MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg University's inaugural season of women's wrestling will feature a class of student-athletes which rank among the most formidable in the country, if preseason rankings are any indication of the team's potential prowess.
 
Of the nine first-year wrestlers that will be on the 2019-20 Auggie women's wrestling squad, six are ranked among the top 100 women's wrestlers, regardless of weight class, of the high school Class of 2019 by The Open Mat, an amateur wrestling website. Two of the top three in The Open Mat's listing -- No. 1-ranked Emily Shilson (FY, Maple Grove, Minn./Mounds View HS) and No. 3-ranked Vayle-Rae Baker (FY, Benton, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) -- will headline the class, along with No. 12-ranked Gabby Skidmore (FY, Spooner, Wis./Cumberland HS), No. 26-ranked Kaylee Moore (FY, Yakima, Wash./Naches Valley HS), No. 51-ranked Faith Tuttle (FY, North St. Paul, Minn./North St. Paul HS) and No. 89-ranked Marlynne Deede (FY, Springville, Utah/Springville HS).
 
All six are also ranked in the top 10 in their individual high school weight classes in the most recent USA Wrestling National Girls' High School Rankings (June 27), with Shilson ranked No. 1 at 106 pounds, Baker ranked No. 1 and Skidmore No. 2 at 122, Moore No. 2 at 132, Tuttle No. 3 at 180 and Deede No. 9 at 164.
 
"This is a special group of girls coming to campus this year. Not only are their accolades on the mat outstanding, they boast strong academic accomplishments and have given back to their respective communities. This shows by the amount of Tricia Saunders Excellence awards that these ladies have earned," said Max Mejia, who will lead the Auggies as their inaugural head coach in 2019-20. "We have a lot of national and international success that will translate to success at the WCWA level. We're excited to get these ladies on campus and see what a positive impact they will have on our Augsburg community."
 
Shilson, a six-time Minnesota girls' state champion and three-time Minnesota high school state tournament qualifier in boys' wrestling, was named the national winner of the 2019 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, honoring the nation's outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service.
 
Shilson (Midwest, Minnesota) and Baker (Northeast, Pennsylvania) were two of the five regional winners of the Tricia Saunders award, and each won the awards for their respective states. Moore earned the state honor for Washington, and Deede earned the state honor for Utah.
 
At the USA Wrestling/U.S. Marine Corps Junior National Championships in July in Fargo, N.D., Shilson became just the second woman ever to win all six junior and cadet national titles available in a youth wrestling career, after claiming the 2019 junior freestyle title at 106 pounds. She was one of three future Auggies to win Fargo titles in 2019, with Skidmore taking the crown at 122 pounds and Moore winning at 132. Tuttle was also a Fargo All-American in 2019, finishing sixth at 180 pounds.
 
In addition to Shilson's six Fargo titles, Baker was a three-time Fargo titlist, including back-to-back junior titles in 2018 (117) and 2017 (106), and was a four-time All-American. Moore earned five Fargo All-American honors, while Skidmore and Tuttle earned three All-America honors each in their careers.
 
On the international level, Shilson earned a reputation as one of the most accomplished young female wrestlers in American history. In 2018, she became the first American wrestler ever to earn a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games (ages 15-17), when she won the 43-kilogram title in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She also claimed the United World Wrestling Cadet World Championships title at 43 kilograms (95 pounds), after finishing second in the event in 2017. She also earned UWW Pan-American Cadet championships in 2018 (43 kg) and 2016 (46 kg), earning the Golden Boot award as the tournament's outstanding wrestler in 2018. Competing at the 2019 UWW Pan-American Junior Championships in June in Guatemala, she finished second at 50 kilograms (110 pounds).
 
Baker finished seventh in the 49 kilogram (108 pounds) class at the 2017 UWW Cadet World Championships. Shilson, Baker, Skidmore, Moore and Deede have also competed at U.S. World Team Trials events this year, with Shilson earning champion honors at the U-23 World Team Trials at 50 kg. The UWW U-23 World Championships will be held Oct. 28-Nov. 3 in Budapest, Hungary.
 
Three wrestlers are transferring to Augsburg this season. Savannah Vold (SO, Rochester, Minn./Rochester Mayo HS), who competed for NAIA program Waldorf (Iowa) in 2018-19, will be an Auggie, while Melissa Jacobs (FY, Belle Plaine, Minn./Belle Plaine HS (Scott West)) transfers from Umpqua Community College (Ore.), where she was a redshirt last season. Bel Snyder (FY, Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek HS) transfers to the program after spending a redshirt season at NAIA program Jamestown (N.D.).
 
