Wrestlers · High school
Taina Fernandez
3x U17 World champion; 2026 U20 World bronze medalist; 3x National Prep champion and MIAA champion for Archbishop Spalding
Bowie, MD · Archbishop Spalding High School HS
By Joe Spisak, Pennsylvania state champion and 4x NCAA qualifier at Virginia · Published September 24, 2026
Taina Fernandez is from Bowie, Maryland. In December 2023 she won the 130-pound title at the girls' Beast of the East at the University of Delaware. Weeks later she won the 130-pound title at the Ken Kraft Midlands Women's Championships over four college wrestlers.
In August 2024 she won the U17 World title at 61 kg, about 134 pounds, in Amman, Jordan. At her first World Championships, she pinned Sae Noguchi of Japan in the final. That winter she repeated at the Beast of the East at 135 pounds. She then pinned Kesi Tsarni of the Bullis School in 57 seconds for her second National Prep title.
In July 2025 she won both the 16U and Junior girls' titles at 135 pounds at the Junior Nationals in Fargo. Both finals ended 11-0, and she was named the 16U Outstanding Wrestler. A few weeks later she won a second U17 World title at 61 kg in Athens, Greece, beating Yashita of India 11-0 in the final.
In October 2025 she won a fourth Super 32 title, at 138 pounds. In February 2026 she won the 138-pound MIAA tournament title against boys, beating Ben Scheiner of Mount St. Joseph 5-4 with a takedown in the last 25 seconds. She was the tournament's first female champion and its Outstanding Wrestler. Later that month she pinned Tsarni again for her third National Prep title, at 145 pounds.
At the 2026 U17 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, she moved up two weight classes to 69 kg. She pinned all four opponents in the first period, including Kiymet Tezcan of Türkiye in the final. She became the fifth wrestler, and the first from outside Japan, to win three U17 World titles. Three weeks later she won a bronze medal at 68 kg at the U20 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, beating Evangeliia Berezhnova of Russia 4-0.
She wrestles for Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Maryland.
Results
| Season | Level | Event | Weight | Place | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | High school | Beast of the East, girls | 130 lb | 1st | At the University of Delaware. Three falls and a 14-1 major decision. She pinned Sophia Slaughter (Orange County High, Virginia) in 1:31 in the final. |
| 2023-24 | Senior | Ken Kraft Midlands Women's Championships | 130 lb | 1st | 4-0. At the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Four technical falls over college wrestlers, 42-1 combined, the final 10-0 over Salome Walker (North Central). |
| 2024 | Age group | U17 World Championships | 61 kg | 1st | 4-0. In Amman, Jordan, at her first World Championships. She pinned Sae Noguchi (Japan) in 3:23 in the final. |
| 2024-25 | High school | Beast of the East, girls | 135 lb | 1st | Her second straight title at the event. She beat Aubre Krazer (Easton, Pennsylvania) 13-3 in the final. |
| 2024-25 | High school | National Prep Championships, girls | 132 lb | 1st | Her second National Prep title, at Lehigh University. She pinned Kesi Tsarni (Bullis School) in 57 seconds in the final. |
| 2025 | Age group | Junior Nationals, Fargo | 135 lb | 1st | She won both the 16U and Junior girls' titles, each final 11-0, and was named the 16U Outstanding Wrestler. She beat Maddie Marsh (Indiana) in the Junior final and Emily Beckley (Oklahoma) in the 16U final. |
| 2025 | Age group | U17 World Championships | 61 kg | 1st | In Athens, Greece. Her second straight U17 World title. She beat Yashita (India) 11-0 in the final. |
| 2025-26 | High school | Super 32, girls | 138 lb | 1st | At the Greensboro Coliseum. Her fourth Super 32 title. She beat Morgan Lucio (Arizona) 10-0 in the final. |
| 2025-26 | High school | Women of Ironman | 140 lb | 1st | Her second Ironman title, with four falls. She pinned GG Garduno (St. Ignatius, Ohio) in 1:31 in the final. |
| 2025-26 | High school | MIAA Tournament | 138 lb | 1st | Against boys, at the Gilman School. She beat Ben Scheiner (Mount St. Joseph) 5-4 with a takedown in the last 25 seconds, became the first female MIAA tournament champion and was named Outstanding Wrestler. |
| 2025-26 | High school | National Prep Championships, girls | 145 lb | 1st | Her third National Prep title. She pinned Kesi Tsarni (Bullis School) in 2:28 in the final. |
| 2026 | Age group | U17 World Championships | 69 kg | 1st | 4-0. In Baku, Azerbaijan. Four falls, the last over Kiymet Tezcan (Türkiye) in the final. |
| 2026 | Age group | U20 World Championships | 68 kg | 3rd | 2-1. In Bratislava, Slovakia. After a 10-2 loss to Mansi Lather (India), she beat Leah Samsonsen (Norway) 11-0 by technical fall and Evangeliia Berezhnova (Russia) 4-0 for bronze. |
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.themat.com/news/2024/august/23/fernandez-wins-gold-in-women-s-freestyle-turner-secures-bronze-at-u17-world-championships · USA Wrestling, August 2024. Taina Fernandez of Bowie, Md., won the U17 World title at 61 kg in Amman, Jordan, pinning Sae Noguchi of Japan in 3:23 in the final at her first World Championships.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2025/july/23/turner-fernandez-lead-skilled-women-s-freestyle-team-at-u17-world-championships-in-athens-greece · USA Wrestling, July 2025. The U.S. U17 women's World Team for Athens, with Taina Fernandez at 61 kg.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2025/august/01/women-s-freestyle-finishes-second-at-u17-world-championships-fernandez-repeats-as-champion · USA Wrestling, August 2025. Taina Fernandez won her second straight U17 World title in the 61 kg final in Athens, Greece, beating Yashita of India 11-0.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2025/july/15/taina-fernandez-named-usa-wrestling-athlete-of-the-week-presented-by-u-s-air-force-special-warfare-on-july-15-2025 · USA Wrestling, July 2025. Taina Fernandez won the 16U and Junior girls' titles at 135 pounds at the Junior Nationals in Fargo, both finals 11-0, and was named the 16U Outstanding Wrestler.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/21/age-group-world-medalists-fernandez-elison-and-healey-lead-u17-women-s-freestyle-world-team-to-baku · USA Wrestling, July 2026. The U.S. U17 women's World Team for Baku. After winning her first two titles at 61 kg, Taina Fernandez moved up two weight classes to 69 kg.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/31/team-usa-wins-women-s-freestyle-team-title-at-u17-world-championships-fernandez-and-solomon-capture-gold · USA Wrestling, July 2026. Taina Fernandez won her third U17 World title, pinning Kiymet Tezcan of Türkiye in the 69 kg final in Baku. Her U17 World record was 12-0.
