Meet the McMaster wrestling team

Photo C/O @mcmaswrestling

This weekend, the McMaster wrestling team headed to the York University Open, and two Marauders came home with one more medal than they came with.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqTYOihBL0v/

Rookie Ligaya Stinellis took home her second divisional gold of the season and second-year Simi Jayeoba took home silver. We caught up with the two Marauders after their victorious weekend below:

The Silhouette: What year and program are you in?

Ligaya: First year, general social science

Simi: Second year, level one engineering

Tell us a bit about this weekend at the York Open.

L: Instead of psyching myself up as I have in the past, I went into this tournament calmer and not as nervous. I just try to be as competitive as possible, and go to the mat and to do what I practice.

S: It was good to compete, and just over the last few weeks we’ve been going to different tournaments, so it’s nice to see actual progress.

Ligaya, you took home the McMaster Pita Pit Athlete of the Week for your performance; were you shocked?

L: I went on Facebook, and I was being tagged in a bunch of stuff, but I didn’t realize it was the McMaster Athletics account that I was getting the notifications from. When I checked, I was in shock, but I was super ecstatic. Right away, I told my mom and she too was so excited.

Tell us what made you decide to come to Mac.

L: I’m actually from Hamilton, and I absolutely adore it. But school wise, I’ve heard a lot of good things about the human behaviour program here at Mac, so academically it checked the boxes. Wrestling wise, I’ve been practicing with the Mac team since high school, so coming somewhere where I was already comfortable was a really big selling point for me too.

S: It’s a great school academically, and the environment here is very welcoming. That was something very important to me, to go to a place where I could feel like it’s another home. The wrestling team was made up of good people and good training, so it seemed like the right opportunity.

If you had to tell us one thing about yourself that people don’t know, what would it be?

L: One thing that always surprises people is that I’ve been doing karate since I was about four years old.

S: I just started knitting. One day last year, I walked into the library in Westdale, and a lady showed me how to knit. I never really started doing it, but I needed some Christmas gifts so I picked it up again.

Lastly, what are your goals for this season?

L: I am hoping to make it to nationals. So, qualifying at the Ontario University Athletics Championships and then making it to nationals.

S: I want to constantly challenge myself to make sure whatever I’m doing, despite the outcome, I put my whole heart into it. And to just grow, not only physically but mentally as a wrestler.

Stinellis and Jayeoba performance this weekend has helped the Marauders women’s team secure the No. 9 national spot in the U Sports rankings this week. Up next, they host the Ontario Senior Provincials this weekend on Nov. 24.

[spacer height="20px"][thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]