#TeamUSATuesday: Women’s National Team member Alexandria Glaude

Alexandria Glaude is currently the No. 3 wrestler at 68 kg/149.5 lbs. for Team USA’s Women’s Freestyle National Team.


In addition to being on the National Team, Glaude is still a member of the McKendree University wrestling team, where she recently won a WCWA Nationals title at 155 lbs. She won a bronze medal at the 2018 U23 World Championships. Even more recently, Glaude completed an international tour where she traveled, trained, and competed in Germany and Bulgaria.


Glaude took time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions. Here are her top answers.

What is your favorite movie?

I’m going to say Mulan. It’s my favorite because she is one of the only Disney princesses who is truly strong on her own and I love that she saved the entire country basically by herself. All odds were stacked against her and she still succeeded.


What is your favorite food when you’re not watching your weight?

My grandma’s cooking. Anything that she makes.


What is your favorite sport to watch other than wrestling?

Probably gymnastics. I think it’s really awesome what they can do with their bodies and how athletic they are. I don’t think I could do a fraction of what they do so I have respect for them.


What is your favorite place you’ve travelled to?

I would say Vatican City this past year. I always dreamed of being able to visit as a kid, and so when I got the opportunity to actually see it, it was everything I expected and more.


What is something you’re afraid of?

I’m afraid my flight being the one in a million that crashes.

What do are some of your hobbies off of the mat?

I just started a YouTube channel, and everything on there is completely unrelated to wrestling. I post makeup tutorials, hair videos, and stuff like that.


What was the motivation behind starting those pages?

There was a point where I felt like I started taking wrestling too seriously, and I had always enjoyed makeup and all things beauty and cosmetics, but I veered away from that to focus on wrestling. I realized I needed something that was fun, had no pressure behind it, and that I just really enjoyed that I still felt represented me as a person. So, I was kind of like, “Why not?” and just went for it.


What is your major in college?

I’m double majoring in sociology and communications with a minor in ethnic studies. I feel like my answer to that is just a testament to the person I am. I’m pretty interested in everything; such as social life, social justice, speaking to people, and just trying to make an impact. I didn’t feel like just one major gave me everything I wanted to study.


What are your plans for after your wrestling career?

I don’t know when the end of my wrestling career is going to be, so I’m just hoping that through wrestling I can hopefully have a platform to help make in impact in smaller communities and things like that.


How did you get involved in wrestling?

My sophomore year of high school I had friends on the wrestling team, and they pushed me and encouraged me to come out for the wrestling team because they thought I would be decent. I had no idea what wrestling was at that time and I was still playing basketball, so I made a bet with them that if I got cut from the basketball team, I would go out for the wrestling. I didn’t think I was going to get cut, but I did.


What advice would you give a younger wrestler?

I would tell them to just be open and have fun with and see where it takes them. I would tell them to for sure finish out the season.


Do you have any pre match rituals?

I always pray with my coach before my matches. If he’s not there, I just pray by myself. I also give myself 5-10 minutes to wind down and reflect. I don’t like to listen to music before my matches, I like to get into a calm and collected state so I can go out there with an eased mind.


What motivates you?

That internal drive to be the best version of myself in whatever area of my life that is. I feel like especially through wrestling, I’ve almost eliminated the idea of not giving my best in any area of my life.

What did it feel like to win a WCWA title?

It was exciting, but more than anything it felt reassuring that I was doing the right things and on the right path.


What did you take away from your recent international tour?

I think the biggest takeaway it that I need to be more adaptable. There’s never a point in time where there’s not something to learn and things to get better at. I’m never going to be perfect, so I need to not get frustrated, learning how to reset during matches, and adapt to change. Whether that’s wrestling wise, bad travel, or things not being able to go the way you expected them to, you have to be able to adapt on the spot.

The Glaude File

Born: April 30, 1998

High School: Christian Brothers High School

College: McKendree University

Club: Titan Mercury Wrestling Club

Hometown: West Sacramento, Calif.

Twitter: @Glaudiator

Instagram: @maczandria @glowwithglaude

YouTube: Alexandria Glaude

• 2018 U23 World bronze medalist

• 2019 WCWA champion

• 2017 Junior World Team member

• 2017 UWW Women’s National Championships Junior champion

• 2017 Women’s University Nationals runner-up

• 2017 WCWA Nationals All-American (5th place)

• Fargo Junior All-American