2023-24 Wrestling

Sunnyside’s Jimenez retains overall No. 1 national ranking; Pueblo’s Valenzuela-Smith No. 8 in 105 pounds



Pueblo Class of 2027 standout Elizabeth Valenzuela-Smith (left) and Sunnyside graduate Audrey Jimenez are highly rated in a national poll recently released

USA Wrestling, FloWrestling and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum have published the final rankings for girls wrestlers for the 2023-24 school year and Sunnyside’s Audrey Jimenez, who graduated in May, retained the No. 1 ranking for pound-for pound in the nation.

She is the No. 1-rated wrestler at 110 pounds.

Pueblo Class of 2027 standout Elizabeth Valenzuela-Smith moved up a spot to No. 8 in the 105-pound class after ranked No. 9 in the previous rating in March.

This national ranking evaluates all girls enrolled in grades 8-12. Athletes from all 50 states are eligible for selection.

The ranking includes all of the wrestlers who competed in the 2023-24 season, including those who are graduating seniors, such as Jimenez.

Mountain View’s Lillian Gradillas-Flores, who also graduated in May, is ranked No. 30 in the 170-pound class.

Jimenez, an alternate for Team USA in the Paris Olympics, is headed to Lehigh University. She has a Senior US Open title and five age-level World Championship medals.

Gradillas-Flores will attend Southern Oregon. She is a two-time state champion who placed second in this year’s AZ-USAW National Qualifier event. She also placed first in last summer’s Fargo Summer Showcase & 16U/Junior Nationals.

The rankings were released ahead of the 2024 USMC Junior/16U Nationals in Fargo, N.D., July 12-20, of which Valenzuela-Smith is expected to participate.

Valenzuela-Smith won the 107-pound state title in February and also earned the 106-pound 16U title of the 2024 Air Force Special Warfare 16U & Junior Boys and Girls Folkstyle Nationals at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She holds the distinction of being the first third-generation wrestling champion in Arizona. Her grandfather Orlando Smith (1974-75) and father Josiah Smith (1998) were also state champions from Pueblo.

These rankings were also heavily influenced by the major post-season national events, including the USA Wrestling National Duals at the 16U and Junior levels, as well as six of the USA Wrestling Regional Championships. Many other large events for high school and middle school girls were reviewed in the selection.

NATIONAL GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS

Developed by USA Wrestling, Flowrestling and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame

July 3, 2024

1. Audrey Jimenez, senior, Sunnyside High School (1 at 110), 1 last time

2. Piper Fowler, junior, Cleveland (Tenn.) High School (1 at 170), 2 last time

3. Morgan Turner, sophomore, Lockport (Ill.) High School (1 at 100), 3 last time

4. Jasmine Robinson, senior, Allen (Texas) High School (1 at 155), 4 last time

5. Jaclyn Bouzakis, freshman, Shavertown (Pa.) Wyoming Seminary (2 at 100), 5 last time

6. Taina Fernandez, freshman, Bowie (Md.) Archbishop Spalding High School (1 at 135), 6 last time

7. Everest Leydecker, sophomore, Phoenix Desert Vista High School (1 at 125), 7 last time

8. Anaya Falcon, senior, Yorba Linda (Calif.) Walnut High School (2 at 110), 8 last time

9. Isabella Marie Gonzales, junior, Clovis (Calif.) East High School (1 at 115), 9 last time

10. Bella Williams, junior, Edmond (Okla.) North High School (1 at 140), 10 last time

105 pounds

1. Chloe Dearwester, senior, Cincinnati Harrison High School (3 at 105)

2. Rianne Murphy, senior, Valparaiso (Ind.) Wyoming Seminary (4 at 105)

3. Taylor Whiting, sophomore, Oconto (Wis.) Falls High School (5 at 105)

4. Sarissa Tucker, freshman, Midland (Va,) Mountain View High School (6 at 105)

5. Gabrielle Tedesco, senior, Lakeland (Fla.) Lake Gibson High School (7 at 105)

6. Sandy Breeden, sophomore, Liberty (Mo.) High School (8 at 100)

7. Jazmine Turner, junior, Modesto (Calif.) Grace M Davis High School (9 at 105)

8. Elizabeth Valenzuela-Smith, freshman, Pueblo High School (9 at 100)

9. Bianca Eide, sophomore, Shakopee (Minn.) Stillwater High School (10 at 105)

10. Jillian Wells, junior, Sacramento (Calif.) Central Catholic High School (11 at 105)

110 pounds

1. Audrey Jimenez, senior, Sunnyside High School (1 at 110)

2. Anaya Falcon, senior, Yorba Linda (Calif.) Walnut High School (1 at 105)

3. Heather Crull, junior, Modoc (Ind.) Northeastern High School (2 at 105)

4. Epenesa Elison, eighth grade, Downey (Calif.) Enlightium Academy (2 at 110)

5. Julianna Ocampo, junior, Elhart (Ind.) New Haven High School (3 at 110)

6. Jayden Keller, sophomore, Brookfield (Mo.) High School (5 at 110)

7. Makenzie Smith, senior, Dale (Ind.) Heritage Hills High School (6 at 110)

8. Libby Roberts, junior, Spokane (Wash.) University High School (7 at 110)

9. Nakayla Dawson, sophomore, Westland (Mich.) John Glenn High School (11 at 110)

10. Deandra Meza, junior, Anaheim (Calif.) Walnut High School (9 at 110)

155 pounds

30. Lillian Gradillas-Flores, senior, Mountain View High School (25 at 170)

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