International experience from Bullen, Campbell and Rivera add strength to Campbellsville roster

Grace Bullen, McKayla Campbell and Andribeth Rivera all represented different nations at the 2017 Junior World Championships this summer. Now this talented trio steps onto Campbellsville University’s campus as teammates, looking to excel for the Tigers.

The three traveled to Tampere, Finland, in August for the 2017 Junior World Championships. Bullen of Norway wrestled her way to a bronze-medal at 59 kg, while Campbell of the United States and Rivera of Puerto Rico were able to get more international matches under their belts at 48 kg and 55 kg, respectively.

Bullen, ranked No. 5 in the World on the Senior level, is a strong force on the international scene with an immense amount of experience and multiple accolades. She is a 2014 Cadet World champion, 2017 Junior World bronze medalist, 2016 Golden Grand Prix champion, three-time Junior European champion and 2017 Senior European champion, just to name a few.

Originally from Eritrea, in the Horn of Africa, Bullen and her family escaped to Norway as refugees during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.

So how did she end up in Kentucky, USA? She chased after the idea of wrestling and getting an education in the U.S.

“Wrestling is not that big here in Norway, so for me to go and be great in something that I love, I needed and still need some changes,” Bullen said. “I need to learn another style of wrestling that I don’t match up well with. I know a lot about the European wrestling style, and now I need to get some knowledge about another one.”

Bullen sent out an email inquiring about college opportunities, and one coach responded, Campbellsville head coach Lee Miracle. The two communicated back and forth, which led Bullen to commit to the Tigers.

Before journeying to the U.S., the Norwegian strung together a busy summer, wrestling at both the Junior and Senior World Championships. It was her first Junior Worlds and her second Senior Worlds.

In Finland, Bullen bulldozed her way to pins over 2017 Yasar Dogu bronze medalist Altynay Satylgan of Kazakhstan in 1:56 and Ayse Vatansever of Turkey in 2:54 to put her in the semifinals, where she suffered a tough 7-4 loss to 2016 Cadet World silver medalist Anastasia Nichita of Moldova. The loss sent Bullen to the bronze-medal bout. There, she took out Junior Asian champion Jing Jiang of China with a fall in 4:44.

“Overall, I am not that happy with my performance in Finland,” she said. “For me, I wish I had done a lot of things differently. But in the end, it’s ok because I know that that tournament will be a part of the experience that will make a difference in my future. What I learned was that it’s really important to really be at the tournament or in that moment. And it doesn’t help that you wrestled really well the week before. Your mentality needs to be as well prepared as your physical readiness.”

Unfortunately, Bullen was only able to wrestle one match at the Senior World Championships in Paris, France, which she lost in a 3-1 battle to Oluwafunmilayo Adeniyi of Nigeria.

Regardless on the outcome of her summer, Bullen’s expectations remain high both on and off the mat and Campbellsville is the perfect place for her to reach her potential. 

“My ultimate wrestling goal is to be remembered, not just as a great wrestler on the mat but also as a great person off the mat as well. I want my type of wrestling to be known, not just my results,” Bullen said. “What I think that Campbellsville can help me with is to find more of myself. I’ve been wrestling for 16 years now in the same local club and with the same coach since I was 4. For me to just move to Campbellsville and learn the different culture will help me a lot as a person, and I believe that it also will make a difference on the wrestling mat.”

Fresh off her second appearance on the Junior World stage is Rivera, who took fifth in the 2016 Junior World Championships in Macon, France.

Now a sophomore at Campbellsville, Rivera credits her first year with the Tigers for getting her better prepared for Junior Worlds by providing her with multiple training partners and teaching her how to maintain her weight.

Rivera dropped her opening match to Elif Yanik of Turkey and was later knocked out of the tournament when Yanik failed to advance to the finals.

Although, she didn’t perform how she wanted in Finland, Rivera learned valuable lessons along the way.

“In my opinion, I don’t think I did as well as what my potential is, especially after preparing for months. Since the tournament, I’ve learned that I need to concentrate more on the opponent that’s in front of me and not look past anyone. That’s the most important,” Rivera said.

Ultimately, Rivera thinks Campbellsville can put her in a position to reach her Olympic-sized goals.

“I have a lot of goals in wrestling, but the primary one is to represent my country in the Olympics, and I think Campbellsville can help with that by giving me different looks and being able to constantly learn new things. I truly think Coach Miracle and Coach (Nicole) Woody can help me drastically in improving my wrestling so that I can represent my country the way it deserves to be represented,” Rivera said.

