CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Following a stellar showing at the Mid-South Conference Championships, the Campbellsville University women's wrestling program hauled in major individual conference honors, with Makennah Craft being named the MSC Freshman of the Year and McKayla Campbell being voted the MSC Assistant Coach of the Year.
Craft's freshman campaign has been nothing short of spectacular. The Jackson, Ohio native stamped her authority on the conference by capturing the 103-pound weight class at the MSC Tournament Championships, dismantling her bracket to claim her first collegiate conference title.
Her immediate success comes as no surprise to the Campbellsville coaching staff. Craft arrived at the Hord Wrestling Facility as the undisputed #1 recruit in the country, boasting a pristine 126-0 high school record, four Ohio state championships, a Fargo runner-up finish, and a Women's Ironman title.
When she signed with the Lady Tigers, Head Coach Lee Miracle predicted exactly this kind of production, noting that Craft "is the kind of athlete that can make an immediate impact and ignite a fire in others around her." Bringing a tireless work ethic and a fierce competitive edge, she has more than delivered on her promise to be a leader in the room.
Working closely with Craft all season is Assistant Coach of the Year McKayla Campbell, whose transition from a highly decorated Lady Tiger athlete to an elite coach continues to pay dividends for the program.
Campbell's resume on the mat is legendary. As a competitor for Campbellsville, she was a 2020-21 NAIA Individual National Champion, a 2021-22 NAIA Team National Champion, a three-time NAIA All-American (2019, 2021, and 2022), a 2019-20 MSC Wrestler of the Year, a 2018 MSC Freshman of the Year, a 2020 and 21 MSC Champion, and a 2019 and 2020 WCWA National Runner-Up. Now, she is using that championship pedigree to elevate the next generation of Tigers.
For Craft and Campbell, this season is the continuation of a long-standing mentorship. Campbell previously coached Craft on Team Ohio, building a bond that ultimately helped bring the nation's top recruit to Campbellsville.
"I was going through the roughest time of my life and didn't wrestle well," Craft said of her time with Team Ohio prior to joining the Tigers. "She supported me when I wasn't anything. That is just the kind of people I want to surround myself with."
With conference honors secured, Craft, Campbell, and the rest of the Lady Tigers will now turn their attention to the ultimate prize as they prepare for the NAIA Women's Wrestling National Championships.
