EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — A year ago, Delaware State women’s wrestling arrived at the ESU Open with a roster making history simply by stepping onto the mat. On Sunday, the Hornets returned to East Stroudsburg University with a different kind of statement, producing three individual champions, six finalists and 11 podium finishes. Freshman Willow White, sophomore Louise Juitt and freshman Deionna Borders captured individual titles as Delaware State placed second in FloArena’s unofficial team standings. For a program entering only its second season, the performance offered an early indication that the Hornets are moving beyond the excitement of being first and beginning to establish themselves as a competitive force in collegiate women’s wrestling.
The contrast with Delaware State’s inaugural competition in November 2025 is striking. In their first appearance at the ESU Open, the Hornets placed three wrestlers and finished eighth among 32 teams. Twelve months later, 11 of the 16 Delaware State wrestlers entered in the tournament earned top-six finishes, including six who reached championship matches. More importantly, the results reflected contributions from both the returning wrestlers who helped launch the program and a freshman class already making an impact.
Three Champions Lead Delaware State’s Breakthrough
Juitt delivered one of the Hornets’ most complete performances, winning all five of her matches at 145 pounds and securing the championship with a pin at 2:22. The sophomore was part of Delaware State’s inaugural team and reached the NCAA Championships during the program’s first season. Her return to East Stroudsburg demonstrated the value of that experience, as she moved through the tournament unbeaten and finished with an individual title. For a young program building its identity, having a returning national qualifier establish that standard provides an important foundation.
White and Borders supplied another reason for Delaware State to be encouraged about its future. White went 4-0 at 138 pounds and claimed the championship after her opponent forfeited the final, while Borders completed a 3-0 tournament at 207 pounds with a championship pin in 2:41. Borders arrived at Delaware State with considerable expectations after being identified as the nation’s top-ranked high school heavyweight in previous HBCU Gameday recruiting coverage. Their performances offered an early return from a recruiting class that is already contributing throughout the lineup.
Delaware State Women’s Wrestling Shows Its Depth
The Hornets’ success extended well beyond their three champions, with three additional wrestlers reaching the finals. Junior Ariah Mervilus finished 4-1 at 110 pounds, while senior Haylie Briscoe posted the same record at 160 pounds. Senior Icart Galumette, another member of Delaware State’s original roster and a national qualifier last season, also went 4-1 at 117 pounds. Her championship match against Lehigh’s Abigail Cooper ended tied 8-8, with Cooper earning the victory on criteria.
Delaware State also found success in the placement rounds, where several younger wrestlers helped turn a strong tournament into a deeper team performance. Freshman Sophia Slaughter finished third at 124 pounds, winning her placement match by a 12-2 technical fall, while Azariyah Johnson placed fourth at 180 pounds. Sydney Branch secured fifth at 103 pounds with a pin in just 46 seconds, and Elena Carter and Irelynn Laurin finished sixth at 145 and 160 pounds, respectively. Carter went 4-2 on the day, adding another productive performance to a freshman group that accounted for six of Delaware State’s 11 placers.
From HBCU Wrestling History to Building a Contender
When Delaware State launched its program in 2025, it became the first NCAA Division I HBCU to sponsor women’s wrestling, opening another opportunity for women to compete at the collegiate level. The significance of that milestone extended beyond the Hornets’ campus, as Andscape explored in its feature on the program’s inaugural season. But establishing a program and building one capable of consistently competing for championships are different challenges. Delaware State’s performance at East Stroudsburg suggests that the next phase of that process is underway.
Head Coach Kenya Sloan, the first women’s wrestling head coach in Delaware State history, is now in her second season leading the Hornets alongside Assistant Coach Brock Budesheim. The program’s first year produced NCAA Championship appearances from Galumette and Juitt, who both returned to the ESU Open and reached the finals. Their continued development, combined with the contributions of a young recruiting class, gives Delaware State a foundation that extends beyond its original roster. The challenge for Sloan and her staff will be developing that depth into consistent performances as the competition becomes more demanding throughout the season.
The Next Step for the Hornets
Delaware State will return to competition Nov. 7-8 at the Throwdown on the Yorktown in Charleston, South Carolina, carrying the momentum of a tournament that demonstrated how much the program has grown in a year. The Hornets still have an entire season ahead of them, and one tournament cannot determine where they will stand when the national championships arrive. What the ESU Open did provide was measurable progress, from three placers in the program’s debut to 11 in its second appearance, with three individual champions leading the way.
A year ago, Delaware State was introducing itself to collegiate women’s wrestling. Now, with returning national qualifiers, emerging freshmen and a growing collection of podium finishes, the Hornets are beginning to show what comes after making history: building something that can last.
Additional resource: ESU Open Individual Results and Brackets