Bonney Lake Freshman Lanaia Selig Wins National Wrestling Championship in Iowa

Bonney Lake has a national champion.

Bonney Lake High School freshman Lanaia Selig captured the 95-pound title at the 16U & Junior Folkstyle National Championships in Iowa, one of the premier youth wrestling tournaments in the country.

Competing against a field that included older athletes in the Junior division, Selig powered through the bracket with three wins to bring a national title back to Bonney Lake.

“I was just trying to make it as quick as possible,” Selig said after the final match. “I was thinking about what I was going to do and tried to do it.”

Wrestling Up an Age Group

What makes the accomplishment even more impressive is that Selig stepped into a division that often includes older and more experienced wrestlers.

“Going into it, I knew I was on the younger side,” Selig said. “But I just thought I would try it.”

The gamble paid off.

With a confident and aggressive style, Selig controlled her matches and rolled through the tournament to claim the national championship.

Dominant on the Mat

Selig has already built an impressive resume despite being only a ninth grader.

According to Trackwrestling, she currently holds a 49-7 record with 40 pins, meaning the vast majority of her wins have come by fall. (trackwrestling.com)

Her high school competition weight class is 100 pounds, where she has been one of the most dominant wrestlers in Washington throughout the season. (trackwrestling.com)

The dominance is reflected in her results as well, most of her victories end quickly, often within the first period.

Competing in Wrestling’s Heartland

The national tournament took place in Iowa, a state widely known as one of the centers of wrestling in the United States.

Selig embraced the atmosphere.

“I was pretty excited,” she said. “I knew it was going to be fun. I like wrestling in Iowa. It’s a pretty cool environment.”

Eyes on the Next Goal

Even after winning the national title, Selig’s competitive focus immediately shifted to what comes next.

“I’m excited,” she said. “It’s just more wrestling.”

As the season transitions toward freestyle competition, she has already set her sights on major national goals.

“I have some pretty big goals for freestyle,” Selig said. “I’m focused on Women’s Nationals now and trying to make the world team.”

A Bright Future for Bonney Lake Wrestling

With a national championship already under her belt, and still only a freshman, Selig’s future in the sport looks incredibly bright.

Her performance in Iowa adds another accomplishment to a growing list of achievements and highlights the continued rise of girls wrestling in Washington.

For Bonney Lake wrestling, it may also be just the beginning.

The Panthers now have a national champion leading the way, and if Selig’s trajectory continues, the Bonney Lake community could be watching one of the nation’s top young wrestlers develop right in their backyard.