Wrestlers · High school
Kaili Manuel
2026 U17 World champion at 73 kg; 3x MHSAA girls' state champion for Romeo; first girl to win a 16U Triple Crown
Washington Township, MI · Romeo HS
By Joe Spisak, Pennsylvania state champion and 4x NCAA qualifier at Virginia · Published October 10, 2026
Kaili Manuel is from Washington Township, Michigan, and wrestles for Romeo High School. As a freshman in 2024 she won the MHSAA girls' individual title at 145 pounds. She beat Rihanna Venegas of Riverview Gabriel Richard 14-4 in the final to finish the season 26-1.
That year she became the first girl to win a USA Wrestling Triple Crown at the 16U level. She won the 16U Folkstyle Nationals in March and the U17 title at the Women's Nationals in April. At the 16U Nationals in Fargo in July she beat Ella Poalillo of New Jersey 14-3 in the 148-pound final and was named Outstanding Wrestler.
She also won the 2024 U17 Pan American title and made her first U17 World Team. At the U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan, she placed 11th at 69 kg, about 152 pounds.
As a sophomore she won the MHSAA title at 155 pounds, pinning Maddison Ward of Niles in 4:29. That summer she won a second 16U title in Fargo. She also placed third at the 2025 U17 World Team Trials.
As a junior she went 48-1 and won her third MHSAA title at 170 pounds with a 23-7 technical fall over Adelaide Holderman of Middleville Thornapple Kellogg. Romeo won the girls' team title with 80 points. She then won the U17 World Team Trials at 73 kg and the Junior title at 170 pounds in Fargo, her third Fargo title.
At the 2026 U17 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, she pinned Bagzhan Kurmanbay of Kazakhstan and beat Paula Benaixa Perez of Spain 12-0. She beat Garima of India 7-5 in the semifinals and Solomiia Petriv of Ukraine 8-1 in the final. She wrestles for Romeo High School and carries the U17 World title at 73 kg into her next high school season.
Results
| Season | Level | Event | Weight | Place | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | High school | MHSAA girls' individual finals | 145 lb | 1st | 26-1. As a freshman. She beat Rihanna Venegas (Riverview Gabriel Richard) 14-4 by major decision in the final. |
| 2024 | Age group | 16U Girls Folkstyle Nationals | 1st | The first leg of her 16U Triple Crown, won in Iowa in March. | |
| 2024 | Age group | Women's Nationals, U17 | 1st | The second leg of her 16U Triple Crown, won at the event in Washington state in April. | |
| 2024 | Age group | U17 Pan American Championships | 1st | Gold medal. | |
| 2024 | Age group | 16U Nationals, Fargo | 148 lb | 1st | She beat Ella Poalillo (New Jersey) 14-3 in the final, became the first girl to win a USA Wrestling Triple Crown at the 16U level and was named Outstanding Wrestler. |
| 2024 | Age group | U17 World Championships, Amman | 69 kg | 11th | Her first U17 World Team. The 69 kg entry is from USA Wrestling's draws for the event. |
| 2024-25 | High school | MHSAA girls' individual finals | 155 lb | 1st | As a sophomore. She pinned Maddison Ward (Niles) in 4:29 in the final. |
| 2025 | Age group | Junior Folkstyle Nationals | 1st | Listed in her USA Wrestling biography. She was also runner-up at the 16U Folkstyle Nationals that year. | |
| 2025 | Age group | U17 World Team Trials | 3rd | Bronze medal. | |
| 2025 | Age group | 16U Nationals, Fargo | 1st | Her second 16U freestyle title in Fargo. | |
| 2025-26 | High school | MHSAA girls' individual finals | 170 lb | 1st | 48-1. As a junior. She beat Adelaide Holderman (Middleville Thornapple Kellogg) by technical fall, 23-7 in 2:30. Romeo won the girls' team title with 80 points. |
| 2026 | Age group | U17 World Team Trials | 73 kg | 1st | Won her place on the U17 World Team. |
| 2026 | Age group | Junior Nationals, Fargo | 170 lb | 1st | Her first Junior title and third Fargo title. |
| 2026 | Age group | U17 World Championships, Baku | 73 kg | 1st | 4-0. She pinned Bagzhan Kurmanbay (Kazakhstan) in 3:23, beat Paula Benaixa Perez (Spain) 12-0 and Garima (India) 7-5, then beat Solomiia Petriv (Ukraine) 8-1 in the final. |
What we could not confirm
Anything not on this page, a high school record, a final score, a season, was left out because no primary source stated it when this was written. If you have a bracket, a program, or a clipping, send it to the operator, Joe Spisak, at joe@spisak.co and the page gets the number.
