Choate’s Gilchrist wins a title at Princeton Open

Norwalk’s Calli Gilchrist won an individual title at the Princeton Open on Sunday. (Photo courtesy Calli Gilchrist)

While most open tournaments at this time of year are filled with collegiate wrestlers, there are some high school and older wrestlers who compete in these tournaments.

Three Connecticut girls, who train with Team Tugman in the off-season, competed in the Princeton Open this past weekend.

In her third appearance in the women’s freestyle tournament, Norwalk’s Calli Gilchrist of Choate-Rosemary Hall won the Princeton Open at 124 pounds with four consecutive wins. She beat Alyssa Mahan of Presbyterian College in South Carolina in the finals.

But the most impressive win came in the semifinals with a 7-6 win over junior Vayle-Rae Baker, an All-American wrestler from King University in Bristol, Tennessee. Baker went 29-7 at the collegiate level a year ago.

Southbury’s Sarah Henckel of Blair Academy went 3-1 at 160 pounds by finishing second. She advanced to the final with a pin and a technical fall before losing May Cuyler of Presbyterian College.

Berlin High’s Sybell Landrie, who has committed to attend Western New England University, finished fourth at 117 pounds, going 2-2 in the tournament.

2024 Princeton Open