Kahlea Jolly (FY, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS), a multiple-time Minnesota state champion in various disciplines, will also join the Auggie squad this season.
 
"This year, being the inaugural season, there is much to be excited about," Mejia said. "As a coach, I am excited to get our wrestlers on campus and get to work in the wrestling room. I am confident in everyone's abilities in the classroom. I am excited to see how much better we can get before the WCWA tournament. This is also an Olympic year, so I am excited to see these girls go after their lifelong dreams and give it their best shot at making an Olympic team."
 
Augsburg's inaugural season will begin this winter, with women's wrestling the 22nd varsity sport offered by the Minneapolis school. It's anticipated that Augsburg will be one of 12 NCAA Division III programs to offer the sport this season, among 25 overall programs in all three NCAA divisions, 30 NAIA programs and six junior college programs on the varsity level.
 
In June, the NCAA's Committee on Women's Athletics recommended that women's wrestling, along with acrobatics and tumbling, be added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, a significant step in the sport's push to gain varsity championship status. In July, the NCAA Division III Management Council forwarded the proposal with its recommendation to a vote of the Division III membership at the 2020 NCAA Convention.
 
Until the NCAA adds women's wrestling as a championship sport, Augsburg will compete as part of the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA), which holds a national tournament each February. The Auggies will also compete at the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals in Louisville, Ky., in early January.

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Here is a deeper look at Augsburg's women's wrestling recruiting class. The players listed have made deposits to attend Augsburg this fall.

109 - EMILY SHILSON (Maple Grove, Minn./Mounds View HS)
• Ranked No. 1 on The Open Mat's Top 100 women's wrestlers (all weights) in Class of 2019 list.
• Ranked No. 1 at 106 pounds in USA Wrestling National Girls High School Rankings (6/27/19).
• Only 2nd woman ever to win six USA Wrestling Fargo titles (junior/cadet).
• 2019 USA Wrestling USMC Junior National Championships - 106 lb FS champion.
• 2019 Pan-American Junior Championships - 50 kg FS runner-up.
• 2019 UWW Women's National Championships (U-23 World Team Trials) - 50 kg FS champion.
• 2019 UWW Junior National Championships (World Team Trials) - 50 kg FS runner-up.
• 2019 Marine Corps US Open - 50 kg Senior FS 6th place.
• 2019 USMC Girls Junior Folkstyle Nationals - 106 lb champion.
• National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2019 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award national winner, also winner of award for Minnesota and Midwest Region.
• 2019 Minnesota Girls' Wrestling Ms. Minnesota-Wrestling Award-winner.
• 2019 MWCA Academic All-State.
• 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial International - 50 kg FS 3rd place.
• 2018 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 100 lb FS champion.
• 2018 UWW Cadet World Championships - 43 kg FS champion.
• 2018 Youth Olympic Games - 43 kg FS gold medalist (first-ever USA wrestler to win gold).
• 2018 Pan-American Cadet Championships - 43 kg FS gold medalist, also named winner of Golden Boot (outstanding wrestler) award.
• 2018 UWW Cadet World Team Trials - 43 kg FS champion.
• 2018 USMC Girls Junior Folkstyle Nationals - 100 lb champion.
• 2018 Klippan Lady Open (Sweden) - 46 kg FS Cadet runner-up.
• 2017 UWW Cadet World Championships - 43 kg FS runner-up.
• 2017 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 100 lb FS champion.
• 2017 UWW Cadet World Team Trials - 43 kg FS champion.
• 2017 USA Wrestling Cadet National Championships - 43 kg FS champion.
• 2017 USMC Girls' Folkstyle National Championships - 100 lb Cadet champion and Junior champion.
• 2017 Minnesota/USA Wrestling Junior State Championships - 100 lb FS champion.
• 2016 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 97 lb FS champion.
• 2016 USA Wrestling Cadet National Championships - 95 lb FS champion.
• 2016 Pan-American Cadet Championships - 46 kg FS gold medalist.
• 2016 USA Wrestling Girls' Folkstyle National Championships - 101 lb Cadet 2nd place, 105 lb Junior 3rd place.
• Six-time Minnesota girls' high school state champion.
• First girl to qualify for Minnesota State High School League boys' wrestling tournament, qualifying three times (2019 - Class AAA 106 for Mounds View HS; 2018 - Class AAA 106 and 2017 - Class AAA 106 for Centennial HS) with 139-64 record with 62 pins. All-conference twice and all-conference honorable mention twice in high school career.

