Rocky Mountain Women's Grappling was created with the intention to bring the Colorado women's jiu jitsu community together. 

Meet the Team

Vanessa Spindle

Vanessa Spindle has studied a variety of martial arts since age 8 and began cross-training bjj in 2017 after attending a Girls in Gis event and discovering the amazing women’s jiu jitsu community. She loves to attend jiu jitsu vacations and is thrilled to be part of planning this special event. When she isn’t stuck in bottom side control, she also enjoys taking pictures of space. 

Rhyan Diller 

Rhyan Diller began her jiu jitsu journey in 2017 when training kickboxing and one of her coaches suggested jiu jitsu and she was immediately hooked. She believed that the lessons in discipline, letting go of your ego and being a complete novice translated to so many areas of her life and ultimately gave her the courage to start her own real estate business in 2020. Rhyan's first Girls in Gis event in 2018 was the FIRST time she had ever encountered a female upper belt and seen somany women training at the same time. She was so thrilled to have found this community of women in BJJ and realized how important it is for us to share our experiences, learn from one another and support each other. Since then, Rhyan has loved finding ways to bring women in the Jiu Jitsu world together. 

Lizzie Hershberger

Lizzie is a dedicated practitioner and advocate of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, whose journey began in 2016. She has both a passion for martial arts and a desire for personal growth. After experiencing jiu jitsu as a catalyst of growth, jiu jitsu quickly evolved from a hobby to a way of life. As co-owner of The Academy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Arvada, Lizzie works to foster a welcoming, safe, and empowering environment for practitioners of all levels. Her leadership is characterized by a deep understanding of the art, a dedication to student development, and a genuine passion for sharing the transformative power of jiu jitsu with others. Lizzie also has her own wellness company, where she focuses on holistic healing of the entire body.

Anna Hanson

Anna Hanson slings code by day and bodies by night. She is a  newly promoted blue belt training out of Way of Jiu Jitsu. 

Keelee McCarty

Keelee McCarty started training brazilian jiu jitsu several years ago in Starkville, MS when she started graduate school to learn self defense, but quickly fell in love with competing. Currently, Keelee is a purple belt and trains at Way of Jiu Jitsu in Aurora, CO. When she’s not annoying her friends with singing and dancing while rolling, you can find her inverted and playing footsies.

Have any questions or want to know more information? Feel free to contact us to hear more about the amazing events we have planned for 2024!