THE AMBASSADOR
Lansing Eastern’s Olivia Delacruz poised for junior wrestling campaign
By TANYA GARCIA | Lansing News Wire
LANSING— Lansing Eastern’s Olivia Delacruz is back on the mat, and she has plans to return to Michigan’s High School State Championships at Ford Field.
“ It feels great to be back with the team, I’m even more excited for the new season,” Delacruz said.
DeLaCruz, 17, has much to be thrilled about after earning All-State honors at last year’s state competition, and being bestowed the title “The Ambassador” because of her back-to-back trips to State in her freshman and sophomore campaigns, and for being an outstanding student athlete representative of her school.
Delacruz also competes in cross-country, soccer, tennis and plays drums for the marching band at Eastern. She is a member of The National Honor Society and enjoys reading and writing, she said.
Her high school’s storied wrestling history is rich for its champions dating back nearly 100 years, and 1992 Olympic Gold medalist in Kevin Jackson. Delacruz rose to become Eastern’s first female wrestler to make it to State.
Now a junior, wrestling in the 115-120 weight class, she said she is more poised and ready to wrestle the best and her competition leading to her third straight trip to Ford Field with the Lansing Eastern Quakers.
“Qualifying for state my freshman year was never my goal,” Delacruz said. “ Aside from the feeling I get when I win a match and my friends and family congratulating me for my victory, my proudest moment as a wrestler has been my high school trips to wrestle for the State Championships to bring another wrestling title to Eastern.”
Delacruz finished eighth in her weight class last year by picking up two wins at State to make All-State status. It was a level up after going two and out on her first trip to the big dance in Detroit her freshman year.
Delacruz is coached by Lansing Eastern Head Coach Arnold Pulliam.
Delacruz said Pulliam puts her and the team through a rigorous training of preparation that is composed of conditioning, drills, and live wrestling.
Even though she promotes wrestling she is clear about it being ferocious in between the team camaraderie and individual success.
“ There is always the possibility of injuries and cutting weight is challenging. The advice I give others who want to start wrestling is to definitely make sure you’re up for it because it’s a tough sport.”
Delacruz will tell you she doesn’t remember her first wrestling match. What she does remember was being inspired by her older brother Benicio Delacruz and who introduced her to the sport when she was in the third grade, and she has stuck with it over the years.
To make it to State you have to have the grit and the right moves to be successful, and from all of the wrestling moves and techniques she said the double-leg takedown is what she calls her signature move in wrestling.
“Being a student-athlete has helped me grow as a person and given me the courage to try more things, be more bold and gain confidence in life and on the mat.”
LARRY ARREGUIN 
Raul Garcia