Fourteen Champions Named at Senior Nationals in Albuquerque

(Albuquerque, NM) – Fourteen national champions, including eight returning gold medalists from 2025, were crowned at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Saturday in the shiai competition at the USA Judo Senior National Championships.

2026 Senior National Championships Shiai Results

2026 Senior National Championships Kata Results

Five men's competitors repeated as national champions, including 2024 Olympian Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC) in the 73 kg division, Lenny Sheynfeld (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center) in 66 kg, Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center) in 100 kg, Alex Semenenko (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Generation Judo Club) in +100 kg, and Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team) in the 90 kg competition.

In the women's competition, Toni Pepia (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center) repeated at 52 kg, 2024 Olympian Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) repeated at 48 kg, and Nancy Nguyen (San Jose, Calif. / NYAC) won her second consecutive gold in the 70 kg competition.

Hasmik Manaseryan (Armenia / Valley Judo Institute) won the women's senior open division title and Daniel Barboza (Larkspur, Calif. / Griffin Judo) took the gold in the men's senior open division.

The weekend was also highlighted by several generous donations from USA Judo members. Henry Hummel and his wife contributed $20,000 to USA Judo's athlete high performance program, Kata committee member Barbara Shimizu donated $10,000 to support kata and referee efforts, and USA Judo Board of Directors member Joon Chi contributed $500 to USA Judo for general operations. Also in attendance was Zoltan Bathory, founding guitarist of the award-winning metal band Five Finger Death Punch and lifelong judoka, who earlier in the year announced his support of USA Judo through the band's ticket sales from their 2026 U.S. Tour.

Medalists in all senior categories are as follows:

Senior Men's 60 kg
1. Christopher Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center)
2. Trent Tono (Skokie, Ill. / San Jose State University Judo)
3. Conor Uyekawa (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Norwalk Judo Dojo)
3. Hector Sanchez (Miami, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)

Senior Men's 66 kg
1. Lenny Sheynfeld (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center)
2. Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team)
3. Ethan Boldbaatar (Bellevue, Wash. / Washington Judo Academy)
3. Ari Berliner (Cumming, Ga. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center)

Senior Men 73 kg
1. Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC)
2. Angel Cambara (Miami, Fla. / USA Judo National Resident Team)
3. Steven Boldbaatar (Bellevue, Wash.)
3. Christian Buckner (Redondo Beach, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team)

Senior Men 81 kg
1. Dominic Rodriguez (Fort Myers, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
2. Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center)
3. Heinrich Hanada (Bethesda, Md. / US Naval Academy Judo Club)
3. Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, Pa. / Yawara Force Judo)

Senior Men 90 kg
1. Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Burlingame, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team)
2. Alexander Knauf (Yorkville, Ill. / NYAC)
3. Ian Bouton (Garland, Texas / Becerra Judo Club)
3. Shane Flandermeyer (Norman, Okla. / USA Stars Foundation)

Senior Men 100 kg
1. Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center)
2. Jared Causse (Charlotte, N.C. / USA Judo National Resident Team)
3. Tokuzo Takahashi (Los Angeles, Calif. / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo)
3. Caedmon Haddad (Evergreen, Colo. / USA Judo National Resident Team)

Senior Men +100 kg
1. Alex Semenenko (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC)
2. Jose G Aguilar (Woodstock, Ga. / Black Ice Judo)
3. Andrew Williams (Fredericksburg, Va. / Wall 2 Wall Martial Arts)
3. Michael Prieditis (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Work Time Judo)

Senior Men Open
1. Daniel Barboza (Larkspur, Calif. / Griffin Judo)
2. Frantz Moise (Sumter, S.C. / American Judo and Jiu-Jitsu Academy)
3. Kyle Lacey (Denver, Colo. / Denver Judo)
3. Daniel Barnhorst (Alamogordo, N.M. / Legacy Mixed Martial Arts)

Senior Women 48 kg
1. Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
2. Linda Dervisoglu (Dallas, Texas / Eastside Dojo)
3. Iya Sadanchikova (Pahoa, Calif. / San Jose State University Judo)
3. Anat Tsyrlin (Fair Lawn, N.J. / Colton Brown Training Center)

Senior Women 52 kg
1. Toni Pepia (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center)
2. Harlee Hiller (Evanston, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo Club)
3. Dominique Bermudez (New York, N.Y. / Colton Brown Training Center)
3. Mackenzie McPherson (Miramar, Fla.)

Senior Women 57 kg
1. Danielle Pekler (Prairie View, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo Club)
2. Leana Nelson (Coventry, R.I. / Top Game Martial Arts)
3. Noran Elmahroukey (New Providence, N.J. / NYAC)
3. Aubrey Genereux (Port Saint Lucie, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)

Senior Women 63 kg
1. Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
2. Karlee Carrouth (Oklahoma City, Okla. / NYAC)
3. Rylee Roloff (Grafton, Wis. / Cohen Brothers Judo Club)
3. Sara Golden (Crystal Lake, Ill. / USA Judo National Resident Team)

Senior Women 70 kg
1. Nancy Nguyen (San Jose, Calif. / NYAC)
2. Yasmin Alamin (Woodbridge, Va. / USA Judo National Resident Team)
2. Isabella Garriga (Richmond, Texas / USA Judo National Resident Team)
3. Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center)

Senior Women 78 kg
1. Laonna Cramer (Ichikawa, Japan / Shoshinkan Martial Arts)
2. Nicole Stout (Schenectady, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Lotanna Onua (Atlanta, Ga. / Black Ice Judo)
3. Kaiya Johnston (Queen Creek, Ariz. / High Noon Judo)