- https://uww.org/articles/fernandez-wins-rare-third-u17-world-gold-us-team-title · United World Wrestling, July 2026. Taina Fernandez won gold at 61 kg in 2024 and 2025 and moved up to 69 kg for 2026. She is the fifth wrestler to win three U17 World titles and the first who is not from Japan.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/august/12/taina-fernandez-named-usa-wrestling-athlete-of-the-week · USA Wrestling, August 2026. Taina Fernandez was named Athlete of the Week after pinning her way to her third straight U17 World title, becoming the first U.S. wrestler to win three.
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/august/21/Graber-Fernandez-earn-bronze-US-women-finish-fifth-at-U20-World-Championships · USA Wrestling, August 2026. Taina Fernandez of Bowie, Md., won a bronze medal at 68 kg at the U20 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, beating Evangeliia Berezhnova of Russia 4-0.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/spalding-s-taina-fernandez-wins-beast-of-the-east · Legacy Wrestling, December 2023. Spalding's Taina Fernandez won the 130-pound title at the girls' Beast of the East at the University of Delaware.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/taina-wins-midlands-simply-amazing · Legacy Wrestling, January 2024. Archbishop Spalding's Taina Fernandez won the 130-pound title at the Ken Kraft Midlands Women's Championships with four technical falls over college wrestlers.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/girls-results-beast-of-the-east · Legacy Wrestling, December 2024. Archbishop Spalding's Taina Fernandez won her second straight Beast of the East title, beating Aubre Krazer of Easton 13-3 in the 135-pound final.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/national-preps-results-maryland-girls-bring-home-hardware · Legacy Wrestling, February 2025. Taina Fernandez of Archbishop Spalding won her second National Prep title, pinning Kesi Tsarni of the Bullis School in 57 seconds in the 132-pound final.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/super32-results-fernandez-becomes-4x-champ · Legacy Wrestling, November 2025. Archbishop Spalding's Taina Fernandez won her fourth Super 32 title, beating Morgan Lucio of Arizona 10-0 in the 138-pound final.
- https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/taina-fernandez-makes-super-32-mistory-and-a-late-comeback-you-ll-want-to-see-01k83n14vyxe · High School on SI, October 2025. Archbishop Spalding's Taina Fernandez became the first four-time Super 32 girls champion at the Greensboro Coliseum, beating Morgan Lucio of Arizona 10-0 in the 138-pound final.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/taina-is-amazing-and-now-an-ow · Legacy Wrestling, February 2026. Taina Fernandez of Archbishop Spalding beat Ben Scheiner of Mount St. Joseph 5-4 in the 138-pound MIAA final, the first female MIAA tournament champion, and was named Outstanding Wrestler.
- https://www.si.com/high-school/maryland/taina-fernandez-makes-maryland-wrestling-history-becomes-first-female-miaa-champion-01kh92zjs75w · High School on SI, February 2026. Archbishop Spalding's Taina Fernandez became the first female to win an MIAA Wrestling Tournament title, 5-4 over Ben Scheiner at the Gilman School.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/results-national-prep-championships · Legacy Wrestling, February 2026. Taina Fernandez of Archbishop Spalding won her third National Prep title, pinning Kesi Tsarni of Bullis in 2:28 in the 145-pound final.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/hail-to-the-world-now-state-champion · Legacy Wrestling, April 2026. Archbishop Spalding's season review: her second Women of Ironman title at 140 pounds, her third Beast of the East title and a PowerAde title.
- https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/taina-fernandez-makes-wrestling-history-with-third-straight-u17-world-championship-01kyz0ftqs77 · High School on SI, August 2026. The Archbishop Spalding standout won her third straight U17 World freestyle title in Baku and heads into the new school year at Spalding.
- https://www.legacywrestling.com/post/marylander-wins-u20-world-bronze-medal · Legacy Wrestling, September 2026. Archbishop Spalding's Taina Fernandez won a U20 World bronze medal in Slovakia.
- https://www.archbishopspalding.org/ · Archbishop Spalding High School, Severn, Maryland.
Your turn
The college women's teams we have read, with the coach's email where the school publishes one, are in the college directory.
The newsletter
One email, sent when something is worth your time.
Get the free Girls' Wrestling College Recruiting Guide, plus athlete stories, results and the rules, all checked against the source. No filler, unsubscribe any time.