The Utica University Women’s Wrestling Team is actively recruiting new members, and head coach Carmela Cancelmo wants students to know: you don’t need previous experience, just the willingness to work hard.
“No prior experience is necessary to join—what matters most is your willingness to work hard and make a consistent effort to improve, even if it’s just by 1% each day,” Cancelmo said.
“Wrestling is a challenging sport, both physically and mentally, but through that challenge, it offers valuable life lessons that extend far beyond the mat. It will push you, build resilience, and help you grow into a stronger, more confident individual.”
Wrestling may seem intimidating at first, but the team emphasizes a supportive, welcoming environment for beginners. Cancelmo helps new wrestlers by teaching foundational skills and creating a space where encouragement and growth are at the center.
“I teach the essential fundamentals of the sport, ensuring they build a strong foundation,” she said. “I also provide consistent encouragement and motivation each day to help them grow in skill and confidence.”
Freshman Jacqueline Mace said she joined without prior experience and found wrestling to be a transformative force in her life.
“Before I started wrestling, I was self-conscious and shy. Now, four years later, I’m very social and confident in myself and everything I do,” she said. “You get to make new friends from all over the Northeast.”
The typical practice schedule includes evening practices Monday through Friday, with additional morning sessions twice a week and occasional Saturday practices. Most competitions take place on Sundays, allowing student-athletes a balanced schedule of training and rest.
The team also stressed that wrestling isn’t as scary as it may seem.
“Sometimes, the media only shows the crazy stuff, but most of it is definitely not like that,” Mace said.“We learn how to do things properly to keep ourselves safe, and there are rules to protect us. Most of our team is made up of first-year wrestlers, so you’re not alone. We’re all learning together.”
More than just a sport, the team is described as a close-knit group that supports one another through every challenge.
“During practice, we are almost always having fun. From laughing and cracking jokes, cheering each other on, to playing wrestling games, there is never a dull moment,” said Mace. “Our team is more of a family, where we support and learn from each other.”
Mace credits her wrestling career to a coin flip made in her high school wrestling coach’s office.
“It was simple: heads meant cheerleading, and tails wrestling,” Mace said. “After that, I joined the all-male wrestling team at my school, but I wasn’t allowed to compete because I was a girl and my athletic director didn’t like that. So, I practiced in secret for a year and finally made the team the next year, where I became the first girl at my high school to place at sectionals. I wound up becoming a 3x sectional placer and I was the only girl on my wrestling team all throughout high school, which I wouldn’t trade for the world.”
Interested students can reach out to Coach Cancelmo directly at [email protected] and complete their new student-athlete paperwork.
Mace added: “If you don’t know if you’d like wrestling, just come try it.”
