From Stevens Point to Decorah: Gochis, Piazza and Thomas Continue the College Open Trail
By Illinois Matwomen
November 12, 2026
Angelina Gochis, Stella Piazza and Alexa Thomas left the Pointer Women’s Open with three podium finishes and an opening chapter worth building on. Their next stop brings a new field, another opportunity to test themselves against college competition, and a weight change that could put two members of the trio in the same bracket.
At UW–Stevens Point on November 7, Gochis finished second in the 124-pound Gold division, Piazza won the 117-pound Purple division, and Thomas placed fourth in the 117-pound Gold division. Each took a different route through the tournament.
Gochis opened her 124 Gold run against Northern Michigan’s Zhivanna Magdaleno and advanced with a fall. That put her into a quarterfinal against unattached wrestler Cora Stewart, where she added a decision victory to reach the final four.
The semifinal brought North Central’s Bella Bolek. Gochis won by decision again, securing her third consecutive victory and a place in the championship match. After an opening pin, she had added two decision victories to reach the final.
Northern Michigan’s Kandice Spry ended that run with a tight lace for technical-fall victory in the title bout. Gochis finished 3–1 and earned runner-up honors, with victories over opponents representing Northern Michigan, North Central and the unattached field.
Piazza’s path through 117 Purple produced three wins and three early finishes.
She began in the quarterfinals against Augustana’s Daniela Santander and won by fall. In the semifinal, Piazza defeated Simpson’s Sevanna Aguirre by technical fall, advancing to a championship meeting with Cornell’s Ryah Wurman.
Piazza closed the tournament with another fall to capture the title. All three victories ended in the first period. Her 3–0 finish came against wrestlers from three college programs, and she heads to Luther carrying the momentum of an unbeaten opening tournament.
Thomas had the longest route of the three in 117 Gold, finishing fourth with a 4–2 record that included one forfeit victory.
Her first match was a decision win over unattached wrestler Ember Zupanc. She followed with another decision, this time against Wartburg’s Ayane Jasinski, to reach the quarterfinals.
Wartburg’s Ava Gardner stopped Thomas’s championship run with a come from behind fall. Thomas then responded in the consolation bracket by pinning another Wartburg wrestler, Hope Chiattello.
A forfeit victory over Wartburg’s Jasmine Luedtke moved Thomas into the third-place match. There, Simpson’s Abigail Fuglsang won by decision, leaving Thomas fourth in the Gold bracket.
Thomas’s tournament included two decision wins, a pin and a return to the placement rounds after her quarterfinal setback. It also created several possible rematch storylines for the next stop.
The road now turns to Decorah, Iowa, where Luther College hosts its open on Saturday, November 14. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Central.
Gochis will compete at 124 pounds. Piazza moves from her Pointer championship weight of 117 to 124. Thomas remains at 117.
Among the programs listing Luther on their women’s schedules are Augsburg, Augustana, Buena Vista, Upper Iowa, Wartburg and host Luther. That provides a useful starting point for the preview, although individual entries, weight choices and the final bracket structure will determine the actual matchups.
At 124, Gochis and Piazza could find themselves in the same field. Whether their paths can cross will depend on how the tournament organizes and draws the brackets.
Wartburg’s Leah Chandler is one opponent to watch. She competed at 124 in the Knights’ season-opening dual against Augustana and won by fall. A matchup with either Gochis or Piazza would offer a fresh test against a college wrestler already producing results at that weight this season.
Upper Iowa’s Kamdyn Saulter is another possibility. Saulter won both of her November 6 matches at 124, earning a technical fall against Loras and a pin against Central. Those results make her a relevant name to follow when Luther’s entries are posted.
Augsburg’s Teleah Zeon brings a strong Pointer performance of her own. Zeon reached the 124 Purple championship match with three first-period pins before finishing second.
Augustana’s Gwen Burbridge also competed at 124 in both the Wartburg dual and the Pointer Open and belongs on the potential-opponent list.
For Thomas at 117, Wartburg supplies the most immediate rematch possibilities. Gardner, Jasinski and Chiattello all wrestled Thomas at Pointer. Another meeting with Gardner would offer a chance to revisit the quarterfinal matchup, while bouts against Jasinski or Chiattello would test whether Thomas can repeat her earlier wins.
Luedtke is also worth watching if she enters at 117. Thomas advanced over her by forfeit at Pointer, so a meeting on the mat would provide their first contested bout of this stretch.
Upper Iowa’s Ivy Brandenburg adds a new opponent to the watchlist. Brandenburg won both of her November 6 matches at 117 by fall. Augsburg’s Gisele Gallegos and Augustana’s Santander also competed at 117 at Pointer and could enter the Luther picture.
These are possible opponents based on recent competition and team schedules. Those possibilities still require confirmation from the final entries and brackets.
For Gochis, Luther offers another opportunity to build on a Gold-division finals appearance. Piazza brings an unbeaten tournament into a new weight class. Thomas arrives with placement-round experience and several potential rematches.
Three wrestlers, three podium finishes, and another weekend of college competition ahead. The trail continues in Decorah.
