Carrollton High School wrestler Madison Cooley finished as a national runner-up at the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) National Championships — also known as High School Nationals — marking a huge milestone for the girls wrestling program.

In many ways, head coach Allen Newton refers to Cooley as a trendsetter for the team, even though she would likely be the last one to boast about it.

“She’s the first girl we’ve had that’s ever wrestled in this tournament,” Newton said. “She’s our first All-American and our first national finalist, and she comes back to school as humble as ever.”

Newton says he has noticed that Cooley’s upbringing is one of the biggest reasons for her humility.

“Her mom and her dad — they don’t baby her,” Newton said. “They have high expectations of her in the classroom, as a person, as a sister and as a teammate, and I think that’s one reason she’s so humble and has been able to have so much success.”

Cooley, competing in the 152 weight class, entered the tournament unseeded and ended up pinning the No. 2 seed from Wyoming and the No. 3 seed from North Carolina, among others, on the way to a finals appearance.

The junior wrestler competed in the event for the first time last season but was eliminated on day two. This year, her level of success was a bit unexpected.

“I was going there just to improve from last year — maybe win one more match or hopefully get All-American,” Cooley said. “So, I didn’t expect this.”

Carrollton’s girls wrestling program has experienced much success over the first few years of existence, including winning both traditional and duals state championships as a team back in 2023.

Head coach Allen Newton says one of the main contributors to this success has been having girls like Cooley on the team.

“She’s a hard worker,” Newton put it simply. “I told her this weekend, she’s gone from being a very athletic wrestler to a really good wrestler, and it’s because she’s so coachable and she’s hard working.”

Along with her successful wrestling career, Newton says Cooley is also one of the best players on the girls’ lacrosse team at Carrollton. Newton is an assistant lacrosse coach, and that was ultimately how Cooley got into wrestling.

“I started (lacrosse) when I was in eighth grade for fun,” Cooley said. “Every day, (Newton) would nag me about trying wrestling, and I had a cousin who wrestled, so it was already in mind.”

Balancing these two different sports while also being successful in school can be difficult, but Cooley says for her, it is really not that hard.

“I think it helps because the teachers here are very considerate,” Cooley said. “Also, the schedule I have laid out helps me balance it out.”

Just a few years after starting her multi-sport journey, Cooley is an All-American wrestler looking to accomplish even more heading into both the upcoming freestyle season and her senior year coming this fall.

Cooley also says she hopes that her accomplishments will influence younger wrestlers in the program.

“Maybe me being All-American now (will encourage) them to take the time to make that little drive to go and train, ask for help with training or go to the gym a bit more.”

Newton says he hopes that other wrestlers will hear Cooley’s story and use it as motivation to train for wrestling during the offseason.

“Madison’s great, but she wasn’t great on day one,” Newton said. “Her first year, there were tournaments she didn’t place in, and then she ended up getting second in the state her freshman year because of the work and the training.”

Cooley’s future plan is to become a teacher, so influencing a younger generation comes naturally.

“Since I want to be an educator, I feel like I should just want to be a role model,” Cooley said. “I know someone is always watching me, so of course I want to be a role model.”