London, Ont. — McMaster's women's wrestling team delivered an outstanding performance on Saturday, capturing the team bronze medal at the OUA Wrestling Championships hosted by Western University. Powered by three individual titles and several additional podium finishes, the Marauders demonstrated their strength, depth, and championship pedigree against Ontario's top programs.
Leading the charge were OUA champions
Serena Di Benedetto (53kg),
Macy Malysiak (59kg), and
Natalie Vecchio (76kg), each turning in dominant performances to secure gold.
Di Benedetto controlled her bracket from start to finish. She opened with a decisive 6-0 victory before overpowering Guelph's Brooklyn Glasgow 10-0 in the championship match. Wrestling with confidence and precision, Di Benedetto dictated every exchange and never allowed her opponents to generate sustained offense, earning her place atop the podium.
Malysiak authored one of the most commanding runs of the tournament at 59kg. She stormed through the field with an 11-0 technical superiority win, followed by a 6-0 semifinal decision. In the final, Malysiak put an exclamation point on her day with a 10-0 victory, completing the tournament without conceding a single point across her final three matches.
Vecchio continued the gold-medal momentum in the 76kg division with a composed and powerful showing. After advancing through the bracket with multiple technical falls and a pin, she secured the title with a 6-0 decision over Lakehead's Haley Florell. Vecchio's ability to control position and capitalize on scoring chances proved critical in anchoring McMaster's team total.
Olivia Lichti added a major result for the Marauders, earning silver at 62kg. Lichti powered her way into the final with three dominant wins by scores of 10-0, 11-0, and 11-0. She ultimately fell to Brock's Mia Friesen in the gold-medal match, but her runner-up finish contributed valuable points toward the team standings.
Tehani Blais captured bronze in the 72kg class after responding impressively to an earlier setback. Blais secured a fall victory over Guelph's Kylee Lubbers and later recorded a technical fall against Lakehead's Myla Lawson to lock up her podium finish.
At 56kg,
Mayumi King placed fourth following a resilient performance in the consolation bracket. King earned a 12-2 technical fall over Western's Samantha Acierto and shut out Queen's Hannah Cuddie, showcasing her ability to rebound against strong competition.
Juliana Skaljin finished fifth in the 68kg division, collecting an early win before battling through a tough bracket to secure placement points.
Sylvia Rosenberger rounded out the Marauders' lineup with a sixth-place finish at 65kg, gaining valuable championship experience.
With three gold medals, one silver, and one bronze, McMaster assembled one of its strongest team performances in recent memory. The bronze-medal finish underscores the continued rise of the Marauders within the OUA and reflects a program built on both elite talent and competitive depth.
McMaster will now shift its focus to the U SPORTS Championships, where the Marauders aim to build on their momentum and measure themselves against the nation's best.
