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NILES — Junior Maddison Ward, of Brandywine, has committed to wrestle for Grand Valley State University.

Ward will join the Lakers’ women’s wrestling team in 2025, a year after its inaugural season. She will wrestle for new Coach Jake Short, who was tabbed by the university to run the program in August.

Grand Valley State relaunched its men’s wrestling program in 2021 and is competing as a varsity sport starting this year.

Ward, who is a multiple state qualifier, who placed seventh in the state in 2022 and finished third last March as she defeated Saline’s Tearirah Elsemann 4-3.

Ward said she looked at the University of Iowa and Sienna Heights University before picking the Lakers.

“After considering what I was looking for to pursue my wrestling career, I knew right away the coach at Grand Valley was a perfect fit to my goals,” she said. “They also provide my major I want and have a family oriented atmosphere. Overall, I have nothing negative to say about the college.”

Ward, the daughter of Marty Ward and Lynda Sallee, will study kinesiology and physiology in order to pursue a physical therapist career when she is done wrestling.

Brandywine will open its 2023-24 girls wrestling season Dec. 16 at the Parchment Invitational. The boys wrestling season will begin Dec. 6 with the Bobcat Quad. Ward will be wrestling both schedules.