123 - VAYLE-RAE BAKER (Benton, Pa./Wyoming Seminary)
• Ranked No. 3 on The Open Mat's Top 100 women's wrestlers (all weights) in Class of 2019 list.
• Ranked No. 1 at 122 pounds in USA Wrestling National Girls High School Rankings (6/27/19).
• National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2019 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winner for Pennsylvania and Northeast Region.
• 2019 UWW Women's National Championships (U-23 World Team Trials) - 53 kg FS runner-up.
• 2019 UWW Junior World Team Trials - 55 kg FS 4th place.
• 2019 Klippan Lady Open (Sweden) - 55 kg FS Senior 5th place.
• 2018 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 117 lb FS champion.
• 2017 UWW Cadet World Championships - 49 kg FS 7th place.
• 2017 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 106 lb FS champion.
• 2017 UWW Junior National Championships - 51 kg FS 2nd place.
• 2017 UWW Cadet National Championships - 49 kg FS 1st place.
• 2017 USMC Girls' Folkstyle Nationals - 112 lb FS 5th place.
• 2016 Body Bar Women's Cadet National Championships - 46 kg FS 4th place.
• 2016 USA Wrestling Junior Folkstyle Nationals - 97 lb 4th place.
• 2016 USA Wrestling Cadet Folkstyle Nationals - 95 lb champion.
• 2015 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 97 lb FS 2nd place.
• 2015 USA Wrestling Cadet National Championships -- 88 lb FS champion.
• 2015 Pan American Cadet Championships - 40 kg FS gold medal.
• 2015 Body Bar UWW Cadet National Championships - 40 kg FS champion.
• 2015 USA Wrestling Junior Folkstyle Nationals - 97 lb 2nd place.
• 2015 USA Wrestling Cadet Folkstyle Nationals - 95 lb 3rd place.
• Competed at Benton HS (Pa.) in 2014-17, had 31-16 record with 10 pins.
 
123 - GABBY SKIDMORE (Spooner, Wis./Cumberland HS)
• Ranked No. 12 on The Open Mat's Top 100 women's wrestlers (all weights) in Class of 2019 list.
• Ranked No. 2 at 122 pounds in USA Wrestling National Girls High School Rankings (6/27/19).
• 2019 USA Wrestling USMC Junior National Championships - 122 lb FS champion.
• 2019 UWW Junior National Championships (World Team Trials) - 57 kg FS runner-up.
• 2019 Wisconsin Wrestling Federation Women's HS Folkstyle Championships - 120 lb champion.
• 2018 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 117 lb FS 3rd place.
• 2018 UWW Junior National Championships - 55 kg FS 8th place.
• 2018 Marines Western Cadet/Junior Regionals - 122 lb FS 3rd place.
• 2018 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group D FS champion.
• 2018 Wisconsin Wrestling Federation Girls' Freestyle Championships - 127 lb runner-up.
• 2017 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 112 lb FS 6th place.
• 2017 UWW Cadet National Championships - 52 kg FS 7th place.
• 2017 Wisconsin Wrestling Federation Girls' Freestyle Championships - 117 lb runner-up.
• 2017 Wisconsin Wrestling Federation Girls' Challenge Series Finals - 106 lb champion.
 
