Victory Martial Arts Monticello shines at World Champs

Less than one year after opening its doors in August 2025, Victory Martial Arts Monticello completed an exceptional first competitive season in the United States Karate Alliance (USKA).
Competing against athletes from across the United States and around the world at the 2026 United States Karate Alliance (USKA) World Championships, Victory Martial Arts Monticello returned home with three World Championship titles, a USKA Hall of Fame induction, a USKA National Team selection, USKA All-American honors, and a ninth-place finish in the 2025-2026 USKA National Points Team Standings.
Leading the team was founder and chief instructor, Sensei Mark Colgan, 67, who was inducted into the USKA Hall of Fame in recognition of more than five decades of dedication to the martial arts.
Colgan also won World Championship titles in Black Belt Masters 40-and-over Kata and Black Belt Masters 40-and-over Weapons, was selected for the USKA National Team, and earned USKA All-American honors after winning the National Points Championships in Black Belt Men Kata and Black Belt Men Weapons.
Victory Martial Arts Monticello produced three National Points Champions during the 2025-2026 season.
Sensei Mark Colgan won the Black Belt Men Kata and Black Belt Men Weapons National Points Championships, Cael Christensen captured the 14-15 Beginning Kata National Points Championship, and Jill Pearson won the Novice Women Kata National Points Championship.
The top three finishers in each National Points division earned the prestigious Bushido Award. Bushido literally means “the way of the warrior.”
The team claimed its third World Championship title when Skyler Mooneyhan won the Special Abilities Kata division.
The team’s accomplishments came despite six qualified competitors being unable to attend the World Championships due to the Babylon Fire in southeastern Utah.
For a program not yet one year old, the depth of the results stood out as much as the championships.
Fourteen Victory Martial Arts Monticello athletes finished in the USKA National Points Final Standings, while eleven competitors represented the school at the World Championships, earning medals and top-five finishes.
In addition to the performances already mentioned, Cael Christensen was third in the USKA National Points final standings in the Beginning Kumite division, earning a Bushida Award.
Taylynn Christensen and Carol Van Steeter also earned third-place results and Bushida Awards in 12-13 Beginning Kata and Novice Women Kata, respectively.
Benjamin Christensen was fourth in Novice Men Kata, Colette Colgan was fourth in Novice Women Kata, and Daniel DeMille was fourth in 14-15 Beginning Kata.
Sixth-place finishers for Victory Martial Arts Monticello included Grace Bushore in 10-11 Beginning Kata and Jaylynn Mooneyhan in 14-15 Beginning Kata.
Dillon DeMille was seventh in the 12-13 Beginning Kata standings. Carol Van Steeter was eighth in Adult Kyu Weapons.
Tina Christensen ended the season in ninth place in Novice Women Kata. Athletes in tenth place included Caitlin Weatherford in Novice Women Kata and Tristan Weatherford in 12-13 Beginning Kata.
Cael Christensen was ranked 12th in Teen Weapons and Colette Colgan was 12th on the season in Adult Kyu Weapons.
In addition to the World Champions already mentioned, three Victory Martial Arts Monticello athletes won silver medals at the 2026 USKA World Championships.
Taylynn Christensen was a runner up in Kata, Tina Christensen took second in Adult Kyu Kata, and Jaylynn Mooneyhan was second in Sparring.
Bronze Medalists included Cael Christensen in Kata, Daniel “Danny” DeMille in Sparring, Dillon DeMille in Kata and Sparring, Jaylynn Mooneyhan in Kata, and Jill Pearson in Adult Kyu Kata.
Finishing fourth at the World Championships for Victory Martial Arts Monticello were Cael Christensen in Kumite, Colette Colgan in Adult Kyu Kata, and Colette Colgan in Adult Kyu Weapons.
Benson Seely came home fifth in Kata and Jill Pearson earned a fifth-place finish in Weapons at the event.
Members of the team who qualified to compete in the World Championships but were unable to attend included Brittney Bushore, Grace Bushore, Carol Van Steeter, Caitlin Weatherford, Will Weatherford, and Tristan Weatherford.
The accomplishments of Victory Martial Arts Monticello in the school’s inaugural season reflect the dedication of the students, the support of their families, and the encouragement of the Monticello community.
If you would like more information on the team or how you can get involved, call Sensei Mark Colgan at 435-459-3772.