WASHINGTON - Former world and national champion wrestler Sally Roberts, the founder of the nonprofit organization Wrestle Like a Girl, will be the honorary coach for American University wrestling when the Eagles host Navy at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31. The match has been dubbed "Wrestle Like a Girl" Night and will celebrate and support the growth of women's wrestling.

SALLY ROBERTS

• Roberts, a former elite wrestler herself, spent eight years as a resident at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center.
• She was a three-time national champion, a 2003 World Cup Champion, a two-time world bronze medalist and a 2008 Olympic alternate.
• Roberts spent six years serving as a Special Operations soldier in the Army where she volunteered for deployment in Afghanistan and was also a member of the Army's prestigious World Class Athlete Program.
• She founded Wrestle Like a Girl in 2006 on the premise that girls can do anything and that through sport they can realize their full potential.
• In 2016, Roberts received the Women in Sport Award on behalf of United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee. In 2019, she was named USA Wrestling's "Woman of the Year" and recognized with an IOC "Women in Sport" achievement diploma.

WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL NIGHT

• Throughout the week, check out AU Wrestling on Twitter to read the student-athletes' thoughts on celebrating this fantastic organization.
• Roberts will be introduced prior to the start of Friday's match as the Honorary Coach.
• Three female wrestling matches will take place - one prior to AU's match and two at intermission - with three one-minute periods each. The matches will feature youth, junior high and high school wrestlers.
• Prior to the match and during intermission, the video boards at Bender Arena will feature promotion spots from the Wrestle Like a Girl (WLAG) foundation.
• Sisters of AU and Navy wrestlers will be offered free admission at the ticket table in the Bender Arena lobby.
• WLAG t-shirts will be thrown out to fans as part of the promotion.

HEAD COACH TEAGUE MOORE

• "I'm excited for American University wrestling to play host to "Wrestle Like a Girl" on Friday. The current growth of women's wrestling in the United States is creating opportunities and giving a new future to many girls in this country. I hope to continue to see more growth at the college level for the sport of wrestling and the women who want to take part."
• "Sally Roberts is a pioneer, helping grow the sport of wrestling for women in the U.S. She was one of our first world medalists on the women's side and she is a tremendous role model and hero for our girls to look up to." 

TICKETS

• For tickets to upcoming AU Wrestling home matches, click HERE.

FOLLOW ALONG

• For more information on AU Wrestling, follow the team on Twitter @AU_Wrestling, Instagram @au_wrestling and Facebook @AU.Wrestling.