That’s a win for Haverhill’s Cat McNulty! For the first time in history, Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School’s sole female wrestler McNulty took home a state title in her weight class late last month.
During the Feb. 23 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association girls’ wrestling tournament at St. John’s Prep competed in a female-only round against women from across the region. Competing in the 170-pound weight class, McNulty snagged the title after beating Springfield’s Aliceya Lopez in the final round.
“It was really exciting to win, a rush,” McNulty said. “I was over the moon about it. It had such meaning to me that Massachusetts now has their own women’s competition. I created history.”
Involved with the sport at Whittier Tech since her freshman year, McNulty started as the team’s manager before stepping into the ring. During her first outing, she made it three rounds before being pinned.
Her coach Ryan Richards is confident in his new champ’s ability. “Each year, she’s gotten better and better,” Richards said. “Next year, I know she’ll work hard to maintain her title.”