The final state rankings for women’s wrestling were released April 10, and it was a banner day for the Mustangs.
“Leading the charge is Samira Mason ranked No. 1 followed by Isabela Zepeda No. 3, Alejandra Ochoa #4, and Victoria Jiminez No. 7. Receiving honorable mention in the rankings include Danny Hurtado, Joceyln Shelly, and Alexia Garcia,” according to Delta College Athletics.
Mason’s season concluded with a 28-1 record, building up to the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Women’s State Championships held April 18 at East Los Angeles College.
She not only claimed the state title but was also voted the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler, becoming the first women’s state champion in Mustang history.
“Placing 1st at 3c2a state championships and being voted most outstanding wrestler was such a game changer for me. All of the hard work that I put into this season really echoed in my performance for each match,” said Mason in a text interview. “I was very proud of myself. Not only that, but I think was more excited for my coach, because he was the mastermind behind all of this. He believed in me from day 1 and always gave me the best inspiration and advice. I took every word he said to heart and gave it my all, so I can really give him a lot of credit for that. My teammates made such a huge impact as well.”
Mason was Delta’s lone champion with them ranking No. 5 as a team. Ochoa and Zepeda ranked inside the top three in their respective divisions.
Leading up to the championships Ochoa worked on her, “mindset of believing that I belonged to wrestle on every mat I stepped on to compete… I went into the competition not knowing what to expect, but still excited to use what I had learned and worked on,” said Ochoa.
Ochoa said that it was a new feeling being a college wrestler, but was grateful for being able to have this experience of competing and thankful for the full support of her teammates, coaches and family.
The Mustangs qualified six athletes for the state tournament and finished fifth out of 16 teams, a significant achievement as women’s wrestling enters a new era of official competition.
This year’s championship marked the first time the 3C2A officially recognized women’s wrestling as a sanctioned sport.
The growth of the tournament itself underscores the rapid rise of for women with a total of 120 competitors from across the state taking part.The Mustangs’ success comes amid a national surge in women’s wrestling participation and recognition.
Long considered a male-dominated activity, women’s wrestling has emerged as the fastest-growing sport in the United States for the second consecutive year. The passage of Title IX in 1972 laid the groundwork by mandating equal opportunities for women in athletics, but progress was slow for decades.
Only recently has the momentum shifted significantly.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DELTA COLLEGE ATHLETICS
“As a woman in wrestling, this sport has empowered me by teaching me great lessons that I can apply in my daily life… With coaches that lead with great examples and toughness I was able to become stronger mentally and physically, I became more confident in myself as well as allowing me to step in and become a leader,” said Zepeda.
Zepeda also said the rise of women in wrestling has definitely changed the aspect of wrestling being a predominantly male sport. Especially because she had never had female coaches or been on a full women’s team.
“Women in this sport are now surpassing the numbers of male to female ratio, but I will say that it is ultimately fascinating and exciting being a woman in this sport… The sisterhood of this sport is beautiful from the support of teammates to female coaches…There is so much kindness and a push to achieve the best outcome possible,” said Zepeda
All three athletes, along with teammate Danny Hurtado, also earned Academic All-American honors, reflecting their commitment not just to wrestling, but to their studies.
“This championship meant more than just a win. This meant history for SJDC’s women’s wrestling team, and inspiration for all of the young ladies in San Joaquin county who want to be a part of the wrestling community and/or continue to wrestle in college,” said Mason.
“This means that they can look up at the banner with my name on it and say ‘I want a banner too.’ That is going to create some mean, badass wrestlers.”
With a core of talented wrestlers and a commitment to excellence both on the mat and in the classroom, the Mustangs are helping to shape the future of women’s wrestling and they’re just getting started.
