Bommarito Represents Indian Hills Wrestling as Female Athlete of the Year
The Iowa Community College Athletic Conference officially announced Eliana Bommarito of Indian Hills Women's Wrestling as the 2022-23 ICCAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
Bommarito was a standout in both the classroom and on the wrestling mat. She maintained a 4.0 GPA during her first collegiate season and earned NJCAA All-Academic First Team along with ICCAC Academic All-Region honors.
On the mat, Bommarito navigated the 2022-23 to go undefeated, 13-0 (12 pins and a tech fall) and finish as the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the NJCAA at the 235 pound weight class. She was dominant -- none of her matches went beyond the first period, winning matches against two-year and four-year competition alike.
By season's end, Bommarito became an NJCAA National Champion at the first-ever NJCAA Women's Wrestling Championships and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament. On top of that -- Indian Hills won the inaugural NJCAA Women's Wreslting National Championship.
"Eliana is a young woman with a ton of talent," said Indian Hills Wrestling Head Coach Cole Spree. "Her maturity, consistency, and drive has allowed her to separate herself from the rest."
"Her success stems from her ability to balance everything that is thrown at her as a student-athlete," Spree said. "It's often easy to become overwhelmed, but she is always able to prioritize what it takes to be a champion on and off the mat."
Bommarito's journey to date has led her to become an advocate on the national stage to help grow women's wrestling at the college level. Coming out of high school as a two-time national champion, four-time Michigan state champion and the top-rated recruit in her weight class in the country, she was unable to sign with a four-year as the NCAA and NAIA do not showcase the 235 pound weight class, only going up to 191.
As the seventh-ranked pound-for-pound wrestler in the country by USA Wrestling, Bommarito has been an advocate for pushing the NCAA to offer heavier weight classes.
"I can imagine some of the friends I have in the lower weight classes who are so obsessed with wrestling," Bommarito told the Livingston Daily back in August 2022. "I think about girls in my weight classes. I get angry for them because they're so invested in the sport. There needs to be something for them."
Bommarito's advocacy continued overseas, to India, to serve as a coach for young females in wrestling. She also volunteers as a mentor at the local YMCA and tries to be a role model within the Centerville community.
ICCAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year Winners:
2022-23 - Eliana Bommarito, Indian Hills Women's Wrestling
2021-22 - Yadhira Anchante, Iowa Western Volleyball
2020-21 - Yadhira Anchante, Iowa Western Volleyball
2019-20 - Autam Mendez, NIACC Women's Basketball
2018-19 - Mia Ruther, DMACC Softball
2017-18 - Molly Jacobsen, DMACC Softball