Valerie Hamilton named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week, presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare

Valerie Hamilton (Gridley, Ill./Team Illinois) has been named the USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week, presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare, on August 1, 2024.

Hamilton won her bracket at the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior & 16U Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. In Junior women’s freestyle action at 145 pounds, top-seeded Hamilton went 7-0 en route to the title.

After dominating her first five matches of the tournament, Hamilton overcame in-match adversity in her semifinal match against California’s Olivia Davis. Trailing 8-3 at the break, Hamilton bounced back to pin Davis and reach the 145-pound final at the tough tournament.

In the finals, Hamilton used a first-period takedown and solid positioning to defeat Connecticut’s Sarah Henckel, 3-0. The victory gave Hamilton her first Junior women’s title, and she became USA Wrestling’s first Junior women’s Triple Crown winner. Hamilton won her third leg after previously winning the Girls High School showcase in Las Vegas in April and the Junior Folkstyle Nationals in March.

Hamilton was also named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler, the first time a wrestler from Illinois has won the award in the Junior women’s division. Illinois finished fifth overall as a team in the Junior women’s freestyle team race.

To nominate a wrestler for this honor please email the athlete's name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments, and career accolades to communications@usawrestling.org.