2024 NewsTribune Girls Wrestler of the Year

When she was in junior high, Izzy Gibson thought about trying wrestling but never got on the mats.

Last year when she entered Princeton High School, Gibson decided she wasn’t going to play basketball, so she finally decided to give wrestling a try.

“After the first practice, I really enjoyed it,” Gibson said. “I was really excited to learn more and get better.

“It was really fun for me, and it was a way I knew I wanted to spend my time.”

So Gibson put in the time to get better.

And it showed during her sophomore season.

Gibson went 21-7, placed second at 140 pounds at the Erie Regional and finished fourth at the Geneseo Sectional to become the first girl in school history to qualify for the IHSA state tournament, where she went 1-2.

Things clicked a lot faster for me this year. I knew what to do more often than I did last year. My technique was a lot better and I knew a lot more moves. … I think it came from putting in the work, practicing a lot and getting a lot more matches.”

—  Izzy Gibson, Princeton sophomore

For all she accomplished this season, Gibson is the inaugural NewsTribune Girls Wrestler of the Year.

“It was a really good season for me,” Gibson said. “I definitely improved from last year. I put a lot of work into this season.

“Things clicked a lot faster for me this year. I knew what to do more often than I did last year. My technique was a lot better, and I knew a lot more moves. … I think it came from putting in the work, practicing a lot and getting a lot more matches.”

Gibson didn’t just practice against and have matches against girls. She also wrestled her male teammates, which helped her improve.

“I think she really grew to love it,” Princeton coach Steve Amy said. “Instead of always practicing with the girls like she did a year ago, she wanted to practice with the guys, and that made the speed of the match really pick up for her and turned her into a beast.”

Gibson takes a beast mentality onto the mat.

“I’m pretty mean and aggressive,” Gibson said. “I don’t really back down. I just give it my all.”

Along with an aggressive mindset, Gibson is a strong wrestler on her feet.

“She’s pretty good on her feet,” Amy said. “Good high crotch doubles and singles. When she trusts it, she’s really good there. She does a pretty good job getting away most of the time. We still have to work on turning people, but that comes with time.”

After making school history this season by becoming Princeton’s first female state qualifier, which she said means a lot to her because she’s “glad to be able to represent girls wrestling like that,” Gibson plans to put in work over the offseason with her sights set on higher goals.

“I definitely hope to place and maybe even win state,” Gibson said. “I have to work in the offseason. I’m probably going to do freestyle over the summer. I’m going to work really hard to get better and to get to my goal.”

Amy said those are realistic goals.

“Looking forward, she could definitely place at state if not win it with the way she’s been improving,” he said.