Girls state wrestling champion hoping to inspire the next generation

LOUISA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Ciyanna Okocha struggles to pinpoint the emotions surrounding her complex love of wrestling and has described stepping onto the mat as both motivating and exciting.

The Louisa County High School 10th grader won the 2025 VHSL State Wrestling Championship
in the 165-pound weight class.

“I walked away and I was like, 'wow! I just did that,'” Okocha said.

Her coach, Roger Stewart, said the win is putting Okocha in the spotlight. “It woke everyone up.
It woke everybody up to the point where she's serious," he said. "She’s the real deal.”

Okocha said winning third place at the Virginia High School League Championships last year lit a
fire in her. She wanted the top prize. Stewart said he sensed that she had talent, but she wasn’t
tough enough to be No. 1 in the state -- yet.

Stewart said wrestling helps with confidence-building.

“It takes hard work, dedication, belief and knowing that wrestling is almost like living life," Stewart said. "Life is tough, so wrestling is tough. You have to compare them both and figure out how you can live life."

“I did volleyball, track, soccer, basketball, but I didn’t feel physically pushed in any of those
sports and then I got into the wrestling room [on the] first day and I was like, 'oh my goodness,'”
Okocha said.

Her love of wrestling shines just as bright as her love for academics. Okocha said she tries to keep straight A’s in her classes.

“I’ve got to push myself in all aspects,” Okocha said.

(Photo Courtesy: Katherine Carter)

(Photo Courtesy: Katherine Carter)

(Photo Courtesy: Katherine Carter)

(Photo Courtesy: Katherine Carter)

Okocha recently won two national titles at the Midwest Nationals Wrestling Tournament and Greco High School All-Americans.

There has been an increasing number of girls on the wrestling team since Stewart became head
coach. Okocha said there are currently five girls on the team at Louisa County High School.

Both Stewart and Okocha are hoping the sport becomes sanctioned in the county so girls wrestling will be officially recognized.

“I want the county to see that this sport can be for anyone,” Stewart said.

“I think we’re all super dedicated to the sport and I think we deserve as much limelight as the
boys do,” Okocha said.

Okocha wrestles to inspire others already being recognized by middle school students and members of her community. She encourages girls who are thinking about wrestling to try it because “she will make lifelong family and she’ll become the best version of herself.”

“You won’t know until you try,” Stewart said.