On Wednesday, November 12th, U Sports Wrestling released its latest national rankings, recognizing the outstanding performances of several members of the Algoma Thunderbirds OUA wrestling program. The announcement included seven Thunderbirds student-athletes among the top competitors in their respective divisions, while both the men’s and women’s teams earned spots inside the top ten nationally — a testament to the program’s growing strength and consistency under head coach Trevor Manchester.
In the men’s division, Brandon Carrillo (1st Year, Finance & Economics, Spring TX) leads the way, earning the #1 national ranking in the 57 kg class after an impressive start to his university career. William Mitchell (2nd Year, Environmental Science, Pace FL) holds the fifth spot in the 68 kg division, continuing to build on his success from last season. Rounding out the men’s group is Ajay Guitard (1st Year, Law & Justice, Sudbury ON), who currently sits third in the 100 kg division, further solidifying Algoma’s position among the nation’s elite wrestling programs.
On the women’s side, Lilah Fraser (4th Year, History, Renfrew ON) continues to demonstrate her leadership and experience, earning the #2 national ranking in the 83 kg division. Becca Gutteridge (2nd Year, English, London ON) and Elia Ransom (1st Year, Accounting, Clinton UT) both claimed third-place national rankings in the 59 kg and 62 kg classes, respectively. Adding to the Thunderbirds’ depth, Rebecca Vann (3rd Year, Community, Economic & Social Development, Albuquerque NM) secured the #5 spot in the 50 kg division, giving Algoma four nationally ranked women — and reinforcing the program’s growing reputation as one of Canada’s most competitive wrestling forces.
One of the biggest impacts on the Algoma Thunderbirds wrestling program’s success this season has been the environment created inside the wrestling room. This is a group that genuinely loves to practice and compete. Many of the wrestlers arrive at the training facility two to three hours before scheduled practice just to get extra time on the mats. That’s in addition to their strength workouts, small group sessions, and team practices. The culture of commitment and camaraderie has pushed everyone to be better, and the time spent together on and off the mats has been a key factor in their growth as both athletes and teammates.
Algoma wrestling coach Trevor Manchester told Saultsports that “the success has made recruiting slightly easier. We are getting successful student-athletes that legitimately want to be a part of our team. Our team really does bring out the idea of an extended family. They train together, travel together, go to classes and study together. We have team functions when we don’t travel, whether it’s hikes to see the surrounding outdoors, or just a team meal.”
Having multiple ranked wrestlers is proof that Algoma’s wrestling program can develop a dedicated student-athlete to a national level. The Thunderbirds have built a reputation for outworking their opponents—not only in competition but, more importantly, during training. Every repetition, drill, and sparring session matters, and the unranked wrestlers play a crucial role in this success. Their consistency and effort in practice challenge the ranked wrestlers daily, making the entire team stronger. The program thrives on this internal competitiveness and mutual drive for improvement.
At the core of the Thunderbirds’ success is a strong team culture built around shared values and accountability. The coaching staff has emphasized that the more each student-athlete buys into the program, the more success they will achieve together. This group has fully embraced that mindset. The wrestlers at Algoma have created an environment where hard work, discipline, and respect are constant—yet it’s also a place where they can relax, laugh, and enjoy the journey together. It’s that balance of intensity and unity that continues to elevate the Thunderbirds wrestling program year after year.
“Our main focus for the individuals is a top 3 placing at OUA’s with a solid team result: Men’s team: Top 3 at OUA’s, Women’s Team: Top 5 at OUA’s,” said Manchester.
