Attica wrestler Aubrey Bartkowiak pins self doubt and captures USA Folkstyle title
LAFAYETTE — Attica junior Aubrey Bartkowiak didn't ask who she would shake hands with before wrestling Friday and Saturday at the USA Junior Folkstyle National Championship in West Des Moines, Iowa..
The less she knew about her opponents, the better.
"I didn’t expect anything," Bartkowiak said. "I just wanted mat time and the goal was to get better at wrestling. I didn’t expect anything out of it.”
Practice and college exposure became a weekend of signatures wins for Bartkowiak who was crowned the 235-pound USA Folkstyle national champion in Iowa.
More: Meet the Attica wrestler who beat the scale to become a state contender
"I couldn’t be where I am without my teammates and coaches and especially the people in our small town," Bartkowiak said. "Their support has been amazing.”
Bartkowiak wrestled loose. In the process, she took down and earned pinfall wins against each of her opponents who are nationally ranked wrestlers.
Her first match included a pin over Sandra Takara of Omaha in the second period and pinned Alexis Stinson from Liberty, Missouri who has 100 career high school wins.
Bartkowiak dominated again with a second period win over 2024 Illinois state champion Chloe Hoselton from Fairbury and a 57-second pin over Jayden Moehrle of Grain Valley, Missouri who placed second at her state meet.
More: North White wrestler Lincoln Frazee: From middle school castoff to state title contender
Redemption was on the mind of Bartkowiak, the No. 1 235-pounder from Indiana who was pinned in the IHSAA semifinal round in Indianapolis in January before she took third at state.
Two months later? Bartkowiak is a national champion. No pressure.
"I knew I freaked myself out at state," Bartkowiak said. "I got in my head and here I was focused on just having fun. That’s what I’m doing. I'm having fun."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Attica wrestler Aubrey Bartkowiak wins wrestling national title
Topics
-
11 area wrestlers earn Keystone State Championships titles
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Eleven area youth wrestlers earned Keystone State Championships titles Saturday and Sunday at Bryce Jordan Center. In the boys 15-16 bracket, Berlin Brothersvalley's Dawson ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Outlining paths for 10 UNI Panther wrestlers in Philadelphia
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Outlining paths for 10 UNI Panther wrestlers in PhiladelphiaYahoo Sports - 1d -
USA TODAY Sports' March Madness expert picks includes Florida Gators among title winners
One of USA TODAY Sports' five college basketball experts picked Florida Gators to win NCAA Tournament, two others expect to see them in the finalsYahoo Sports - 22h -
MTSU women's basketball vs. Liberty score today: Live updates, how to watch Conference USA title game
It’s MTSU women's basketball vs. Liberty in the Conference USA Tournament championship. Follow for live updates, highlights from Von Braun Center.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Royal's Arroyo named SCAC co-wrestler of the year
Mar. 14—ROYAL CITY — Junior Sharon Arroyo was named as one of two wrestlers of the year, and girls coach Jesus Carlos Villa named coach of the year on the South Central Athletic Conference all ...Yahoo Sports - 3d -
NCAA championship brackets released, 3 CSUB wrestlers learn seedings, opposition
The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will take place March 20-22 in Philadelphia, but the bracket draws involving the three Cal State Bakersfield wrestlers who qualified in the 125-, 197- ...Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Trump puts pressure on Zelensky ahead of Saudi Arabia talks
Presented by GE Aerospace {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Heading into Jeddah talks, Trump puts pressure on Zelensky President Trump is inflicting ...The Hill - Mar. 10 -
USC men's track and field wins indoor national championship
The Trojans have now won 137 national titles.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
France win Six Nations title after Moefana’s double sinks Scotland
France 35-16 Scotland Bielle-Biarrey and Ramos also score tries in victory In the end, no arguments. England may have done all they could to put France under some pressure – and Scotland went on ...The Guardian - 2d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Twins’ Royce Lewis will miss start of season after hurting his hamstring
Lewis is coming off a 2024 season that saw him appear in just 82 games due to quadriceps and adductor issues.Yahoo Sports - 18h -
Texans to pick up Derek Stingley's Jr.'s fifth-year option ahead of extension
The Houston Texans will have Derek Stingley Jr. under contract through 2029 after agreeing to pick up one final year on his rookie deal.Yahoo Sports - 21h -
MLB hyped up a video game-like replay view from the Tokyo Dome and fans justifiably hated it
The on-field replay did not go over how MLB expected.Yahoo Sports - 22h -
The Players Championship 2025 prize money: Full payout from the $25 million purse
Here's how the $25 million purse will be paid out this week at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Auburn basketball’s first round opponent revealed ahead of 2025 NCAA Tournament
Auburn basketball will face either Alabama State or St. Francis in March Madness to open its 2025 NCAA Tournament men’s bracket.Yahoo Sports - 1d
More in Sports
-
Kerr says Curry 'exhausted,' could sit vs. Bucks
After watching Stephen Curry struggle against an undermanned Nuggets team Monday night, coach Steve Kerr said the Warriors superstar is "exhausted" and in need of a rest day.ESPN - 5m -
Westbrook 'a wolf,' fuels Nuggets' improbable win
Russell Westbrook set the tone for an undermanned Nuggets team Monday night at Golden State, prompting teammate Aaron Gordon to remark, "First off, Russ is not just a dog. He's a wolf."ESPN - 5m -
Belichick flips 4-star Ruffin from A&M to UNC
Four-star defensive tackle Trashawn Ruffin, No. 238 in the ESPN Junior 300, flipped his commitment from Texas A&M to North Carolina on Monday, marking the Tar Heels' highest-rated new pledge since ...ESPN - 6m -
Brink 'icked out' by replies to Sparks' male tryouts
Sparks forward Cameron Brink said she was unsettled by the response she saw online to a call by the team for men to try out for the practice squad.ESPN - 6m -
Players file suits vs. ATP, WTA: 'Tennis is broken'
Multiple lawsuits were filed Tuesday by the PTPA and 22 players against the ATP, WTA, ITF and ITIA, alleging anticompetitive business practices, monopolizing of professional tennis and systemic abuse.ESPN - 6m