Dana Cleveland has been a trailblazer for the Ankeny girls’ wrestling team.
A year ago, she became the first state placewinner in program history as a junior, when she compiled a 40-6 record and placed fourth at 135 pounds.
Now, Cleveland has become the first female wrestler from Ankeny to take her talents to the next level. She has signed a letter of intent to compete for Wartburg College next year.
“I visited several schools. As I looked at schools though, Wartburg had the full package,” Cleveland said. “It will allow me to put my academics first and still continue my wrestling career.”
Cleveland is hoping to cap off her high school career with a state championship next month. She currently boasts a 23-1 mark at 145.
Cleveland won an individual title in the Central Iowa Kickoff on Nov. 18 at Nevada. Her only loss this season came at the Dan Gable Donnybrook on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Coralville, where she fell in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Eve Skrocki of Dubuque Wahlert before rebounding to earn a fifth-place finish.
Cleveland, who has won her last 15 matches, is planning to major in Education.
“At Wartburg, I’m able to get into the classroom in my first year of school,” she said. “They also offer a lot of support for students, and they offer the May term which allows me to study abroad if I choose. For wrestling, when I spoke to the coaches they were very welcoming and have a philosophy of a growth mindset for their athletes. As a wrestling team, they seem to be a very close-knit group.”
