Tell us a little bit about yourself...

Hi there, my name is Linda Holeman, I am a sophomore from Preston, Conn., and I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and a minor in victimology with the goal of becoming a police officer and victim advocate. I have three younger siblings; one biological sister, and two adopted siblings who officially became a part of our family last December.

I have loved becoming involved within the Western New England University (WNE) campus, which includes being a member of the women’s wrestling team as well as a resident advisor (RA). I am also part of the student cadet program, black student athlete association (BSAA), student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC), captains’ council, the athletic representative for student senate, and a member of the criminal justice association, all of which have provided me with opportunities to connect with fellow students and members beyond our community.

Can you talk about what it means to you to be a member of the women’s wrestling team, and why you looked to continue wrestling in college?

When I applied, COVID was still prevalent so there was a big debate on whether or not I would continue wrestling - and even more of that depended on where I applied. In the end, it came down to the school (and team) that I thought was going to push me the most, and that saw my potential. I applied to a lot of schools, but Coach Sugermeyer was the only coach who reached out to me, saw my potential, and took the time to get to know me. After taking a tour and meeting with him in person, I knew I was going to come to WNE.

The women’s wrestling program is now under the leadership of Coach Keane, and he has continued to support me and my teammates. He’s been such an amazing coach - he pushes each of us to reach our weight goals, our training goals, and encourages us to unleash when we’re on the mat. The amount of belief that Coach Keane and Coach Sugermeyer have in us is inspiring, and definitely drives me to want to become a better wrestler, to compete harder, and put WNE women’s wrestling on the map.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the WNE wrestling program and its alumni, have taken the women’s team under their wings by showing up for us just as much as they have for the men. It has been a great experience, having them welcome us like that, coming to matches, and cheering us on. They have treated us the exact same way as our male counterparts, and I’m excited to continue watching our program grow – we’ll even have our first women’s program alumni after this year!

Overall being a part of this team and the WNE wrestling community has been amazing. The coaches, alumni, and fellow student-athletes have all cultivated a culture that is welcoming and driven for success. Having my coaches’ support has instilled a level of confidence in myself I didn’t have before. I’m naturally a very shy person that suffers from some anxiety, so coming out of my shell hasn’t always been easy. Thankfully, I had a friend on the team that helped me open up and feel more comfortable. Now as a sophomore, I’m looking forward to helping our incoming first-year students feel welcomed and get acclimated to collegiate wrestling.

Why was it important for you to get involved in so many areas of campus?

Honestly, a lot of what I’m involved in is helping me build relationships - here on campus and within the broader community, to which I hope to build connections that will help me after college. The student cadet program, for example, is helping me enhance my resume for when I want to become a police officer. This position alone has provided me the skills and ability to talk to our campus community, get training from our campus officers, and be a member of a team.

Now in your sophomore year, what are you looking forward to the most?

I entered college wanting to be a police officer, wanting to help and protect people. It wasn’t until I arrived here that I realized I wanted to do even more. It’s for that reason that I added the minor of victimology – and now I’m even considering adding a psychology minor to my degree. I’m excited to be able to find classes and peers that are interested in the same things as me. Having the tools necessary to advocate for people, be a resource and role model for others, is something I’m looking forward to this year in the classroom, on the mat, and within the community.

As for wrestling, I am proud of what I was able to accomplish as a first-year student – being able to attend the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC) in Cedar Rapids, IA, last year, and compete against the best in the country was a surreal experience. This year, I not only want to improve my pins record and drop a weight class, but I also want to get back to Nationals, finish in the top five, and become an All-American. With Coach Keane’s help, I’m confident that I’ll be able to achieve these goals and continue representing WNE women’s wrestling on a national stage.

Throughout the last year I have had the opportunity to meet younger female wrestlers that are coming to matches because they look up to me or see our program and its success. That alone has been very motivational. I’m excited to continue contributing to our program’s impact, by inspiring others to pursue female wrestling while challenging the stereotypes around strength and confidence, both in competition and within the community.

What would you share with alumni and future Golden Bears about WNE?

WNE is a very welcoming community. Everyone here encourages students to get involved, try new things, and meet new people. They’ve recently opened the Student Hub, which aims to help students become acquainted with available resources and make the campus more accessible for everyone.

The University is also providing more opportunities for student-athletes – starting athletic programs like women’s wrestling, women’s ice hockey, and track and field. A lot of colleges don’t value the student-athletes the same way WNE does, and while academics come first, I have found a community here. One where I can be a beast on the mat, but also a student rep on class-council or wear a uniform and patrol campus with the cadet program. Western New England certainly provides their students with a well-rounded experience.