Cece Ravenelle finds success in debut varsity season, claims Super Region title

Even after winning the NCAA Super Region 2 title and competing in the first women’s NCAA National Championships, sophomore 138-lbs wrestler Kryssceah “Cece” Ravenelle said she wasn’t satisfied. 

After a year  at the club level, Ravenelle completed the first varsity season of her collegiate career, helping lead the Mountain Hawks in their inaugural Division I campaign. Before coming to Lehigh in fall 2024, she was a three-time World Team Trials All-American. 

“It’s definitely an honor, and just something that I’m very grateful for, because World Trials is definitely a very hard competition,” Ravenelle said. “You just see people that you’ve never seen before.” 

She said her success has never been measured by medals or records and that satisfaction doesn’t come easily to her. 

When Ravenelle and four of her teammates qualified for the championships in Coralville, Iowa, sophomore Olivia Adams said Ravenelle played a key role in that accomplishment. 

At the NCAA championship, the team earned three podium finishes and three All-Americans. Ravenelle advanced to the third round before being eliminated by No. 5 seed Jacinda Espinosa of Lindenwood University. 

In addition to her performance at the NCAA championships, Ravenelle placed fifth at the Grand View Open on Feb. 7 and won the NCAA Super Region 2 Tournament on Feb. 21.

“Winning the NCAA Super 2 at 138-lbs was surreal,” Ravenelle said. 

Sophomore teammate and friend Makynna Loepp said Ravenelle was upset with herself for not placing at the national tournament, reflecting her strong drive and competitive mindset.

“It is no easy feat to accomplish what Ravenelle did, but she never settles,” Loepp said.

Despite that, Loepp said it was rewarding to see the team’s progress after a demanding season.

“(There was) a lot of time invested, and it was a really great feeling to see the girls podium,” she said. “Even the girls who didn’t podium still had that opportunity.”

Loepp said Ravenelle’s motivation, both academically and athletically, stems from her family. After watching her brother wrestle recreationally, Ravenelle said she wanted to try the sport herself, despite her mother encouraging her to pursue something else. 

Ravenelle said she immediately took out her first opponent. From then on, she said she knew she had a true passion for wrestling. 

“I shot a double leg on this kid, took him down,” she said. “I loved it. I was like, ‘I love this.’” 

Ravenelle said in addition to her family being her athletic motivation, her grandmother served as her academic motivation. 

During Ravenelle’s childhood, she and her grandmother were very close. Eventually, her grandmother’s health declined, pivoting her life as a kid. Accompanied by her father, Ravenelle attended some of the appointments.

It was those appointment visits that helped carve Ravenelle’s path toward studies in neuroscience.

“I (wanted) to figure out what’s wrong. I (wanted) to be the one to cure her,” she said.

Adams said Ravenelle’s wrestling style is fast paced and always in motion. 

“She always has a lot of movement going on,” she said. “She’s never just stagnant on the mat, she’s always moving your head, fighting hands. I think that really throws a lot of girls off.” 

Adams said Ravenelle contributes to the team’s success and culture by pushing everyone to do their best and vocalizing her role on the team. 

She also said the team can only be described as a sisterhood and a tight-knit family. Loepp said even though the season was long, it was rewarding to see some of her teammates land on the podium.

“In the wrestling room, (Ravenelle is) honestly great,” Adams said. “She’s always pushing everyone to do their best. She’s very vocal in the room, and she’s just super supportive of getting the job done.”