McKendree University transfer Kayla Marano (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)As the start of the Collegiate Women's Wrestling season is quickly approaching, we've dug through rosters to discover several key transfers that will likely play big roles for their new teams this season.
Let's take a look at some names we will see in new singlets this year.
Kayla Marano
Old School: Emmanuel College (D-2)
New School: McKendree University (D-2)
Weight Class: 155
The rich get richer here as 3x All-American Kayla Marano joins the returning national champion Bearcat squad. Marano wrestled under her mother, the legendary Kristie Davis, at Emmanuel for three seasons before making the move to Illinois for her senior year, when Davis stepped down from her post at Emmanuel. Marano was last year's runner-up at the NCWW Championships to her new teammate Alara Boyd.
Tavi Heidelberg-Tillotson
Old School: King University (D-2)
New School: Menlo College (NAIA)
Weight Class: 191
Heidelberg-Tillotson made a splash early for the Tornado at King, earning a runner-up finish her freshman year at the NCWW Championships. She followed that up with a second runner-up finish as a sophomore in 2021. The native Californian makes a move back home with her transfer to Menlo College, the 2019 NAIA National Champions who have not yet had a chance to defend their title the past two seasons.
Jessie Lee
Old School: Tiffin University (D-2)
New School: Life University (NAIA)
Weight Class: 191
Jessie Lee was a 3x All-American at Tiffin University, but graduated and elected to pursue her doctorate of Chiropractic at Life, and will have two years of eligibility remaining thanks to an initial redshirt and the COVID waiver granted to NCAA athletes. Lee was 4th at last year's NCWW Championships, but now moves over to one of the NAIA's top squads at Life.
Vayle-Rae Baker
Old School: Augsburg University (D-3)
New School: King University (D-2)
Weight Class: 123
One of the nation's top recruits in the class of 2019, Vayle Baker had a solid freshman season at Augsburg in 2020, finishing 6th at the NCWW Championships. She competed in just one event for the Auggies last season and did not appear at the Regional. She moves over to King as part of their #1 ranked recruiting class for 2021 and joins an already deep room at 123, where King returns National Champion Cheyenne Sisenstein and 4th place finisher Makayla Welch.
Alma Mendoza
Old School: Colorado Mesa University (D-2)
New School: Life University (NAIA)
Weight Class: 143
Mendoza spent three years at Colorado Mesa, earning NCWW All-American honors for the Mavericks with a 6th place finish in 2020, but did not compete last season. She makes the move to Life to plug a gap for the Running Eagles, who did not enter a wrestler at 143 at last year's NAIA National Championships.
Emily Se
Old School: Emmanuel College (D-2)
New School: Southern Oregon University (NAIA)
Weight Class: 123
A highly touted recruit in the class of 2019, Emily Se was a 2x All-American for the Lions, finishing 3rd in 2020 and 4th in 2021. She makes the move west to join the Raiders as they make a push to climb the NAIA ranks after a 5th place team finish in 2021.
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