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NC State University hosted NC United Gold's second official 2025 training session on Saturday, May 10, bringing new athletes and established college mentors together for high-level women's freestyle work.
The practice continued building the program's role as a statewide development hub centered on instruction, intensity and community.
Training that elevated the standard
Coaches focused on freestyle scoring criteria and the mechanics athletes needed to succeed at national events.
- Executing lifts and throws from comfortable positions
- Breaking down the quad-pod defensive base
- Transitioning into gut wrenches from par terre
- Using momentum and position to convert pressure into points
The session concluded with a live par-terre wheel, rotating wrestlers through high-pressure ground-position matches and testing their technique under fatigue.
Six new athletes raised the level
Six newcomers—including multiple North Carolina high school champions and finalists—participated in NC United Gold for the first time.
Among them was Tonya Flournory, a 2023 USMC Women's Nationals All-American and UNC Pembroke wrestler. Flournory also brought experience as an Academic All-American, certified North Carolina referee and Hoke County coach.
College leaders returned
Kyra Tomlinson
The NCAA qualifier, Academic All-American and active referee shared both technical knowledge and a deeper understanding of freestyle rules.
Genesis Chinchilla
The two-year collegiate starter brought toughness, tactical awareness and urgency to every drill.
Together, the returning leaders embodied NC United's core philosophy: iron sharpens iron.
Building a stronger wrestling ecosystem
- Participation: New middle and high school athletes deepened the statewide talent pool.
- Development: The practice provided national-level freestyle training that had previously been difficult to access.
- Mentorship: College wrestlers and certified officials reinvested their experience in younger athletes.
- College connections: Training at NC State exposed athletes to the next level and connected universities with homegrown talent.
Momentum built
State champions, collegiate role models and structured freestyle instruction reinforced that NC United Gold was becoming more than a training group. It was creating a sustainable pathway for North Carolina women wrestlers.
Consistent high-intensity sessions gave athletes clearer goals, helped coaches refine instruction, provided colleges with better-prepared recruits and showed families a supported route from youth competition to national and collegiate opportunities.