2024 national finalist Kaelani Shufeldt will compete for a spot on the United States women’s freestyle wrestling Olympic Team; Trials set for this weekend at Penn State.
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – After a stellar 2023-24 season, Kaelani Shufeldt of the Lock Haven women’s wrestling team still has business to take care of on the mat.
Shufeldt made waves back in December at the 2023 Senior Nationals when she placed fourth and secured her spot in the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials where she will compete at 50 kg. She is seeded No. 5 in the challenge tournament bracket.
The trials are set to take place at Penn State University’s Bryce Jordan Center on Friday and Saturday, April 19-20.
Since the sophomore arrived at Lock Haven, she has engraved her name in the program’s history books by becoming the program’s first ever two-time All-American and first ever national finalist.
“It’s very exciting,” Shufeldt said. “Our team made some big jumps this year and the goal is to continue to improve every day, so having the opportunity to be a part of that process and hopefully inspire my teammates is very valuable to me. I am grateful for this opportunity and I
can’t wait to compete.”
In May 2019, Lock Haven announced its official plans to add women’s wrestling as a varsity sport, but history dates back to the early 2000’s when world-class athletes like Jenny Wong and Sara McMann ’03 both trained with the men’s wrestling team in hopes of competing at the senior level. Both went on to make world teams. McMann, a Lock Haven Hall of Famer, was part of the first U.S. women’s Olympic freestyle wrestling team, and she won a silver medal, become the first American woman to do so.
Looking for continued success on the senior, nation and world level, Shufeldt’s and is already being mentioned among the those former Bald Eagle standouts.
“It is an honor to even be named in the same category as those women. They were pioneers of the sport and the program, and my hope is that I can continue to make history and inspire more young girls and women to follow their dreams and do what they love,” Shufeldt added.
In her corner at the trials she will have a familiar face Lock Haven women’s wresting head coach – Matt Lackey.
“Kaelani deserves all the credit in the world,” Lackey said. “She’s worked so hard for everything she’s earned. She lives the right lifestyle and is a tremendous leader of our young women. To be alongside her as she attempts to reach her dreams is the ultimate privilege.”
