U.S. Army WCAP women wrestlers make history, help Team USA capture first world title since 1999

ASTANA, Kazakhstan – Two female freestyle wrestlers from the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program embodied readiness and resiliency for Team USA during the United World Wrestling Senior World Championships.

And they played an important part of helping Team USA secure its first world championship for the first time since 1999 by edging powerhouse Japan, 137-135.

Spc. Adaugo Nwachukwu became the first WCAP Soldier-athlete to win a world championship since 2005 in a 12-11 thriller at 62 kilograms on Oct. 29 against two-time world champion and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Nonoka Ozaki of Japan.

Sgt. Abby Nette dropped an 8-6 heartbreaker to India’s Manisha Bhanwala to earn a silver medal at 59 kilograms. Nwachukwu and Nette are the first women’s freestyle wrestlers in Army WCAP to win medals in the same world championships.

“I have a saying: ‘We’re not here to take part. We’re here to take over,’ ” said Bruce Robinson, Army WCAP women’s freestyle coach who assisted Team USA. “I say it jokingly but, at the same time. I’m not joking because I know the potential these women have. When they come into this program and develop the mindset that comes with being part of the military, it adds another layer to what they’re capable of doing.”

The success of Nwachukwu and Nette during the senior world championships also spotlights the opportunities WCAP offers aspiring leaders who want to compete at the international and Olympic level while serving the nation.

“The success has elevated the program,” Robinson said. “Everybody’s talking about WCAP now. I’ve gotten so many texts and messages from college coaches and wrestlers saying, ‘WCAP is killing it. What are you all doing?’ They see that WCAP produced two of the three finalists. Not everybody can say that. The entire year has been incredible, from having Pan American champions to having six make the finals at the U.S. Open.”

To cap off the incredible year, former WCAP stalwart Iris Smith will be inducted into the Nationnal Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The championship culture fostered under Robinson and assistant Nate Engel isn’t lost on Terry Steiner, head women’s freestyle wrestling coach for Team USA.

“They really transformed the program, and I’m glad to have Army WCAP as part of Team USA,” said Steiner, who has served as Team USA’s coach since 2004. “I can’t say enough about their leadership and what they have done.”

While winning the world championship is gratifying and a huge accomplishment, it’s not surprising, Nette said. “This has been a long time coming, but at the same time, it just makes us hungry for more,” she said. “This is the first team title in 27 years, but it won’t be the last. Hopefully next year we continue building on it and keep setting the standard.”

Nwachukwu, the third seed, opened her tournament with two straight victories by technical superiority – defined as victories by a margin greater than 10 points – against Turkey’s Sevim Akbas and Sweden’s Sara Lindborg. Nwachukwu beat Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova, ranked second in the world, 5-2 to punch her ticket to her first senior world final.

In the final, Nwachukwu stormed out to a 4-0 lead and led 9-4 at one point, but Ozaki scored seven straight points. Nwachukwu, who earned a silver medal in the Under-23 world championships almost two weeks ago in Las Vegas, overcame fatigue to score a takedown in the waning seconds.

The victory capped off a remarkable two weeks for Nwachukwu.

“I knew with U23 worlds and senior worlds so close together that I had signed up for a challenge,” Nwachukwu said. “Obviously, U23s didn’t go the way I wanted, but I had to leave that in the past. I knew I could win at that level, and I knew I was capable of winning senior worlds. I just kept telling myself to let go of the past and wrestle like it was my last opportunity.”

Nette, seeded fifth, also had a remarkable run. She opened with a pin over Burundi’s Gloria Niyonkuru, edged Russia’s Svetlana Lipatova 7-6, and pinned Ukraine’s Mariia Vynnyk, ranked No. 1 in the world, in the semifinals. In her final, she led 6-0, but a questionable call changed the match’s momentum. That shift stressed the importance of having the proper mental mindset, Nette said.

“I had the match in the palm of my hand,” Nette said. “Watching Adaugo compete this past year and seeing how locked in she has been has shown me just how important that mental side is.” As long as Nette and Nwachukwu are part of the program, something special is always going to happen, Engel said.

“These two are perfect examples of serving their country, competing at the highest level, and accomplishing great things,” he said.

Both Nette and Nwachukwu stressed it’s a privilege to compete at the highest level while serving.

“Whenever I’m working with kids, I tell then how fortunate I am to be able to do what I love while serving my country,” Nwachukwu said. “The Army provides countless opportunities.”

Nette echoed that sentiment.

“We get to represent the United States both as Soldiers and athletes,” she said. “That’s a really special feeling.”

The Army WCAP Greco-Roman team also had four Soldier-athletes compete for Team USA in the senior worlds. Sgt. Kamal Bey (82 kilograms) lost to China’s Halishan Bahejiang, 4-2; Sgt. Dalton Roberts (60 kilograms) lost to Romania’s Razvan Arnaut by technical superiority, 9-0; and Spc. Timothy Young (97 kilograms) lost to Croatia’s Matej Mandic, 4-3.

All were eliminated when their opponents failed to reach their respective finals.

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