Former ASU wrestler Marlee Smith using platform to inspire other women in wrestling

Marlee Smith wants to get to a point where choosing between a great education and wrestling collegiately doesn’t have to be normal for girls in wrestling.

Smith has been a pioneer in wrestling since high school.

Smith grew up in New Jersey and played several sports, including football. Unafraid to join male-dominated sports, she followed her brother into wrestling and found her new passion.

“It was something I really loved to do. I used to beat up on the boys when I was little and that was a nice feeling, I guess. I just stuck with it,” Smith said.

After wrestling for several years at High Point High School in New Jersey, she moved to become part of the first girls’ program at Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory in Pennsylvania. Smith could’ve competed for one of the few colleges that had women’s wrestling, but she wanted something more.

A visit to a camp run at ASU during her junior year left her wanting to return and help blaze another trail at the collegiate level.

“It felt like home to me. I knew some wrestlers prior to coming here so it was like I had a little family here,” Smith said.

Smith started off at the Sunkist Kids Regional Training Center during her freshman year and was the only student of the four women training. Her work ethic impressed the coaches, who also coach at ASU, and gave way to Smith becoming the only woman on ASU wrestling’s roster.

“I knew I wasn’t going to get a great wrestling career or a great education. I thought if I came here, I could have both. Maybe not the best way to go with wrestling, but that’s what I wanted and it was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Smith said.

More girls' wrestling: Athletes have few college options in Arizona

Smith saw firsthand the unending challenges of becoming a pioneer.

Smith worked towards competing in tournaments as an athlete with ASU, but hit roadblocks. First, the pandemic cut into her sophomore and junior seasons. Then during last season, Smith had tournaments lined up but was denied funding from the Sun Devil Athletics Compliance Office.

“It’s hard because being the only female at ASU, it’s hard to get that push towards having a team and have a big support system. Even though we do have a lot of supporters who would love to have a team here, it’s just a matter of money," Smith said.

ASU previously said in a statement to The Republic that "University funds available to support these additional types of participation may be limited, especially when the NCAA has sanctioned a sport but the university is not represented by team.”

Smith ultimately decided to retire as a competitor, but has not stepped away from the sport and doesn’t plan to. She’s shifted into a new position as a promoter for women’s wrestling and will continue her imprint on the next generation with her new position helping the girls' program at Chandler Basha High School under head coach and former ASU wrestler Michael Garcia.

“I’m super excited because I’ve coached little kids and helped out before, but I did a camp at Basha this summer and it was probably the biggest camp I’ve ever ran," Smith said. "We had a good number outcome. I’ve talked to a lot of the girls and the coaches and they’re all so excited that I’m going to be working with them. That just makes me more excited.

Working with the next generation of wrestlers aligns with Smith’s overall goals. Her end goal of earning her master’s degree in social work at Grand Canyon is to dedicate her career to helping children. Smith currently volunteers at the pediatric ICU floor of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Wrestling’s impact on her life is still around as she stays near her former teammates at Sunkist to run social media.

“I’ve been thinking about being a child life specialist and working in a children’s hospital or working in a school setting. I’m really figuring that out still, but I know I want to work with children for sure,” Smith said.

Related: How Sunkist Kids coach Mark Perry built an elite women’s wrestling club

Her position at a Power Five institution with recent success has drawn attention for NIL deals, including a recent deal with Degree Deodorant. The program selected 19 athletes across the country to share their stories of overcoming adversity.

For Smith, being the only woman in a male-dominated sport earned her a spot.

But even though she’s getting more interest in women’s wrestling through NIL deals, there's still a ways to go for the sport.

When Smith heads to Basha this season to help with the girls’ team, she hopes that the athletes will one day not go through the struggles she faced in her career. There’s still hope that ASU will join Iowa as another Power Five institution with Division I women’s wrestling.

“I’m hoping we are the next,” Smith said. “If we ever got a women’s team, I would definitely have thoughts of coaching and being involved.”

Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz. 

Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former ASU wrestler Marlee Smith promoting other women in wrestling