FORT HAYS, Kan. – Already setting the standard with the school record for wins in a season and career, Nina Sandoval added her first collegiate title to her resume on Sunday, December 1, going undefeated in her 180-pound weight class to claim the championship at the Bob Smith Open hosted by Fort Hays State.

Sandoval led a strong effort by the Minot State University (MSU) women’s wrestling team with her win. Her teammate Haleigh Lematta made it to the championship match at 145 but settled for second place and Madilyn Schuck battled to the consolation championship at 207 pounds to finish third at the tournament.

The MSU women (1-1 duals) are back on the road next weekend wrestling in a dual at Chadron State on Friday, December 6, then in a tournament hosted by Chadron State on Saturday.

In Kansas on Sunday, Sandoval opened her title run with a 10-0 technical fall win over Scarlett Snodgrass from Schreiner University, then won by pin in 2 minutes, 50 seconds against Chadron State’s Sicily Frates in the semifinals.

Sandoval then added her second pin of the day in 1:20 over Isabella Renfro from Fort Hays State to claim the championship. Sandoval improved to 9-2 on the season with her unbeaten run and now has 37 career victories in her two-plus seasons for MSU.

Nearly adding another title was Lematta at 145 as she claimed a 10-0 tech fall win over Haddy Waak of Betterman Elite Academy, then won a 7-0 decision in the semifinal over Alexis Burton of Fort Hays State before falling in the title match.

As for Schuck, she rebounded strong after an opening loss with back-to-back pins in the consolation semifinals, in 1:11 over Natalie Espinoza of Schreiner, and in the third-place match in 2:18 against Brook Newton from Adams State.

Adding a win each on the mat on the day were Skye Shelmerdine at 124 pounds, a win by pin in 1:50 in her first match of the day, Emily Light at 124 pounds, who also won by pin in 5:33 in her first match, and Pua Beebe at 138 pounds with a pin in 1:24 of her consolation round match.