130 - KAYLEE MOORE (Yakima, Wash./Naches Valley HS)
• Ranked No. 26 on The Open Mat's Top 100 women's wrestlers (all weights) in Class of 2019 list.
• Ranked No. 2 at 132 pounds in USA Wrestling National Girls High School Rankings (6/27/19).
• National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2019 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winner for Washington.
• 2019 USA Wrestling USMC Junior National Championships - 132 lb FS champion.
• 2019 UWW Junior National Championships (World Team Trials) - 57 kg FS runner-up.
• 2019 UWW Women's National Championships (U-23 World Team Trials) - 59 kg FS 4th place.
• 2019 Washington State Wrestling Association State HS Championships - 132 lb champion.
• 2019 Northwest Junior Regional - 138 lb HS FS champion.
• 2019 Washington State HS Championships (Folkstyle) - 130 lb champion (41-0 record).
• 2018 UWW Junior National Championships -  59 kg FS 3rd place.
• 2018 UWW Cadet National Championships - 57 kg FS runner-up.
• 2018 USA Wrestling/USMC Junior Folkstyle National Championships - 132 lb 5th place.
• 2018 Marines Western Cadet/Junior Regionals - 127 lb FS champion.
• 2018 Marines Western Cadet/Junior Regionals - 116-127 lb folkstyle runner-up.
• 2018 Marines Western Cadet/Junior Regionals - 120 lb GR 3rd place.
• 2018 Washington State HS Championships (Folkstyle) - 130 lb runner-up.
• 2017 UWW Cadet National Championships - 60 kg FS 5th place.
• 2017 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships -  127 lb FS 6th place.
• 2017 USA Wrestling Cadet National Championships - 127 lb FS 5th place.
• 2017 USA Wrestling/USMC Folkstyle National Championships - 127 lb 3rd place.
• 2017 Western Junior Regional - 132 lb FS champion.
• 2017 Washington State Wrestling Association Junior Championships - 132-138 lb FS runner-up.
• 2017 Washington State Wrestling Association Cadet Championships - 132 lb FS champion.
• 2017 Washington State Wrestling Association Junior Championships - 127-131 lb GR champion.
• 2017 Washington State Wrestling Association Cadet Championships - 132 lb GR champion.
• 2017 Washington State HS Championships (Folkstyle) - 125 lb 3rd place.
• 2016 USA Wrestling Junior National Championships - 121 lb FS 4th place.
• 2016 USA Wrestling Cadet National Championships - 124 lb FS 5th place.
• 2016 Washington State HS Championships (Folkstyle) - 120 lb runner-up.
• 2016 Washington State Wrestling Association Cadet Championships - 132 lb FS champion.
• 2016 Northwest Junior Regional - 125 lb FS 3rd place.

130 - BEL SNYDER (Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek HS)
• Transfer from University of Jamestown (N.D.), where she was a redshirt first-year in 2018-19.
• Competed on Wadena-Deer Creek (Minn.) High School boys' wrestling team.
• Competed on Minnesota Storm amateur wrestling program (Minnesota USA Wrestling).
 









136 - SAVANNAH VOLD (Rochester, Minn./Rochester Mayo HS)
• Transfer from Waldorf University (Iowa).
• Finished 9-16 in first season of collegiate wrestling in 2018-19 (5-6 at 136, 4-10 at 130), with 2 technical falls.
• Qualified to compete at inaugural NAIA Invitational Championships in 2019.
• Was ranked as high as No. 11 at 130 pounds in NAIA national poll in 2018-19.
• Competed for two seasons on Rochester Mayo HS boys' wrestling team.
• 2018 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 132 lb champion.
• 2018 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 132 lb cadet/junior runner-up.
• 2018 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group F FS 3rd place.
• 2017 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 127 lb 5th place.
• 2017 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 127 lb cadet/junior 3rd place.
 


136 - KAHLEA JOLLY (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS)
• Competed on Centennial HS boys' wrestling team for four seasons.
• 2019 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group E FS 4th place.
• 2019 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Freestyle Championships - 144 lb champion.
• 2019 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Greco-Roman Championships - 144 lb champion.
• 2019 Minnesota USA Wrestling State HS Girls' Championships - 138 lb FS runner-up.
• 2019 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Folkstyle Championships - 138 lb cadet/junior 5th place.
• 2018 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 138 lb runner-up.
• 2018 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 138 lb cadet/junior runner-up.
• 2017 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group J FS runner-up.
• 2017 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 132 lb champion.
• 2017 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 132 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2016 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group H GR runner-up.
• 2016 Minnesota Kids State Freestyle Championships - Group K runner-up.
• 2016 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 139 lb cadet/junior runner-up.
 
