One of the best pound-for-pound high school seniors in the country is off the board and Central Methodist coach Sam Schmitz should be thrilled. Paige Morales picked the Eagles — an NAIA program located in Fayette, Missouri — as her next step after a brilliant high school career. 

The Clovis, California, native currently ranked second at 106 pounds and #17 overall. She was a 2021 Cadet and Junior National champion, a 2022 Super 32 champ, and a 2022 California state champion. 

Morales made the announcement with a post on Instagram with the caption: "just soaring"

“I picked CMU because of Coach Sam Schmitz and his level of coaching,” Morales said. “I felt like he could really take me to the next level and has the connections to do so. The team also just felt like my team back at home. They were super welcoming and I felt like I could really be myself around them. 

“Lastly, I just got this amazing feeling when I went — that I truly belonged there. It felt like I would grow the most mentally and physically at CMU.”

Schmitz led McKendree to three consecutive national collegiate women’s championships (2020-22) before accepting his current position as the director of wrestling operations at Central Methodist. 

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Morales was dominant at the 2022 Super 32 tournament

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