Medina graduate Ella Nicholson wins national award

It didn't take long for 2025 Medina graduate Ella Nicholson to make a huge impact on the college weightlifting scene. A freshman at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., the 19-year-old was named best female lifter after winning titles in the snatch, clean and jerk and combined total Sunday at the University National Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah. The event was sponsored by USA Weightlifting because the NCAA does not sponsor the sport. "That was great, because it was one of the goals," Nicholson said Tuesday in a phone interview of earning the best female lifter award. "I hadn't won one of those since the 2023 (USA) Nationals in Colorado Springs." The 5-foot-6, 177-pound Nicholson, who has her sights set on making the United States team for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, competed in the 86-kilogram division (189.6 pounds), where her opening lifts in the snatch and clean and jerk were better than the best lifts of any other competitor in her class. In fact, due to much higher starting weights, Nicholson's first lift in each category didn't occur until after all other entrants had completed their third and final attempts. "A lot of the time at national meets, that's normally how it is," she said. "It's kind of annoying because I have a two-minute clock, so I have a shorter amount of rest between lifts (because no one else is still competing). I'd rather compete against people. "There was a start list (for opening lifts), so we knew everyone in the session and kind of knew that was going to happen, but this was a train-through meet. We're focusing more on (USA) Nationals (in Colorado Springs in June)." Nicholson successfully completed all three of her attempts in the snatch, with a best of 113 kilograms (249.1 pounds), which gave her the title by 15 kilograms (33 pounds). Though she missed at 135 kilograms (297.6) in her final attempt in the clean and jerk, her successful lift at 130 (286.6) gave her the win by 10 kilograms (22 pounds). Nicholson's combined total of 243 kilograms (535.7) gave her that championship by a whopping 25 kilograms (55.1). "It was super fun," she said. "It was a little bit different to be competing on a team, but I like the team environment. It's super cool." Coached by Trent Crain and assistant Marina Tuono, Lindenwood also captured team championships in the women's, men's and coed divisions over the weekend. The Lions racked up 173 points to win the women's crown by 49 points over second-place Florida, while the men's team had 177 points, good for a 15-point victory over Mars Hill (N.C.). The Lindenwood coed team had 205 points, 36 ahead of Louisiana State Shreveport. Seventeen teams from across the nation competed in each division. Nicholson, who one day would like to own a gym, is glad she made the decision to lift on a college team rather than on her own. Lindenwood University is located near the Mississippi River, about a 25-minute drive from St. Louis. "Everything's relatable," Nicholson said of having college teammates. "Everyone knows what you're going through because someone's already been through it. I like the school. My professors and classes are perfect for what I want to do with a business marketing degree." Nicholson, who also is coached by Trey Vaughan out of the Hive Strength Company in Medina, previously dominated the 86-kilogram class at a meet held in March as part of the Arnold Classic in Columbus. She tied a personal record with a 114-kilogram lift (251.3 pounds) in the snatch and set PRs with a 137-kilogram lift (302) in the clean and jerk and 251-kilogram total (553.3). The latter was a PR by six kilograms (13.2 pounds). "We peaked fully for that meet," Nicholson said. "We were trying to hit as heavy as we could." After the USA Nationals in June, the next big meet for Nicholson, who can gain as many as 12 pounds and stay in the 86-kilogram class, will be an Olympic qualifier in China in October. She still has to make the U.S. team for that competition, but is expected to do so if she maintains her current standards. Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com.