Women's Wrestling Captures First NCAA Women’s Wrestling Region 1 Championship
— SHU Pioneers (@SHUBigRed) February 22, 2026
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SHU crowns three champions and sends eight wrestlers to the NCAA National Championship
By: Samantha Carey
ELMIRA, N.Y. – A historic day for the Sacred Heart University women's wrestling program as the Pioneers captured the program's first NCAA Women's Wrestling Region 1 Championship, hosted by Elmira College, on Sunday afternoon inside the LECOM Event Center.
Under head coach Paulina Biega, Sacred Heart earned its third regional championship in the last four seasons and will send eight wrestlers to the inaugural NCAA Women's Wrestling National Championship, set for March 7–8 in Cedar Falls.
The Pioneers secured first place with 170 team points, edging out Western New England University (159.5). Host Elmira finished third with 115.5 points, followed by Felician University (111) and D'Youville University (88.5).
Team Scores:
1. Sacred Heart – 170
2. Western New England – 159.5
3. Elmira – 115.5
4. Felician – 111
5. D'Youville – 88.5
Of Note:
Sacred Heart crowned three regional champions on the day.
Aaliyah Payne-Parris (103) claimed her title via medical forfeit victory over D'Youville's Alyssa Sedillo.
Love Daley (160) dominated her bracket and closed out the championship, pinning Western New England's Sky De Leon in just 49 seconds in the final.
First-year standout Josephine Larson (207) secured the regional crown and her first-ever trip to nationals with an 11-0 technical fall over Felician's Talisha Lewis.
Four Pioneers finished as runners-up, including Ahsia Torres (110), Nohea Moniz (117), Selena Sifuentes Shaffer (145), and Madeline Hodges (180). The quartet of wrestlers earned a spot in the upcoming NCAA Championship.
Rounding out the national qualifiers is Lauren Nguyen (124), who placed third after battling in her bracket.
Placing within the top six of their brackets were Madi Canales (138), who took fourth, and Bella Sowards (131), who finished sixth.
With a dominant team performance and eight national qualifiers, the Pioneers head into the first NCAA Women's Wrestling National Championship with momentum and history already made.
Nationals Note:
Payne-Parris, Torres, and Moniz each earned their fourth career appearances in the national tournament, continuing a remarkable stretch of postseason consistency for the program.
Daley and Hodges qualified for nationals for the third time.
Nguyen is making her second appearance in nationals.
Larson, and Sifuentes Shaffer will make their first appearance on the national stage.
Regional Note:
Payne-Parris and Daley further cemented their legacies as three-time Regional Champions.
Larson captured the first regional title of her career, adding to the Pioneers' historic day.