When she started wrestling as a high school junior, Westminster High School Senior Dakota Hull never would have believed that she would end up a state champ.

But here she is, the best 145-pound female wrestler in the state.  

Dakota won the title on Saturday, February 15th by pinning her opponent and capping an undefeated season. “If you would have told me I would be state wrestling champ, I would have laughed in your face,” she said last week during an interview in the Westy wrestling gym. “I saw my family out there and just started crying. It was an amazing moment.”

Dakota began judo classes when she was eight years old which gave her many of the skills that would come in handy as a wrestler, but she is quick to add that her success has as much to do with her mental approach to the sport than physical strength and stamina.“I would say that 80 percent of wrestling is just mental and discipline. From a young age I have just had that drive to be better every day.”

Dakota actually lives in Thornton but chose to “choice in” to Westy, not because of the wrestling program, but because she plans to become an aerospace engineer and loves the high school’s program. “Pretty much all I can remember (growing up) is wanting to be an engineer and Westy has definitely set me up for that career.”

In the spring of her Senior year, Dakota has a new possibility to consider. In addition to pursuing the best education available to her, she is now looking into the prospect of a wrestling scholarship.