.