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Blake blazing new trail for North Tama by signing with Simpson

North Tama senior Briar Blake (seated) pictured alongside her parents Sara and Phil Blake on Friday, March 21, in the North Tama gym commons after signing her letter of intent to wrestle for Simpson College next season. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama senior wrestler Briar Blake signs her letter of intent with Simpson College on Friday, March 21, in the gym commons in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama senior wrestler Briar Blake smiles after signing her letter of intent with Simpson College on Friday, March 21, in the gym commons in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Redhawk senior wrestler Briar Blake (center front) pictured alongside her coaches including head coach Andrew Knaack (standing), assistant coach and grandpa Dave Nicol (left), and assistant coach Brice Girkin (right) last Friday, March 21, in the North Tama gym commons after signing her letter of intent to wrestle for the Simpson College Storm next season. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
North Tama senior Briar Blake (seated) pictured alongside her family including (l-r) brother Weston, mom Sara, sister Grace, and dad Phil last Friday, March 21, in the North Tama gym commons after signing her letter of intent to wrestle for Simpson College next season. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TRAER – Redhawk Briar Blake is headed to Indianola next season to join the Simpson College Storm NCAA Division III women’s wrestling squad.

On Friday, March 21, with her family by her side in the North Tama gym commons, Blake signed her letter of intent with Simpson, making history as the first Redhawk female student-athlete to wrestle at the collegiate level. The two-time state medalist has come a long way after only taking up the sport some three years ago, capturing bronze at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) state wrestling tournament at 170 pounds in 2024 before taking sixth place this season.

“It’s close to home. The campus is nice and it’s not too big,” Blake said when asked how she decided on Simpson over the University of Dubuque, the other program she was mulling. “The coach [Jeff McGinness] is also really nice.”

“I knew Jeff McGinness. He’s a four-time state champ, two-time Iowa champ. That helped her decide,” Blake’s grandpa and Redhawk assistant coach Dave Nicol – a Division II All-American wrestler himself from Cedar Falls – said on Friday while watching with pride as his granddaughter signed her letter. “She’ll learn a lot [from McGinness]. And she’ll have some real competition.”

While at Simpson, Blake plans to pursue a degree in business management and possibly make more history as no female Simpson wrestler has achieved All-American status — yet.