The St. Paul Girls Wrestling team completed a season filled with growth, grit, and foundation-building. With a young and largely inexperienced roster, the team embraced the challenge, showing tremendous improvement with every practice and competition.
Key Contributors & Impact
Katie Oakley stood out not just with her performance on the mat but with her relentless work ethic and leadership.
Alexis Galusha, one of only two wrestlers with prior experience, led by example and demonstrated what success looks like, setting a high standard for teammates to chase.
Season Overview
Coach James Potter described the season as unfolding just as expected for a young squad: a slow start followed by measurable, consistent improvement. By the end of the season, it was clear that each wrestler had grown technically, mentally, and emotionally.
Turning Point
A standout moment came at the Lou Platte Conference meet, where the team put together a strong overall showing. That performance served as a confidence booster, proving to the girls that the early-season experience gap had significantly closed.
Emerging Leaders
Wrestlers like Katie Oakley, Delaney Jennings, and Anne Stepanek began to take more ownership of the team as the season progressed, stepping up as leaders in both attitude and effort.
Overcoming Adversity
The team faced its share of challenges. A significant one was losing Annie, one of the two experienced wrestlers, to injury before the season began. Her return just before conference play was a bright spot, and she wrestled admirably despite the missed time. At the district tournament, three wrestlers fell in the heartbreak round just short of qualifying for state—an outcome that has only fueled their motivation for next year.
No Seniors, All Future
With no seniors graduating, the entire roster is set to return. Even better, five incoming freshmen—each with at least a year of wrestling experience—are expected to strengthen the team further.
Offseason Goals
The focus heading into the offseason is twofold:
Skill Development: Sending athletes to camps to continue sharpening their technique.
Athletic Performance: Improving conditioning, strength, and overall athleticism to give the girls a competitive edge next season.
Where to Find Stats
Individual match results and season statistics can be found on TrackWrestling.
This young squad has shown it has the heart, leadership, and hunger to become a force in Nebraska girls' wrestling. With no one graduating and fresh talent on the way, the future is bright for the St. Paul program.
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