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Rockland native and Oceanside High School alum Maddie Ripley, who made national headlines in 2023 by becoming the first girl to win an individual state wrestling championship in Maine while competing against boys — then repeating the feat last year — confirmed on Monday that she will continue her wrestling career at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“I’m very happy (with the decision), I kind of waited until the last minute,” Ripley said with a laugh. “I had to make a decision.”

Western New England University is a Division III program, which does not give out athletic scholarships. Western New England went 17-4 this season. The Golden Bears also had seven grapplers qualify for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships. The program is led by second-year coach Tyler Keane.

“(Keane) is a great coach, he’s been following (my career) for three or four years now,” Ripley said. “He’s been non-stop texting and calling me, he really wanted me there. He just wants me to work on my style and develop me as a wrestler. I just thought it was a really good fit.”

“It’s a beautiful campus. And the dining hall is three stories, though that’s not what (ultimately) sold me (on the school).”

Ripley enters the collegiate wrestling game at an excellent time. In January, the NCAA declared women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport, recognized for Divisions I, II and III.

Ripley won’t just wrestle at Western New England, she will also play field hockey, which she hasn’t played since her senior season at Oceanside. She said the opportunity to do both helped in her decision.

“I missed doing multiple sports, especially this year,” Ripley said. “Field hockey is my fun sport, and wrestling is what I get serious for. I just missed that. I also get to meet so many more people doing multiple sports, and it always helped me get into shape for wrestling.”

While Ripley said Western New England was always her top choice, King University, located in Bristol, Tennessee and East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania were also in the running.

Ripley, who now wrestles strictly against girls, is currently wrapping up her postgraduate year at Wyoming Seminary in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, competing for the top-ranked girls wrestling program in the nation, according to USA Wrestling. Ripley helped the program to its second consecutive team title at the National Prep Wrestling Championships in February at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It’s the second straight girls national title for the Blue Knights, and the fourth national title for the girls program since its formation in 2017. Ripley finished runner-up in the 114-pound class, falling to Marie Sharp of Blair Academy of Blairstown, New Jersey.

“Even though I lost (in the title round), it felt great to win as a team, just because we’re so close,” Ripley said. “We do everything together, so it was really great to celebrate.”

Ripley finished fourth in the 110-pound division at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in Hoffman Estates, Illinois back in December. In November, she won the 110 title at the East Stroudsburg Open.

“Maddie is great,” said Wyoming Seminary girls wrestling coach Bret Fry back in January. “Aside from her wrestling skills, she’s one of the most likable kids we’ve had at Sem. That’s the first impression that jumps out: she’s a sweetheart of a kid. The progress that she’s made since she’s been here is unreal. … To win the East Stroudsburg, as a high schooler, that’s a pretty big deal. And she did it in dominant fashion, too — it wasn’t even close. She’s a great student, good on campus. I wish we had 10 more Maddie Ripleys here, to be honest with you.

“She’s already demonstrated that she can compete at the highest college level right now. Wherever she decides to go to college, she will make the podium as a freshman. You can quote me on that. She’ll make the podium as a college freshman, if not near the top.”