Plainfield Central senior Alicia Tucker is the Herald-News Girls Wrestler of the Year

When Alicia Tucker lost in the 170-pound state championship match in 2024, it left a taste in her mouth she wasn’t too familiar with: defeat.

It was a taste the Plainfield Central senior knew she never wanted to experience again, so she set out last offseason and this year to ensure she made her way back atop the podium.

Mission accomplished, as she won the second state title of her high school career while losing only one match all season. It was a nice way to cap her high school career on the mat.

“It was really surreal when it happened,” she said. “I really couldn’t even believe it. I know I put in all the work for it throughout the entire season. Being able to watch that hard work come to life was amazing.”

Off the mat, she’s now earned one last honor before heading off to college: Herald-News Girls Wrestler of the Year.

“It feels pretty good,” Tucker said of earning the recognition. “I was super excited when I found out.”

Tucker more than earned the award. She went 33-1 this season, often pinning her opponents with ease. At the state tournament in Bloomington, she won her first two matches by fall, won the semifinal by 8-4 decision and grinded out a 5-0 decision in the 170-pound final.

The senior closed her high school career with a record of 103-5 with two state championships after winning it all at 150 pounds her sophomore year.

It was the state runner-up finish in 2024, however, that helped fuel her fire this year.

“It was huge,” she said. “I knew that with me being a senior, winning state wasn’t just a dream of mine. It was something that I had to do. It was a now-or-never moment, almost."

Plainfield Central girls wrestling coach Kyle Hildebrand added that the entire offseason for Tucker was about never settling. The mindset of wanting to be the best and not wanting to taste that defeat again drove her throughout the season.

“We talked about the idea of not being satisfied,” Hildebrand said. “We’re not satisfied until we’re up on the podium, and she lived by that every day in practice. She came in, worked hard, fought to make sure she wasn’t satisfied until she was down [at state].”

Although the hard work was hers and the determination came from within, Tucker said without her coaches and teammates, this never would’ve been possible.

“Honestly, just having them there to support me at state and tournaments was awesome,” she said. “It wasn’t just the girls team, but the boys team, as well. ... Just having them come to practice and help me before state was exactly what I needed.”

This isn’t the end of Tucker’s wrestling career. She says she has “about six or seven” college scholarship offers right now, but remains uncommitted. Wherever she goes next, she expressed gratitude for her time with the Wildcats. Hildebrand expressed the gratitude right back.

“She is a trailblazer at the school,” he said. “She’s the first girls wrestler to get a state championship, to win two state championships, to have over 100 wins, to be a three-time state finalist and a three-time conference champion. She is the record book, and that will be the bar to reach for in this program moving forward.”

As for any aspiring future wrestlers of the year, Tucker had one piece of simple advice.

“Definitely just show up,” she said. “Showing up for practice is huge no matter how you’re feeling. Conditioning, learning technique and showing up during offseason is all big.”