Several South Dakota wrestlers make a splash at CLAW U.S. Open

In her first major freestyle tournament back after a broken ankle and torn ligaments, Regi Stoeser placed fifth in the Girls High School Freestyle Showcase at 125 lbs.

“I’m just grateful to be wrestling again,” Stoeser commented. “This tournament was the first time I didn’t put my identity into wrestling, and it was so much more enjoyable.”

Stoeser began the U.S. Open with a strong start, pinning and tech-falling her opponents in her first two matches.

However, when she got stuck in a new position in her quarterfinals match, she began reacting and lost. The loss didn’t deter her from battling back to the consolation semis, where she fell short before pinning her opponent in the fifth and sixth-place match. 

“I felt I improved all weekend and have already fixed several things,” Stoeser reflected.

She followed up by providing wise words for every wrestler, stating, “At the end of the day, the biggest thing for wrestlers is being grateful to compete because it is a gift.”

Favorite wrestling shoe: Rudis Slyfox 2.0 in hot pink
Favorite music: Country
Go-to conditioning exercise: Bike
Favorite school subject: History
Best wrestling tournament: Sophomore year at Fargo
Favorite movie: Mulan and Gladiator
Favorite meal: Wood-fired pepperoni and pineapple pizza, or steak and mashed potatoes
If I’m not wrestling: I’m outside enjoying nature and eating
Favorite old-school wrestler: Dave Schultz
Favorite new-school wrestler: Sarah Hildebrandt and Helen Maroulis

On short notice, Quinn Butler fought her way into the top 10 at the biggest tournament she has been to since Fargo, placing eighth in the Girls High School Freestyle Showcase at 135 lbs.

“I was asked to go to the tournament Friday, left the following Monday, and wrestled Wednesday,” Butler stated. “I wrestled better than I thought I would because I knew the competition was tough at the U.S. Open,” she added.

After trailing by an 8-0 margin in the first period of her first match, Quinn stormed back to win, 20-14. She then went on to pin her next opponent before getting pinned in her third match of the championship bracket. That did not stop her from battling to the seventh and eighth-place match, where she was defeated by fall.

Butler had a great attitude toward her experience at the 2025 CLAW U.S. Open Championships, stating, “It was cool being at the same tournament and watching the collegiate and Olympic girls. I was able to learn so much and really enjoyed my time there.” 

Favorite wrestling shoe: Pink Nike Inflicts
Favorite music: I listen to everything
Go-to conditioning exercise: Running/Sprinting
Favorite school subject: Weightlifting
Best wrestling tournament: 2025 U.S. Open. I learned a lot, wrestled really well, and enjoyed it.
Favorite movie: Horror genre
Favorite meal: Sushi
If I’m not wrestling: I’m eating
Favorite old-school wrestler: Dan Gable
Favorite new-school wrestler: Kylie Welker