Le Mars Community girls wrestling has been making history all throughout this inaugural season. They made more history on Friday by sending their first athlete off to college in Kylie Hessenius. The senior signed her letter of intent to wrestle in the inaugural year of the Iowa Lakes Community College women’s wrestling program. This moment was not in focus until recently for Hessenius who had always wrestled but never thought of it as an opportunity in college.
Hessenius got in on the ground floor of girls wrestling around Le Mars. When she started, she had to wrestle boys most of the time simply because of the lack of girls wrestlers. Hessenius says the growth of the sport has been incredible.
Le Mars head coach Greer Milledge says that experience has been valuable while everyone else learns the ropes of the newly sanctioned sport.
Iowa Lakes Community College announced the addition of women’s wrestling in August with the program officially kicking off in July of 2023. Hessenius says Iowa Lakes was the perfect fit for her.
Hessenius says wrestling has helped her grow as a person in many ways. For that to continue in the ever-growing college ranks is a blessing.
Coach Milledge has seen a lot of Hessenius as a wrestler and says her work ethic will serve her well at the college level.
There may not be a more obvious person for Le Mars’ first girls wrestler college signee than Hessenius. The Hessenius family has done everything there is to do at Le Mars in the sport of wrestling. Kylie’s father Brian holds Le Mars records for most wins in a career with 153, most wins by fall with 114, and the fastest win by fall with a five second pin in the state tournament. It’s also the third fastest high school win by fall all-time in the nation. Her uncle Shane is the boys wrestling coach, and her grandpa Rich also coached the team for a number of years. Hessenius says her father has been the most important in her development as a wrestler and, more importantly, a person.
Hessenius has gotten the opportunity to make history at Le Mars and now will be part of the historic first year of women’s wrestling at Iowa Lakes. She says being a part of that history is awesome.
Coach Milledge hopes Hessenius’ impact does not leave the program when she does. Milledge hopes that other girls see Hessenius’ signing as an opportunity for them to branch out away from the more traditional sports and try something new.
Iowa Lakes will begin competing in the 2023-24 academic year in the sanctioned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II events.
