High Noon Judo Wins Second Consecutive National Title Under MASTERs Leadership

Nationwide (USANews) High Noon Judo, a program administered by the nonprofit Martial Arts for Social Transformation, Equity, and Rights (MASTERs), has secured its second consecutive Best Academy title at the 2025 USA Judo Senior National Championships. The tournament, held in Birmingham, Alabama, marked a defining moment for the Northern Virginia-based team, which dominated the national event with 15,250 points—nearly triple the tally of its closest competitor.

Founded and led by Dr. Christopher Round, High Noon has distinguished itself in the martial arts landscape through its commitment to high-performance training, community development, and a holistic coaching philosophy. Dr. Round, a 4th-degree black belt in judo and black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, brings over 15 years of cross-sector experience, including roles in government, nonprofit, and corporate environments. In 2022, he partnered with High Noon BJJ owner Tim Dawson alongside Heidi Holz and Jordan Stone to create this award-winning judo program.

Operating out of High Noon BJJ and Fitness in Alexandria, Virginia, High Noon Judo has become a standout program. The team’s triumph in Birmingham was driven by an impressive 31-medal haul from 14 athletes, who competed across 26 divisions. Standout performances came from elite athletes, including Ekaterina Petri, Emma Bragg, and Nakapan Phungephorn. Phungephorn, a judo brown belt and BJJ black belt, fought 14 matches across four divisions to earn three gold and one bronze medal. Petri, competing in five divisions, secured two gold and three silver medals, while Bragg, who entered four divisions, won three golds and one silver, also becoming the academy’s first black belt division titleholder.

The team, comprising six women and eight men aged 17 to 64, represented a diverse range of experience levels—from seasoned competitors to dedicated hobbyists. Their collective effort highlighted High Noon Judo’s strategic integration of elite performance metrics, data science, and inclusive athlete development. Notably, the team’s player-coaches—Alex Painter, Heidi Holz, and Liam Donovan—balanced competition and mentorship roles, each contributing to the medal count while coaching fellow teammates. Olympians Lauren Meece and Dr. Rhadi Ferguson provided distance support.

“Dr. Round had a network of both onsite and remote coaches who worked together in real time. They provided live tactical updates, video analysis, and match recommendations that were communicated directly to athletes and coaches during the event. The coordination was military-grade. The execution was professional-sports level. This is what it looks like when preparation meets purpose. To say I’m proud of Dr. Round would be putting it lightly. I’ve seen him grow from a student of the sport into a world-class strategist and leader. It is an absolute honor to work with him today,” said 2004 Olympian Dr. Rhadi Ferguson. 

Commenting on the victory, Dr. Round stated, “This was an excellent performance on all levels. Our Olympic track competitors dominated with a dozen medals across multiple divisions, and our more recreational players scored 7,000 points. I’m also proud of our MASTERs fellows’ performance—we need this kind of development if we want to see Olympic success for the U.S. in the future. For Tim Spriggs to be in the finals against a competitor like Alex Semenenko, or for Chloe, at only 17, to take the US Number One to overtime, is a great sign. Of course, we are all incredibly proud of Emma Bragg for winning her first senior national title in a black belt division.”

MASTERs Board Member Mike Bergman emphasized the comprehensive strategy implemented by Dr. Round. “Dr. Christopher Round was obviously key to this success. Besides his excellent technical instruction, he built scouting reports for every team member, arranged for an on-site professional trainer and photographer, and ensured we had the kind of preparation and support that goes into winning a major event.”

Athlete feedback echoed this sentiment. Ekaterina Petri, who is relocating to the Washington, D.C. area, said, “Sensei Chris has huge experience and knowledge. He also showed how to properly manage a team at Nationals. We had everything we needed, fully organized, so we could focus on competing.” Experienced competitor and Olympic hopeful Tim Spriggs added, “Competing at the national or international level is tough, but having the support of Sensei Chris, the coaches, and the team makes a big difference.”

The success extended beyond High Noon Judo to the broader MASTERs community. MASTERs fellows, including rising stars Emma Bragg, Chloe Williams, EJ Lynch, and Timothy-Michael Spriggs, each contributed to the medal count. Bragg earned two golds and one silver, including a win in the senior open division. Williams won gold in her age and weight class and reached the medal rounds in the Senior 70kg category. Lynch competed in the deep Senior Men’s 73kg division. Spriggs made the final against US #1 Alex Semenenko and fought him admirably. Spriggs ultimately captured gold and silver in four divisions, adding momentum to his transition from a decorated BJJ career to competitive judo. Together, High Noon athletes advanced to the medal rounds in five of the senior elite divisions: 63 kg, 70 kg, 78 kg, and both the men's and women’s open weight categories. The senior divisions are considered the most difficult at US Nationals. With the success of other fellows, such as Junior Pan Team member Rhadi Ferguson Jr. and two-time US Senior National Finalist Madeline Solis, MASTERs has, in particular, demonstrated its ability to recruit and train female athletes. 

As a nonprofit, MASTERs continues to invest in the personal and athletic development of its athletes. It delivers community programming, mutual aid initiatives, and elite-level training opportunities, anchored in the judo principle of Jita-Kyoei—mutual benefit and well-being. The organization’s vision is to elevate judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as tools for social change and personal transformation across diverse communities.

With a second national title in as many years, High Noon Judo has established itself as a powerhouse in American judo. The program’s ongoing growth and success reflect MASTERs’ mission to foster competitive excellence and community engagement through martial arts. The team will now focus on preparing Chloe Williams, Rhadi Ferguson Jr, Rufus Ferguson and its younger members for the cadet and junior world trials at the Junior Olympics in June. 

Social media links and more information about MASTERs and High Noon Judo can be found on their official pages: Instagram (MASTERs), Instagram (High Noon Judo), Facebook, and Google Reviews.