Groft, who was coaching a girls club team while working and attending community college near her hometown of Abbottstown, PA responded to an e-mail from Lock Haven’s Women’s Coach Terry Fike, who was spreading the word about the new Lady Eagles wrestling program. Rachael mentioned that she attended LHU previously and had worked out with a member of the men’s team, but had no competitive opportunities. “I read between the lines in her e-mails, and I told her it sounded like she had some unfinished business to attend to. Apparently, she agreed.” Fike said. He then began to look into her background as a wrestler. 

“I heard about Rachel’s ability, and after meeting with her a few times I got the impression that she was a competitor. We had twenty women show up for an interest meeting last spring, but no one had any wrestling experience. We decided at that point that we’d establish our reputation with Rachael, rather than a large number of inexperienced wrestlers. We wanted to establish the LHU women’s ‘brand’ so to speak, so that when we begin to recruit off campus, we can point to what we can do, and what we have done, for serious women - not what we are going to do. Rachael did a great job starting it off. In the fall she competed in the two highest level tournaments in the country for senior and open division wrestlers– the Sunkist International, and the New York Athletic Club Holiday International. We went to Canada to compete as well. We want incoming athletes to know we’ll train them them to get to the highest level they’re capable of.”

Rachael said she probably wouldn’t have returned to LHU if not for the creation of the women’s team. “I would have probably completed my education at community college” she said. “Initially, I came back because it was close and I’d been there before. Once I learned about the women’s program, I knew I’d also have an opportunity to compete.” When asked about the small team size (there were two others selected to begin the program) Rachael was positive. “It was good because we could work on things individually, and address each person level of performance.” Rachael had been away from competition for three years, so that gave her time to recapture some of the skills she had developed previously. When Fike told Groft that she would start at such a high level, she had to pause. “I was unsure about it due to the lay off. I didn’t know if I was ready or could get ready.” Fike didn’t have any doubts, however, and Rachael responded to the competition. “After getting to know her, I was sure she would step up”. How does she feel now? “I know I belong at that level and that I can compete there” she stated. What was it about the schedule that made the biggest impression on her? “At the ‘Sunkist’ it was amazing to be in the same competition with athletes from other countries. The Russian and Canadian teams were there, the Japanese, women from South America…it was pretty cool.” Now that the first semester has been completed for her and the new program, she feels it’s time to move things forward. “I’m hoping we set the stage for collegiate women on the East Coast. Right now we’re behind other parts of the country. It’s not as popular here yet, but with good recruiting and hard work, we’ll grow and opportunities will continue to grow. I think our program can be one of the top programs in the country.” At LHU Groft follows in the steps of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann, as well as Jenny Wong, Erin Tomeo, and Jenna Pavlick, all of whom attended and trained at LHU in the past, without the benefit of a women’s program. In addition to McMann’s Olympic silver, these women have combined for numerous individual national and international titles and accomplishments, and all are currently nationally ranked at or among the top contenders for the top spots on the US National and Olympic teams. When asked about her goals in wrestling,  her answer was simple. “I don’t know about after graduation, but right now I just want to compete.”  

Women’s wrestling is on the rise, and is here to stay according to Fike. “Texas, California, and Hawaii have women’s high school programs, and the numbers are good. Many other states have significant numbers on boy’s teams and on club teams. The USGWA folkstyle national tournament had over 700 athletes last year. On the collegiate level, there are 5 or 6 schools that offer it as a varsity sport, and some of the teams have over 40 athletes on the roster. Canada has a number of collegiate teams as well. At the national and international levels, the competition is intense and the athletes are highly skilled. The women at that level are technically excellent, and the wrestling is exciting. I’d like to encourage coaches and athletes to examine the sport at the highest levels, and I’m sure they’ll be impressed.”  

Fike thinks women’s wrestling is important for a number of reasons. Most important is that girls and women want to wrestle. The desire to wrestle is there, and they’re serious. The women enjoy it as much as the men, and for the same reasons. “Girls and women like to compete, like to challenge themselves, and like to work hard. In fact, the biggest complaint I heard from the girls and their mothers when doing research for our camp is that often they are not pushed hard enough and not challenged enough. There’s a whole generation of girls coming up with the same attitudes and expectations that exist among the boys in wrestling hotbeds.” said Fike. Offering wrestling for girls also provides the character development and psychological training that males have benefited from for decades. “It’s the right thing to do. Anyone who wants to wrestle and reap its benefits should have the opportunity.” There are other benefits for the sport as well. “The wrestling community can double our numbers easily, just by giving girls and women the opportunity to do it. Imagine the future of wrestling in our country with double the number of athletes involved, and women driving the growth of the sport for all the right reasons.”