When Zorina Johnson steps onto the mat at Memorial Coliseum this weekend, it won’t just be another tournament. It’ll be her fourth and final state appearance, and a milestone that once felt completely out of her reach.

“I would get so nervous at tournaments,” Johnson said, “to the point where I tried to quit.”

Now a senior, multi-sport athlete and Division 1 commit to Lehigh University, Johnson has had a wrestling career defined not only by wins, but growth, discipline and a mindset that has drastically developed over time.

Her introduction to wrestling came early. “I was four when I started,” she said. 

Like many other athletes, Johnson was introduced to the sport by her family. Her father, Lance Johnson, is a longtime wrestling coach who brought her into the program when she was still in preschool. “When I was little, I just did it because I kind of felt like that’s what everyone had to do,” she said. “Everyone has to wrestle.”

At such a young age, practices were manageable for her. But, tournaments were not.

“I liked practice, but I would get so nervous at tournaments,” she said, “there were months before, when I was younger, that I couldn’t sleep because I was so scared to wrestle.”

In fourth grade, Johnson recalls trying to avoid tournaments altogether. “I tried to quit,” she said, “My dad would be like, ‘Yeah, you don’t have to wrestle the tournaments.’ And I’d be so happy.”

“Then he’d be like, ‘But I did enter you, and I have your singlet and your wrestling shoes, and you’re up on mat one.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, great.’”

Despite her earlier reluctance, Johnson now sees those moments as crucial. “I was forced to wrestle when I was younger,” she said. “But I’m glad I was, because it taught me a lot, and now I love it.”

The love that Johnson has for the sport is obvious throughout her high school career. Johnson has not only established herself as one of the most dedicated members of the Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School women’s wrestling team, but also as a two-time state champion. This season’s district tournament, at Sandy High School on Feb. 13 and 14, 2026 marked another highlight.

“It went great,” she said, “Our girls wrestling team qualified all of our middle weights. We tied for the second most qualifiers for state in our region.”

Individually, Johnson also saw success, though her approach this time was different. “Usually my strategy in matches is to make them last as long as possible so I get more practice,” she said.

But this year, health considerations required a change. “This time, with health reasons, I got to try to win my matches as fast as I could,” Johnson said, “and that was really fun. Something different.”

With state approaching so soon, Johnson’s anticipation is obvious. “I’m very excited. It’s the fourth one. It’s gonna be special.”

For Johnson, the state tournament is more than just the end of a season. “State is fun because it’s not just the accumulation of our year,” she said, “I also get to see all my friends from the 13 years I’ve been wrestling now. So it’s really just like a big party with all my friends.” She’s spent over a decade in the wrestling community, and built relationships across clubs, schools and competitions.

Behind the scenes, her schedule reflects the intensity needed to compete at such an elite level. 

“In the heat of the season, I can do anywhere from two to three workouts a day,” she said. 

Mornings often start with cardio. “I’ll usually either do hills or run stairs,” she said. “It’s important in wrestling to get cardio from a non-wrestling thing.”

After school comes a two-hour long team practice, followed by an hour and a half of club practice. “It’s a lot,” she admitted, “but it’s really fun.”

Johnson also maintains a 4.0 GPA, and though balancing athletics and academics may seem overwhelming, she says that being busy actually helps her stay focused.

“For me, I’ve noticed that the more I pile on, the more productive I get. I actually have a harder time staying on top of my classes when I’m not doing as many things because I start to procrastinate. When I have three practices a day, I’m gonna do everything efficiently and get everything done.”

Her discipline and consistency recently resulted in one of the biggest decisions of her career; committing to wrestle at Lehigh. 

“Women’s wrestling is a very new and growing sport,” Johnson said. “Right now, there’s six Division I programs [for women].”

When she was evaluating schools, Johnson prioritized both academics and athletics. “I knew I wanted to go to a bigger school because I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to study,” she said. “Lehigh was the best school for STEM, rigorous-wise. So I was like, ‘Let’s do it!’”

Though she explored other highly ranked programs, the athletics were ultimately what sealed her decision. “I just really couldn’t give up that varsity experience. Being part of the NCAA tournament. It’s historic.”

This year marks a significant moment for women’s wrestling, with the introduction of a women’s NCAA championship. 

Johnson’s journey has unfolded alongside the rapid growth of girls’ wrestling. It’s a shift she has been able to witness firsthand. “I think the most amazing part is the community that it builds.”

Her experience being one of the earlier competitors in girls’ wrestling has created connections that extend beyond the mat. “I have friends that were the only other girls at 300 person tournaments when we were both four. So we hold a bond that I think will forever be between us.”

Though competition remains central, Johnson says that wrestling is ultimately about something bigger.

“My number one motivation, everything I do, is to bring glory to God,” she said. “Faith is a huge part of who I am.”

That perspective shapes the way that she approaches matches. “I try to have my mindset be gratitude. Grateful that I get to have a body that is able to do this. I’m grateful for the opportunity to compete.”

She also emphasizes growth over perfection. “I want to go out there and try to learn,” she said. “Holding nothing back, wrestling as hard as I can in every position, trying new things and being creative.”

Johnson’s earlier fear of wrestling was a necessary moment to become the confident athlete she is today. But that’s a lesson she hopes younger people will take to heart. “Try new things, especially ones that you’re scared of doing. You might find something you actually really love.”

As Johnson prepares for her final high school state appearance, and looks onward to college competition, she remains steady, passionate and resilient.

She will be competing at the Memorial Coliseum this Saturday, Feb. 28. Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster.