Storm wrestler Woolsey signs with Colorado Mesa

Cleveland’s Eloise Woolsey, arguably New Mexico’s most dominant girls wrestler, has signed with Division II Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Woolsey is joining one of the top D-2 programs in America, as Colorado Mesa currently is ranked No. 7 in the country by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Colorado Mesa, she said, had been recruiting her since lsat summer. Woolsey said she had a Division I offer, but preferred this school to that one, declining to name the school.

“I’m really excited. I can’t wait,” she said.

Woolsey, 17, already was a two-time state champion in Hawaii when her family moved to New Mexico, and she added two additional individual titles with the Storm.

She said she hopes she can contribute right away as a freshman next season. Woolsey was 34-1 last season as she captured the 155-pound title at state.

METRO SOFTBALL: The Albuquerque Metro Softball Championships get underway on Wednesday. It is a 16-team field who’ll play four games in four days, culminating at 10 a.m. Saturday with the title game at the site of the highest seed.

Cibola is the No. 1 seed this week, followed by La Cueva, Rio Rancho and Volcano Vista.

First-round games are at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The matchups are: No. 16 Del Norte at No. 1 Cibola, No. 9 Atrisco Heritage at No. 8 St. Pius, No. 12 Los Alamos at No. 5 Sandia, No. 13 Valley at No 4 Volcano Vista, No. 11 West Mesa at No. 6 Cleveland, No. 14 Rio Grande at No. 3 Rio Rancho, No. 10 Eldorado at No. 7 Albuquerque High and No. 15 Manzano at No. 2 La Cueva.

Quarterfinals are scheduled Thursday, with the semifinals on Friday, with the higher seed hosting.

METRO BASEBALL: The Albuquerque Metro Baseball Championships began on Tuesday with the first round. The quarterfinals take place Wednesday with the semis on Friday and the Championship on Saturday. 

In Wednesday Metro Baseball Championships action, in the winner’s bracket: No. 1 Cleveland will face No. 9 Volcano Vista, No. 12 Albuquerque High will take on No. 4 Sandia, the 11-seeded Albuquerque Academy plays 3-seed Eldorado and No. 7 Los Lunas clashes with No. 2 Rio Rancho.

FOOTBALL COACHING: Catching up on some recent vacancies that were filled, Mayfield and Organ Mountain earlier this month both hired new head football coaches.

The Trojans’ nearly three-month search led them to Joseph Frias, the former head coach at Chaparral. Frias coached the Lobos for three seasons, and they were a factor in Class 4A football in each of the last two seasons. Chaparral as a 12 seed won a first-round road playoff game in 2024. Last season, the Lobos advanced to the 4A semifinals where they were ousted by St. Pius.

The Knights, meanwhile, promoted assistant coach Gregory Mallory to head coach.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.