143 - MELISSA JACOBS (Belle Plaine, Minn./Belle Plaine HS (Scott West))
• Transfer from Umpqua Community College (Ore.), where she was a redshirt first-year in 2018-19.
• Finished 5-17 as redshirt in 2018-19 with 1 pin and 3 technical falls at 143 pounds.
• Competed on Scott West (Jordan/Belle Plaine) HS boys' wrestling team.
• 2018 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group G FS runner-up.
• 2018 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Freestyle Championships - 152 lb champion.
• 2018 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Greco-Roman Championships - 152 lb champion.
• 2018 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 152 lb champion.
• 2018 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 164 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2018 Marines Western Cadet/Junior Regionals - 144 lb FS champion.
• 2017 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Freestyle Championships - 144-152 lb champion.
• 2017 US Open Kids/Cadet Folkstyle Championships - 141-153 lb HS girls runner-up.
• 2017 Western Junior Regional - 152 lb FS 6th place.
• 2017 WOTR Girls Triple Crown Grand Nationals Folkstyle - 148-159 HS runner-up.
• 2017 WOTR Girls Triple Crown Grand Nationals Freestyle - 148-159 HS runner-up.
• 2017 WOTR Girls Triple Crown Grand Nationals Greco-Roman - 148-159 HS runner-up.
• 2017 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 164 lb champion.
• 2017 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 180 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2016 Southeast Regional Freestyle Championships - 150-155 lb junior girls runner-up.
• 2016 Southeast Regional Freestyle Championships - 139 lb junior girls 4th place.
• 2016 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Freestyle Championships - Group K 4th place.
• 2016 Western Junior Regional - 139 lb FS runner-up.
• 2016 WOTR Girls Triple Crown Grand Nationals Folkstyle - 139-145 HS 5th place.
• 2016 WOTR Girls Triple Crown Grand Nationals Freestyle - 139-145 HS 3rd place.
• 2016 WOTR Girls Triple Crown Grand Nationals Greco-Roman - 139-145 HS 3rd place.
• 2016 Minnesota Kids State Folkstyle Championships - 139 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2016 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 138 lb runner-up.
 
155 - MARLYNNE DEEDE (Springville, Utah/Springville HS)
• Ranked No. 89 on The Open Mat's Top 100 women's wrestlers (all weights) in Class of 2019 list.
• Ranked No. 9 at 164 pounds in USA Wrestling National Girls High School Rankings (6/27/19).
• National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2019 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winner for Utah.
• 2019 UWW Junior National Championships (World Team Trials) - 72 kg FS 7th place.
• 2019 USMC Junior Folkstyle National Championships - 164 lb 5th place.
• 2019 Marines Western Regionals - 164 lb HS FS champion.
• 2019 Klippan Lady Open (Sweden) - 72 kg FS Senior 5th place.
• 2018 UWW Cadet World Team Trials - 73 kg FS 3rd place.
• 2018 USMC Junior Folkstyle National Championships - 164 lb runner-up.
• 2018 Marines Western Cadet/Junior Regionals - 164 lb FS 4th place.
• 2018 Utah Girls' HS State Championships - 160 lb champion.
• 2017 Utah Freestyle State Cadet/Junior Championships - 148 lb champion.
• 2017 Utah Girls' HS State Championships - 135 lb runner-up.
• 2016 Western Junior Regionals - 121 lb FS 3rd place.
• 2016 Utah Freestyle State Cadet/Junior Championships - 121 lb runner-up.
 
170 - FAITH TUTTLE (North St. Paul, Minn./North St. Paul HS)
• Ranked No. 51 on The Open Mat's Top 100 women's wrestlers (all weights) in Class of 2019 list.
• Ranked No. 3 at 180 pounds in USA Wrestling National Girls High School Rankings (6/27/19).
• Competed on North St. Paul HS boys' wrestling team.
• 2019 USA Wrestling/USMC Junior National Championships - 180 lb FS 6th place.
• 2019 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group F FS runner-up.
• 2019 Minnesota USA Wrestling State HS Girls' Championships - 185 lb FS champion.
• 2019 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Folkstyle Championships - 180 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2018 USA Wrestling/USMC Junior National Championships - 180 lb FS 6th place.
• 2018 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group J FS champion.
• 2018 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Freestyle Championships - 180 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2018 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Greco-Roman Championships - 180 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2018 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 200 lb champion.
• 2018 Minnesota USA Kids State Folkstyle Championships -- 200 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2017 Northern Plains Regional Junior/Cadet - Group K FS champion.
• 2017 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Freestyle Championships - 164-180 lb cadet/junior champion.
• 2017 Minnesota Kids & Cadets State Greco-Roman Championships - 182 lb cadet/junior 5th place.
• 2017 USA Wrestling/USMC Cadet National Championships - 180 lb FS 5th place.
• 2017 Minnesota Cadet/Junior State Folkstyle Championships - 200 lb champion.
• 2017 Minnesota USA Kids State Folkstyle Championships -- 180 lb cadet/junior runner-up.