Angelo State University Powerlifting Team Dominates at National Collegiate Cup

SAN ANGELO, TX – Six members of Angelo State University's Ram Powerlifting Club finished in the top five in their respective contests, including two Gold Medalists, at the U.S.A. Powerlifting Collegiate Cup competition earlier this month in San Antonio.

ASU powerlifters were among 290 students who competed at the Collegiate Cup, representing universities throughout Texas and several other states.

Gabriel Aguirre of Del Rio won the Gold Medal in the 275-pound weight class of the Men's Collegiate Equipped contest, and Natalie Walker of Greenville won the Gold Medal in the 114-pound weight class of the Women's Collegiate Raw contest to bring home titles for ASU.

Other top ASU finishers, by category and weight class, were:

• Kat Suebsene of San Marcos: 3rd Place, Women's Collegiate Raw, 198 pounds
• Emily Ramos of Poteet: 4th Place, Women's Collegiate Raw, 165 pounds
• Kailee Timmons of Childress: 4th Place, Women's Collegiate Raw, 123 pounds
• Kylie Bliton of Killeen: 5th Place, Women's Collegiate Raw, 181 pounds

Walker, Ramos, Timmons and Bliton also scored high enough to qualify for the 2023 U.S.A. Powerlifting Collegiate National Meet in April in Arlington.

Equipped contests allow competitors to wear special clothing, including bench shirts, squat suits and knee wraps, that allow them to lift heavier weights. Raw contests are conducted without any special clothing. Lifters complete three attempts each at squat, bench press and deadlift. The qualifying total is the sum of the highest weight lifted in each of the three disciplines.

Johnson Awoyele of Katy, Jeremiah Fultz of Cedar Hill, Natali Garza of Crane, Daniel Medina of Ballinger, Kira Palmer of San Augustine and Vince Reodica of San Angelo also competed for ASU at the Collegiate Cup. Fultz, Garza and Medina also scored high enough to qualify for the Collegiate National Meet.

"I am very proud of all of the members of Ram Powerlifting," said Dr. Adam Parker, professor of kinesiology and club faculty sponsor. "They had a great fall season and are sending seven members to compete at nationals. They are excellent representatives of Angelo State, and we are looking forward to an outstanding spring season and hopefully bringing home more national titles."

ASU club sports teams are registered student organizations that are directed and funded by the Office of Student Life and overseen by the Club Sports Council.