Sources
- https://www.mhsaa.com/sports/wrestling/stories/manuel-sisters-bring-pair-titles-back-romeo-just-getting-started · MHSAA, March 2024. Freshman Kaili Manuel of Romeo won the 145-pound Finals title with a 14-4 major decision over Rihanna Venegas of Riverview Gabriel Richard, finishing 26-1.
- https://www.mhsaa.com/sports/wrestling/past-champions/individual-champions · MHSAA individual champions list. Kaili Manuel of Romeo won girls' titles at 145 pounds in 2024, 155 pounds in 2025 and 170 pounds in 2026.
- https://www.mhsaa.com/sports/wrestling/stories/dawson-nieuwenhuis-claim-4th-individual-titles-romeo-wins-girls-team-final · MHSAA, March 2026. Junior Kaili Manuel (48-1) won her third Finals title at 170 pounds, and Romeo won the girls' team title with 80 points.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2024/july/14/manuel-earns-historic-triple-crown-and-ow-with-freestyle-win-at-usmc-16u-nationals · USA Wrestling, July 2024. At the 16U Nationals in Fargo she won the 148-pound final 14-3 and became the first girl to win a USA Wrestling Triple Crown at the 16U level.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2024/august/13/skilled-u-s-women-s-freestyle-team-set-for-u17-world-championships-in-jordan · USA Wrestling, August 2024. The U.S. U17 World Team preview for Amman, Jordan, with Kaili Manuel at 69 kg after wins at the U17 Pan American Championships and the 16U Nationals.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2024/august/20/u-s-women-s-freestylers-receive-draws-for-u17-world-championships-in-jordan · USA Wrestling, August 2024. The first-round draws for the U17 World Championships in Amman, listing the 2024 U17 Pan American champion Kaili Manuel at 69 kg.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/13/four-age-group-world-medalists-featured-on-u-s-u17-world-team-headed-to-baku · USA Wrestling, July 2026. The U.S. U17 World Team for Baku, noting that Kaili Manuel placed 11th at the 2024 U17 World Championships.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/16/2026-u17-women-s-freestyle-world-team-bios · USA Wrestling, July 2026. Her U17 World Team biography, with her national and international results year by year.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/20/fargo-women-s-freestyle-state-by-state-facts-stats-figures · USA Wrestling, July 2026. Michigan's Fargo results, including Kaili Manuel's first Junior title at 170 pounds after 16U titles in 2024 and 2025.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/29/elison-and-manuel-advance-to-semifinals-at-u17-world-championships · USA Wrestling, July 2026. Kaili Manuel reached the U17 World semifinals at 73 kg with a pin and a 12-0 win.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/30/elison-and-manuel-dominate-for-u17-world-titles-silva-scores-late-to-win-bronze · USA Wrestling, July 2026. Kaili Manuel won the U17 World title at 73 kg in Baku, Azerbaijan, beating Solomiia Petriv of Ukraine 8-1 in the final.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/30/2026-u17-world-championships-day-four-match-notes · USA Wrestling match notes, July 2026. The point-by-point account of her 8-1 final and her four U17 World Championships results.
- https://www.washingtontownship.org/news_detail_T36_R1121.php · Washington Township, Michigan. The township recognized Romeo High School student Kaili Manuel for her U17 World title with its first Medal of Excellence.
- https://www.mhsaa.com/sites/default/files/Wrestling/2024-25/IWR/2025-IWR-Final-Results.txt · MHSAA 2025 Individual Wrestling Final Results, Ford Field, Detroit. In the girls' 155-pound final, Kaili Manuel of Romeo pinned Maddison Ward of Niles in 4:29.
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