Senior Women +78 kg
1. Jessica Alaynick (Scotia, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Anna Atkinson (Tacoma, Wash. / Ippon Judo Dojo)
3. Jaclyn Feuerschwenger (Linden, N.J. / Cranford JKC)
3. Asia Brashear (Sherwood, Ark. / Joplin Judo & JiuJitsu)

Senior Women Open
1. Hasmik Manaseryan (Armenia / Valley Judo Institute)
2. Ekaterina Petri (Pittsburgh, Pa. / High Noon Judo)
3. Emma Bragg (Dallas, Texas / High Noon Judo)

Kata National Championships Results

Senior Open / Nage no Kata
1. Russell Hogan (Wylie, Texas / Eastside Dojo) / Nicholas Nguyen (Mckinney, Texas / Eastside Dojo)
2. Maria Matsutani (Torrance, Calif. / South Bay Judo) / MariNa Matsutani (Torrance, Calif. / South Bay Judo)
3. Christine Levine (Philadelphia, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) / Kristin El Idrissi (Melrose Park, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy)

Senior Open / Katame no Kata
1. Grace Hossler (Penfield, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.) / Molly Sauter (Penfield, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.)
2. Josh Lehmen (Jefferson City, Mo. / Jefferson City Judo) / Roy Tuua (Jefferson City, Mo. / Jefferson City Judo)
3. Nathaniel Phelps (Webster, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.) / Jason Berl (Penfield, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.)

Senior Open / Ju no Kata
1. Lori Latimer (Upper Darby, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) / Christine Levine (Philadelphia, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy)
2. Grace Hossler (Penfield, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.) / Molly Sauter (Penfield, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.)
3. Billy Fineran (Hanover, Md. / Hui-O-Judo Beltsville) / Margaret Kettl (Woodbridge, Va. / Hui-O-Judo Beltsville)

Senior Open / Kodokan Goshin Jutsu
1. Kristin El Idrissi (Melrose Park, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) / Christine Levine (Philadelphia, Pa. / El Idrissi Judo Academy)
2. Douglas Newcomer (Denton, Texas / Denton Jr. Optimist Judo Club) / Fiston Kabuya (North Richland Hills, Texas / Fort Worth Judo Club)
3. Jason Berl (Penfield, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.) / Nathaniel Phelps (Webster, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.)

Senior Open / Itsutsu no Kata
1. Douglas Newcomer (Denton, Texas / Denton Jr. Optimist Judo Club) / Fiston Kabuya (North Richland Hills, Texas / Fort Worth Judo Club)
2. Josh Lehmen (Jefferson City, Mo. / Jefferson City Judo) / Roy Tuua (Jefferson City, Mo. / Jefferson City Judo)
3. Margaret Kettl (Woodbridge, Va. / Hui-O-Judo Beltsville) / Billy Fineran (Hanover, Md. / Hui-O-Judo Beltsville)

Senior Open / Kime no Kata
1. Joe Schultz (Sioux Falls, S.D. / Sioux Falls Hapkido and Judo Club) / James Sternick (Sioux Falls, S.D. / Sioux Falls Hapkido and Judo Club)
2. Lynn Graham (Marion, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc. / Jonathan Kivel (Rochester, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.)
3. Paul Schollmeier (Las Vegas, Nev. / Shoshinkan Martial Arts) / Joshua Rice (Las Vegas, Nev. / Hard Knocks Judo)

Senior Open / Koshiki no Kata
1. Jeff Giunta (Webster, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc. / Heiko Rommelmann (Webster, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo, Inc.)
2. Douglas Newcomer (Denton, Texas / Denton Jr. Optimist Judo Club) / Ray Cox (Denton, Texas / Denton Jr. Optimist Judo Club)

Senior Intermediate / Nage no Kata
1. Josiah Jones (Haltom City, Texas / Okuri Judo) / Jeremiah Jones (Weatherford, Texas / Okuri Judo)

Senior Intermediate / Katame no Kata
1. Leigh Kojiro (Lake Oswego, Ore. / Bridgetown Judo) / Robert Safranek (Portland, Ore. / Bridgetown Judo)
2. Oscar Tinajero (Las Cruces, N.M. / Legacy Mixed Martial Arts) / Joe Terrazas (Las Cruces, N.M. / Legacy Mixed Martial Arts)
3. Joshua Suzara (American Canyon, Calif. / Chuck Jefferson Judo) / Melisa Spence (Oakland, Calif. / Griffin Judo)

Senior Intermediate / Ju no Kata
1. Ann Berends (Chicago, Ill. / Bender Martial Arts and Fitness) / Sandra Hauptman (Chicago, Ill. / Tohkon Judo Academy)
2. Marcos Batan (Fort Collins, Colo. / Fort Collins Judo) / Mariana Batan (Fort Collins, Colo. / Fort Collins Judo)
3. Alexandre Souza (Oceanside, Calif. / San-Shi Judo Club) / Arthur Renno (Oceanside, Calif. / San-Shi Judo Club)

U21 / Nage no Kata
1. Maria Matsutani (Torrance, Calif. / South Bay Judo) / MariNa Matsutani (Torrance, Calif. / South Bay Judo)
2. Jayden Tran (San Jose, Calif. / San Jose Buddhist Judo Club) / Caleb Caslib (San Jose, Calif. / San Jose Buddhist Judo Club)

U21 / Katame no Kata
1. Caleb Caslib (San Jose, Calif. / San Jose Buddhist Judo Club) / Jayden Tran (San Jose, Calif. / San Jose Buddhist Judo Club)

U21 / Kodokan Goshin Jutsu
1. Jayden Tran (San Jose, Calif. / San Jose Buddhist Judo Club) / Caleb Caslib (San Jose, Calif. / San Jose Buddhist Judo Club)