Sarah Hildebrandt seeks higher success after making first World Team

Sarah Hildebrandt, shown at  2016 Dave Schultz Memorial International Photo by Tony Rotundo Wrestlers are Warriors

2016 World Team member and former King University women’s freestyle wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt is searching for more in her wrestling career.


In May, Hildebrandt had knee surgery following the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Iowa City, Iowa where she did not place. She took a break from wrestling to allow her knee to heal properly and didn’t return to the mat until September when she began training for the World Team Trials. Her time away from training was fortunately one of the best things she could have done.


“A break mentally, the need to crave to be back on the mat and get rid of the mundaneness of practice. I think that was really important and made me look at wrestling differently,” she said.


Hildebrandt proved her hunger to get back on the mat in November when she made her first Senior World Team by beating Olympic Trials runner-up and three-time World Team member Whitney Conder, two matches to zero, on the mat in New York City.


“That was awesome, that was great. And I think it all kinda played into how crucial it was to take some time off the mat,” she said.


Following the Non-Olympic World Team Trials, Hildebrandt competed in her first World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in December, where she lost to Mayu Mukaida from Japan and Ramona Galambos from Hungary to fall short of the medal rounds. It wasn’t the results that she had hoped for at Worlds, but she has managed to use her losses to push forward in her career.


“It was rough just mentally, not because I wrestled too poorly. I think because I just don’t believe in myself and I haven’t been on that stage very often as the No. 1 girl for the United States,” she said.


It’s all how Hildebrandt views herself now.


“Just recently, I started to define myself domestically as one of the better ones in the United States and it’s a whole other level defining yourself internationally. I think that’s a level I need to climb still. I’m kind of in between there and that’ll just come with experience. That’s how I stay positive about not medaling at Worlds. It’s all going to play in [making it to Tokyo 2020],” she said.


Being able to have her first Senior World Championships as a smaller event with only two weight classes among the women was beneficial for Hildebrandt. She was able to take it in, feeling at ease.


“I was really happy that I got to be there, and it wasn’t the whole hoopala of the Olympics. I got to take it in bits and pieces. It was more individualized and I was able to have more attention on me, which I think I needed for my first World Championship,” she said.


Hildebrandt was also able to compete alongside roommate Alli Ragan. The women have been roommates since their attendance at King University and now room together at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. They have established a strong friendship through the years. Being able to compete, travel and train together has brought invaluable security and support along the way.


“You have that support system everywhere you’re at. It’s not just in the wrestling room when you’re drilling someone. Maybe you had a bad practice and you’re in the locker room or bad practice and you bring it back to the room, someone is always there,” she said. “She’s kinda like a sister at this point, so it’s like having that person no matter where I’m at. We travel everywhere together as well so you always have security.”


Hildebrandt not only receives support from ‘honorary sister’ Ragan but also from her biological family.


The Hildebrandt family consists of older brother Cory, who was the one who originally got Sarah into wrestling, younger brother and Division I wrestler Drew, and younger sister Amy, along with parents Nancy and Chris.


Drew, who competes for Central Michigan, has helped Sarah grow as a wrestler and is constantly keeping in touch with her during their different seasons.


“He was my drill partner growing up and still is when I go home. He offers technical advice as well as mental advice. It’s been good, and we’re very close. I keep in contact with him all the time,” she said.


Although, Cory no longer wrestles and, according to Hildebrandt, “won’t even drill with them,” he is still constantly there supporting his younger siblings in their wrestling careers. Along with her parents, who take every chance they can to travel and see her compete, even when it’s overseas.


Hildebrandt has been training hard at the U.S. Olympic Training Center for her first tour of the new year. She will be competing next week at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Jan. 27-29. Hildebrandt, along with the women’s team will stay in Russia after the tournament for a training camp.


She will continue to train upon returning to the States in preparation for the 2017 U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, April 27-29.


And hopefully, her new perspective will pay off with more success at the highest level.