WWAY Student Athlete of the Week: Jewel Barden

WILMINGTON, NC(WWAY) — The WWAY Student-Athlete of the Week is Jewel Barden from Laney High School.

The junior just finished her second season of wrestling for the Buccaneers.

She took up the sport after watching her brother compete.

As a sophomore, Barden began her wrestling career with a record of 22-14, before improving to 30-6 this year.

Barden won the regional title in her weight class and made it to the state championships.

In addition to her impressive wrestling record, she’s a star in the classroom with a 3.99 GPA.

Barden said wrestling has been the most rewarding sport she’s ever pursued.

“It’s probably the hardest sport I’ve done, but I think the drive makes it so much easier to do,” Barden said. “Like having something that I’m fully committed to every day of the week just makes it like easier, you know. And I did try basketball, mainly because of my height, but it just didn’t like, it didn’t stick with me like wrestling did.”

Barden said her goal as a senior is to win the state championship, and she hopes to continue wrestling in college.