The National Collegiate Taekwondo Association held the 42nd National Collegiate Taekwondo Championship and 4th National High School Championship at the University of California, San Diego on April 1 and 2, 2017. The championship also served as the team trials for the 2017 Summer World University Games, in Taipei, Taiwan in August 2017. The NCTA president is Dr. Russell Ahn, the tournament director was Rex Hatfield, and the tournament host was Jacky Baik.

The first day of competition on April 1 featured the black belt collegiate poomsae team trials. The black belt team trials poomsae divisions were contested according to a new format that required contestants to perform both recognized poomsae as well as freestyle poomsae. Earning berths on the 2017 Summer World University Games team in these poomsae divisions were Adalis Munoz (Tarrant County College) in the Female Individual category, Edward Jeong (University of Bridgeport) in the Male Individual Category, Albert Jong (San Jose State University) and Kelsey Ha (Evergreen Valley College) in the Mixed Pair Category, Munoz, Samery Moras (Utah Valley University) and Christina Castillo (Austin Community College) in the Female Team category, and Jeong, Jong and Kody Han (University of California, Berkeley) in the Male Team category.

The black belt collegiate sparring team trials were held on the second day of competition, April 2. The winners in the female division were Alondra Venegas (-46 kg, DePaul University), Jancee Ro (-49kg, Polk State University), Aziza Chambers (-53kg, Barry University), Abbey Ardiana (-57kg, Utah Valley University), Makayla Gorka (-62kg, University of Central Oklahoma), Kendall Yount (-67kg, Centre College), Madelynn Gorman-Shore (-73kg, Arapahoe Community College), and Morgan McGarvey (+73kg, Northeast Iowa Community College). The men’s winners were David J.W. Kim (-54kg, Pikes Peak Community College), Isaac Weintraub (-58kg, University of Central Oklahoma), (-63kg, George El-Chemali (Sierra College), William Jackson (-68kg, University of Texas, Dallas), Jaysen Ishida (-74kg, University of Hawaii, Manoa), Connor Wilson (-80kg, University of California, Los Angeles), Eric Mastrolonardo (-87kg, Duke University), and Jonathan Healy (+87kg, Liberty University).

Returning members to the US National Collegiate Team include Jeong, Jong, Ha, Han and Moras on the poomsae side, and Chambers, Jackson, Ishida and Healy on the men’s side. Chambers and Jackson are both past World University Games sparring bronze medalists at the 2011 and 2015 Games, respectively.

Special recognition was given to Isaac Weintraub, who earned Freshman of the year, Abbey Ardiana, who earned Female Athlete of the Year, and Jaysen Ishida, who earned Male Athlete of the Year. Coach Christina Bayley was named Coach of the Year.

Team awards were given based on the total number of gold, silver and bronze medals earned. In the Championship Division (black belts), first place went to the University of California, Berkeley. Second place in the Championship Division was shared between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Davis. In the Combined Division (black belts and color belts), first place was earned by the University of California, Davis, with the United States Military Academy in second place and Brown University in third place. In the Novice Division (color belts), first place was again earned by the University of California, Davis, with the United States Military Academy and Brown University again taking second and third places.

This year featured increased participation in the high school divisions, with athletes competing for the title of high school national champion. In poomsae the high school champions were Rikki Jao (Rancho Cucamonga High School) in the individual female division, Kelvin Tran (Murrieta Valley High School) in individual male poomsae, Paige Karpinen and Derrick Kwong (Oak Ridge High School) in mixed pair poomsae, and Natasha Mai, Taylor Mai, and Jasmine Trinh (Great Oak High School) in female team poomsae.

Female high school sparring champions included Faith Forster (-42kg, Boiling Springs High School), Marissa Mabanag (-49kg, Santa Teresa High School), Maria Lopez (-52kg, Rio Linda High School), Karla Perera (-55kg, Chapparal High School), Stephanie Douglas (-59kg, Oakville High School), Skylar Farrell (-63kg, Dana Hills High School), and Andraya Wilson (+68kg, MT Miguel High School). The male high school sparring champions were Dylan Pabo (-48kg, Santa Teresa High School), Philip El-Chemali (-51kg, Roseville High School), Brandon Vistiacion (-55kg, Silver Creek High School), Derrick Kwak (-59kg, Oak Christian High School), Brian Jo (-63kg, Woodgrove High School), Andrew Heiati (-68kg, High Bluff Academy), Nathaniel Kim (-73kg, Aliso Niguel High School), and Noah Kim (+73kg, Aliso Niguel High School).

For full results, please click here. Press release written by Dan Chuang, NCTA Secretary General.