“Ironman” Grace Leota Commits to Presbyterian College

On November 27th, Hernando High wrestler Grace Leota’s commitment to Presbyterian College was announced via a post on Facebook. The Leopards’ senior athlete will have the privilege of competing for the nation’s first of only a handful of Division 1 Women’s College Wrestling Programs.
“Grace is the most dominant competitor in Hernando High School history,” said Hernando Wrestling Head Coach David Pritz. “Her accolades speak for themselves. As dominant as she is on the mat, she is even a better person off the mat. Grace is a leader in the room and elevates everyone around her.”

What was it about Presbyterian that caught Leota’s eye? It was the “non-negotiables.” Every athlete has them when they are weighing their options regarding where to spend the next few years of their life.

Some need to be close to home while others look to attend the same school as a friend or sibling. For Grace, two things were a priority:
Her faith. It is an integral part of her character. A school that understood that was paramount. “She wrestles for God, and faith is a huge part of who she is,” her mother said.

Her goals of making the World Championship Team. She needed the college she chose to properly support her in her off-season training regimen.
Wartburg University (Iowa) and Doane University (Nebraska) were the other schools on her short list, but it was Presbyterian’s intangibles that ultimately gave them the nod.

What did Presbyterian offer that the others could not? “It is really exciting to be on the first ever Division I College Women’s Wrestling Program as there are currently only 5 in the NCAA,” said Grace Leota. “I also loved the camaraderie on the team, and I love Coach Vutianitis’s vision for Presbyterian’s program as he wants to see the girls make the World Team as well.”

Comprised of only a handful of other Division 1 programs such as Sacred Heart University (Connecticut), Lindenwood University (Missouri), and the University of Iowa, the list of schools that field such squads is exceedingly brief but growing.

Originally a basketball player, Grace began wrestling towards the end of her eighth-grade year as a way to condition for the hoops season. It did not take long for her to discover that she had a passion for and an aptitude on the mat. She even made the Washington 14U National Team despite just beginning her wrestling career that same year.

When the FHSAA sanctioned women’s wrestling in the state of Florida in 2021, the Leota’s took it as a sign that moving to the Sunshine State was the right course of action. It turns out, it was.

This was a busy week for the senior wrestler as just days after announcing her commitment, she also took first place in her weight class (190) at the 2024 Women of Ironman Wrestling Tournament in Ohio.

Winning the title had been the younger Leota’s goal since she first started wrestling at 14 years old. Emerging victorious from “the toughest in-season high school tournament in the country,” as Grace put it, had to be gratifying following last year’s outing that had not reached her expectations.

“I worked really hard knowing I would have one last chance before I graduated,” she said. “Winning this title is one of my greatest achievements thus far in my wrestling career.”