Good News: ​Aumua named Women’s Athlete of the Year by National Wrestling Hall of Fame

by Michael Smith

As a freshman, Grain Valley graduate Sevi Aumua had no idea how her wrestling career would turn out.

She sometimes questioned what she could do in the circle and thought of all the possible scenarios of what could happen with her career.

“Looking back as a freshman … I am a ‘what if’ person. I think about what if they hit this move on me and I get caught,” Aumua said.

It turns out her high school wrestling career ended up going better than she anticipated. Last week, she found out that she was named the 2024 Female Athlete of the Year by The Missouri State Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Grain Valley head coach Donald Horner sent her a text to let her know of the honor, following a season in which she won her third state championship as a senior for the Eagles.

“I had to double read it just to make sure,” Aumua said of Horner’s text. “I didn’t even think I was going to get it honestly, but after receiving the information from Coach Horner and receiving it in the mail, it made me proud of myself and all the accomplishments I have made.

“I didn’t really think I would be where I am today as a freshman. I knew I was going to have to work hard to get to my main goal, which was to be a state champion. I never thought I would get these awards.”

Aumua had one of the most dominant high school careers of any girls’ wrestler in the state. She finished her career with a gaudy 138-2 record after having her best season as a senior. She went 40-0 during the 2023-24 season and won her third consecutive state championship after defeating Washington’s Annalise Obermark in the championship match of the 140-pound weight class of the Class 2 Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships.

She went 36-1 her freshman year and placed third at state. After that, Aumua then won three consecutive state championships, going 36-1 as a sophomore and 35-0 as a junior. Her last high school folkstyle loss came on Dec. 8, 2021, when she was pinned by Park Hill South’s Maddie Kubicki, a wrestler who didn’t lose a single high school match in four years.

Kubicki was the Female Athlete of the Year in 2022 and Fort Osage’s Haley Ward received the same honor in 2023. Now, Aumua joins them as the most recent wrestlers to receive the distinction.

“It means a lot to receive similar (awards) as them.” Aumua said of Kubicki and Ward. “They are great wrestlers. I have practiced with them. They are very great girls and I love being around them. I am glad I can be a part of that. We paved the way for the younger girls to achieve similar things.”

She will be recognized for her accomplishment by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Oct. 20 in Jefferson City.

Later this month, Aumua will begin her preseason training with the Missouri Valley College women’s wrestling team as she will look to crack the lineup during her freshman season in college. She said she is excited to see how she fares against college-level competition.

​“One of my goals is to get All-America honors and do the best she can do for my team,” Aumua said. “I want to get my team’s name out there and my name out there, especially.” 

Grain Valley graduate Sevi Aumua, top, was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Missouri Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. She will be recognized for the honor on Oct. 20 in Jefferson City. GRAIN VALLEY NEWS FILE PHOTO