The Puerto Rican admitted the decision to move to the United States took a lot of careful consideration, but in the end, she knew it was the best way to take her wrestling to the next level.

“It was a very difficult decision for me because I was stable in Puerto Rico, but I decided to come to the United States to improve my wrestling,” Rivera said. “I chose Campbellsville because I already knew Coach Lee Miracle from when he came to Puerto Rico and saw me wrestle. He invited me to wrestle at Campbellsville but I was super indecisive and took a lot of time to answer.”

Despite language obstacles and having to leave her family, Rivera adjusted to the college wrestling life and its demanding schedule. As a result, she learned how to control her nerves and how to prepare herself for more frequent competition, which led her to her first WCWA national title.

At the WCWA Championships in Oklahoma City, Rivera began her championship run with two technical falls and a pin. In the semifinals, she edged out Hanna Grisewood of King, 5-4, but her finals match was even closer.

Against Dominique Parrish of Simon Fraser, Rivera led, 8-5, after the first, but Parrish came back full force in the second period, outscoring Rivera, 5-2, and tying the bout, 10-10, at the end of regulation. Thanks to a big four-pointer by Rivera in the first period, the Campbellsville freshman was awarded the win on criteria.

“I felt really happy, winning my first WCWA title because I worked really hard for it and I’m thankful for the help I received from my coaches. To be able to win the next three titles, I think I have to prepare myself just as well as last year and polish every little detail,” Rivera said.

Hoping to also make an immediate impact at the college level as a freshman is Campbell, who headed to Campbellsville, Ky., from Wauseon, Ohio.  

Campbell, a three-time U.S. age-group World Team member, competed in her second Junior Worlds this summer.

Similar to Rivera, Campbell lost her first match to Ankush Ankush of India and was not pulled back into the repechage. However, she left the tournament with a mature mindset of by taking in everything as an opportunity to get better.

“The biggest lesson I took away from Junior Worlds is to just have fun,” Campbell said. “Yes, you go to compete and become the best in the world, but you have to remember that it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you should make the most out of it. I have been trying to look at anything I do as an opportunity to improve and that I shouldn't let it go to waste, ever.”

Campbell, who finished fifth at the 2015 Cadet World Championships, comes to the Tigers as a 2015 Cadet and Junior Freestyle national champion, four-time Fargo All-American and three-time folkstyle national champion.

For her, Campbellsville was an easy choice.

“I chose Campbellsville because I thought the campus was beautiful, the wrestling program was phenomenal and would push me to become an even better wrestler, and because the school has a very good education program,” Campbell said. “Also, my ultimate wrestling goal is to be able to win a World title, and I think Campbellsville will help me achieve that.”

Entering only its fifth year as a program, Campbellsville University’s women’s wrestling team, led by head coach Lee Miracle, has risen to prominence, not only on the college level but also on the international level. 

The Tigers have already proved they are a perennial power, producing top-six finishes in all four of its WCWA appearances and boasting six individual national titles from three wrestlers. In 2015, its second year of competing, the squad served up a runner-up team finish at the national tournament.

On the Senior level, Campbellsville has also put wrestlers on the U.S. Senior National Team, including 2017 U.S. National Team members Kayla Miracle and Koral Sugiyama at 58 kg/128 lbs. and 60 kg/132 lbs., respectively.

“Putting girls on the Senior National Team and or the World Teams is critical to our success,” Coach Miracle said. “When we have a student athlete make one of those teams it shows others in our program that it is possible. Success breeds success. Successful people are going to share certain characteristics like drive, self-reliance, discipline and passion. Those types of people attract people similar in nature. When you get a program filled with those types of people everyone wants to be a part of it. I think that is what we have started to do here at Campbellsville University.”

Youngsters like Bullen, Campbell and Rivera not only bring more experience to the room but they also bring a more cutthroat atmosphere, encouraging other wrestlers to work harder to keep their starting spots.

“I think that that they bring the level of expectations for the program up a couple of notches,” Miracle said. “I think that this kind of talent makes everyone on the team realize that they are not safe in their starting spots. We have All-Americans that may not be varsity wrestlers. This cuts down on complacency. Everyone is working hard in anticipation of wrestle offs. It is a great environment to have.”