Marauders wrestling team wins big at U Sports championship
McMaster's wrestling team won a total of five medals at the 2025 Wrestling Canada Lutte U Sports Invitational Championships
From Feb. 28 to March 1, 2025, the Marauders wrestling team competed at the 2025 Wrestling Canada Lutte U Sports Invitational Championships in St. Catharines, Ont. In total, the Marauders won two gold and two bronze medals.
Having just seen great success at the OUA championships, the Marauders were looking to capitalize on their momentum. Following impressive performances on Friday, five wrestlers advanced to the matches for medals on March 1, 2025.
Having just seen great success at the OUA championships, the Marauders were looking to capitalize on their momentum
The women’s team won two gold medals and placed fifth overall with 34 points. Two women competed for gold medals: Serena Di Benedetto in the 53-kilogram category and Olivia Lichti in the 59-kg category. Di Benedetto, a second-year humanities student, won gold. Lichti, a third-year kinesiology student, secured a major victory against the University of Calgary, winning gold as well in her category.
On the men’s side, three wrestlers competed for a chance to bring home medals. Fourth-year civil engineering student Luken Lawson defeated his opponent from the University of Toronto in the bronze medal match.
Third-year mechanical engineering student Blayne Helou also won bronze in his match against his opponent from the University of Saskatchewan. Graduate student Gianluca Fortino just missed the podium, finishing fourth against Brock.
Overall, the men’s team finished in seventh place with 25 points. The University of Alberta took home the gold medal.
With this being the final tournament of the season for the Marauders, they will look to learn from their successes this season and come back even stronger on the mat next year.
