SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – After a historically successful 2024-2025 season where the South Tahoe Women’s wrestling team achieved a 6th place finish in the Nevada State Wrestling Tournament, the 2025-2026 team is off to a fast start that has them looking at improving on those results.
Led by returning senior group of state qualifiers and placers, Lillia Verduzco, Alice Lilly, Diem Johnson, Sydney Birkholm and Mia Martinez, the team jumped out to a fast start by winning the Douglas Ground and Pound, 3rd Place at the Nevada Queens (the largest women’s-only wrestling tournament in the state of Nevada) and most recently finishing 12th, and narrowly missing a top 5 finish, at the Women’s West Coast Tournament of Champions (a national recognized tournament with over 160 teams across four states).
Verduzco and Lilly were crowned as champions at the Nevada Queens, while Lilly and Johnson placed 5th and 3rd, respectively, at the Women’s West Coast TOC.
The team has also been sparked by an infusion of new talent led by freshman Aabree Schumacher, who has seen deep tournament runs at the Nevada Queens and the Women’s West Coast TOC.
Women’s wrestling across the country and in the state of Nevada is experiencing rapid growth. South Tahoe now boasts 20 girls on the team, with rising participation and interest in the middle school and club programs.
“We couldn’t be more excited for this group of girls who have committed to the team. We have some outstanding leadership among our upperclassman and they are really investing in the young girls in our program,” said Head Coach Gary Whitehouse
The team will be competing in the Sierra Nevada Classic and the Quarry Queens over the holiday break before settling into a dual meet schedule and the final postseason run. You can catch the program (boys and girls) in action at a home dual on Wednesday, 1/21 @ 4:00 p.m., and the postseason will kick off on 1/30.
