Butler’s Malovich goes unbeaten, earns USA All-American in girls national wrestling tourney
BUTLER TWP — Ana Malovich is unsure where her immediate and distant wrestling future will wind up.
Rest assured, it will be some place good.
The incoming Butler senior recently competed for Team Pennsylvania in the Junior Golds national dual meet tournament in Tulsa, Okla. She won all 10 of her matches there, mostly by pinfall or technical fall.
Malovich’s efforts resulted in her being named a USA All-American.
“She was simply dominant out there ... extremely impressive,” Butler High School wrestling coach Scott Stoner said.
There were 541 girls wrestling in the event. Malovich was one of only five to go undefeated. Two of the others were her teammates on Pennsylvania’s team — Val Solorio of Canon-McMillan at 100 pounds, Jordyn Souse of Bishop McCort at 132. They were named All-Americans as well.
Malovich wrestled at 112 pounds.
“Those are two of my best friends,” Malovich said. “Being able to be teammates and win all of our matches like that was exciting.”
Malovich has one more summer tournament left — Fargo (N.D.) Nationals July 14-18 — before figuring out what her senior wrestling season will look like.
Butler High School sent out a survey to parents in the district, trying to gauge interest toward the possible formation of a varsity girls wrestling team in 2023-24.
“We have five or six girls wrestling in junior high right now, another couple of girls in the elementary program,” Stoner said. “I don’t think there’s much doubt we’ll start a (girls) team here eventually, I just don’t know if it will be as soon as this year.”
The PIAA is sanctioning girls wrestling as a sport for the first time in 2023-24. The season will culminate with the first PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships in Hershey come Match— and Malovich wants to be a part of it.
“If we have a girls team, I’ll wrestle with the girls,” she said. “I want to wrestle in that tournament. I’ve been looking forward to this happening.”
Malovich has already been a three-year starter on Butler’s boys wrestling team, compiling a career record of 51-34 thus far with 23 pins. She was 13-17 last season.
“She didn’t polish off a few matches,” Stoner said. “Ana could have easily been .500 or better. For selfish reasons, I’m counting on her being in our lineup. I think she can make weight at 109 pounds and be productive there for us.
“We knew all along she would blaze the trail for girls wrestling in our school district. Now she has decisions to make. If there’s a girls team, she can wrestle there,. If not, she can stay with us, or maybe she chooses to wrestle independently ... that’s all up to her.
“She can wrestle with the boys team all year, then join the girls postseason tournaments. She’s allowed to do that.”
As for college wrestling, Malovich said: “I’m still weighing my options. I’m keeping an open mind toward a lot of schools.”
In the meantime, she’s enjoying her time on the mat.
“A positive attitude is so important on the mat. It’s important off the mat, too,” Malovich said. “Ive learned things through wrestling that have made me a better person.”
Stoner isn’t surprised.
“This sport teaches you perseverance and humility,” the coach said. “I’m not surprised Ana and those other girls are best friends. They show up at the same major tournaments, learn from each other, talk to each other.
“They are similar in personality and determination. That’s why they’re successful.”
