| I am Tehani Soares, I am 18-years old and from beautiful Las Vegas. I started wrestling my freshman year of high school. Growing up my Dad was a boxing coach at a gym where we could train jiu-jitsu and boxing so, I did jiu-jitsu/boxing since I was 7 years old. I went to my siblings tournaments when I was younger, so I knew once I got to high school that’s what I wanted to do. I wrestled at Shadow Ridge high school as their starting 106/113 for 3 years. I placed 4th at Regionals my senior year. |
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| Although wrestling boys was very tough and did not turn out the way I wanted it to, but I am so glad I did it. I had amazing teammates and coaches to push me every single day, and they set the standard high by being consistently one of the best teams in the state, which pushed me even harder. I am a 6x All-American. I placed 8th at Women’s Nationals as a freshman. As a sophomore I placed 4th at Folkstyle Nationals, 3rd at Reno worlds, and 4th at Fargo. Junior year I won Reno worlds and took 6th at Fargo. |
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| I am also a 2x Sierra Nevada champion. Athena nationals champion and Western states champion in both Greco and Freestyle. Where I was OW at all 3 of these events. I am also a Tricia Saunders award winner as well. “The award recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service”(National Wrestling Hall of Fame). I’m currently majoring in Recreational Therapy at Indiana Tech university. It is my freshman year in college, and I am so eager to progressively get better every single day. |
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| I’m currently ranked #11 in the NAIA 109lbs division. I am very grateful for the opportunities wrestling has given me, and I can’t wait to continue my journey. I’d like to thank everyone who consistently supports me in everything that I do–my family, my coaches (old and new), my teammates (old and new), my friends, people who believe in me. Although high school did not turn out as I wanted, my past does not define me. This is only the beginning! -Tehani Soares |
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