May 28, 2025
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Team Managers
MatBoss is pleased to announce the eight recipients of the 2025 MatBoss Manager Scholarship.
The MatBoss Manager Scholarship was established in 2018 to support high school and college wrestling managers across the country. Recipients are chosen based on their service to the sport of wrestling, academic achievement, honors and awards, as well as their involvement in outside activities and the community.
To be eligible for a MatBoss Manager Scholarship, the student's wrestling team must be a MatBoss customer and she/he must have served an active role as a manager on her/his team and be a high school senior or currently enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution.
The eight recipients were selected from a pool of 156 applicants in 36 different states.
The 2025 MatBoss Manager Scholarship recipients are Jiahe Li, Rio Casillas, Aly Rausch, Aubrey George, Lincoln Pankratz, Ashlyn Kephart, Cylin Carey and Peyton Timm
Congratulations to the eight recipients. Thank you for your service to wrestling.
Below is a brief biography on each of the recipients.
Serving as a wrestling manager for Franklin & Marshall College has been an invaluable experience for Jiahe Li, allowing for development of a diverse set of skills that extend beyond the wrestling mat.
"The role has sharpened my organization and time management, content creation and media management, and communication and teamwork skills, all of which will benefit me well beyond college," said Jiahe.
A major part of the manager role for Franklin & Marshall College wrestling team is overseeing social media content and video production.
"I have gained experience in shooting and editing highlight videos, conducting interviews, and posting engaging content that showcases our team's journey," said Jiahe. "Understanding how to create compelling digital content has been a significant learning experience, as I had to consider factors such as audience engagement, storytelling, and branding."
Being a member of a tight-knit sports team has reinforced the importance of collaboration, problem-solving and maintaining strong relationships within a group.
"Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills are essential in any professional environment," said Jiahe. "Whether working in a corporate team, collaborating on research projects, or engaging with clients, my ability to communicate effectively and contribute to group success will help me navigate various career opportunities."
Wrestling has always been a family affair for Rio Casillas. Her father has served as a coach and her two brothers competed at a high level for the past 10 years.
"Family is incredibly important to me," said Rio. "Being a team manager has allowed me to support my brothers while also contributing to my school's athletic program. Sitting matside watching them compete has been an amazing experience. I take great pride in playing a role, however small, in their success. Whether tracking stats, assisting the coaches, or simply cheering them on, I am grateful for the opportunity to support both my family and my team."
Rio served as captain of the wrestling managers at Mahomet Seymour High School in Illinois in her final two years. Her role equipped her with leadership, teamwork and organization skills.
"Becoming a team manager has grown my leadership abilities significantly," said Rio. "As a captain, I was entrusted with teaching the other statisticians how to use MatBoss, paper stats, TrackWrestling, and the basics of wrestling. I ran the wrestling team's Instagram account and created graphics for them. I also helped plan team events."
Rio plans to pursue a career in sports law. She believes the skills she developed will help her in her career going forward.
"My experience as a wrestling manager has been incredibly rewarding, shaping me into a more disciplined, organized, and effective leader," said Rio. "The skills I have developed will benefit me long after graduation."
Aly Rausch developed strong time-management skills to help her succeed as both a wrestling manager and full IB diploma candidate.
"I have continued to be pushed outside of my comfort zone and do things with my team that I could never imagine doing a few years ago," said Aly. "I have benefited from these experiences greatly. As a full IB diploma candidate, I for sure thought I would have a hard time managing both wrestling and my grades, but I have continued to prove myself wrong and excel in each one. Managing any sports team takes a lot of determination that many people overlook."
Aly attends Sumner High School in Washington, where she has excelled both in her role as a wrestling manager and in the classroom, earning a GPA of 3.93.
Her high school wrestling team was recognized at a tournament this past season for its flawless statistics and submissions into TrackWrestling. She credits MatBoss for its ease of use.
"I was able to enter these statistics into TrackWrestling so effortlessly by simply viewing our MatBoss videos and copying the information into the Track profiles," said Aly.
In addition, Aly has been a strong advocate of MatBoss. Not only has she used MatBoss to better her team but also convinced two other high schools to use MatBoss.
Since they have jumped aboard, their stats have become 10 times more accurate and efficient," said Aly. "I could not recommend MatBoss any more than I already do. It has truly helped Sumner High School's wrestling program so much."
Aubrey George became a wrestling manager in seventh grade and a year later was promoted to head manager for the Osakis (Minnesota) High School wrestling team. She used the word "privilege" to describe what it meant to be a wrestling manager.
"Being a wrestling manager has been such a privilege," said Aubrey. "It has been a privilege to be part of a team, make friends, learn new skill sets, and learn to be a responsible leader."
She saw her high school wrestling program make tremendous strides during her time as a wrestling manager, going from winning just two dual meets in a season with a small roster during her eighth-grade year to becoming a competitive team with a much larger roster in her senior year.
"Being part of this team from beginning to end has been a blessing," said Aubrey. "I wouldn't have had it any other way."
Aubrey's father Justin serves as the head wrestling coach at Osakis. His dedication to the sport has inspired Aubrey.
"I have watched my dad dedicate hours and hours every winter to this sport," said Aubrey. "He's running high school practices and elementary practices. He has worked with kids in the summer during wrestling camps through the school's summer rec program. Seeing his dedication and all of the time he put in has driven me to do my job as a manager as best as I could."
As head manager, Aubrey became a leader and taught new managers how to use MatBoss.
"I taught new managers how to run MatBoss and the basics of being a part of a team," said Aubrey. "I know the leadership skills that I acquired from managing will help me greatly throughout my life. I am so thankful for the opportunity I was given to grow these skills."
Lincoln Pankratz had several different responsibilities as a wrestling manager at O'Gorman High School in South Dakota. Some of those responsibilities included filming matches, updating records, and helping keep the team organized. Those responsibilities helped him in his job as a kitchen manager.
"Whether I'm scheduling shifts or handling inventory, the habits I've built through wrestling like being dependable, staying organized, and communicating clearly have helped me succeed and earn trust in a leadership role at work."
Lincoln has taken on bigger projects as a wrestling manager, including creating and editing a full-length documentary called "Mat Warriors," and running a youth wrestling tournament.
The "Mat Warriors" film, which can be viewed on YouTube, chronicles the O'Gorman High School wrestling team all season, including showing managers using MatBoss.
"Creating it took weeks of editing, organizing footage, and storytelling to make sure it honored the hard work of our athletes and coaches," said Lincoln. "Through this, I improved my video editing, time management and storytelling abilities."
Lincoln used TrackWrestling to run a youth wrestling tournament, which had 400 AAU wrestlers competing. The previous year had 300 AAU wrestlers, which he also ran.
"I managed rosters, entered tournament data, coordinated with team coaches and our high school wrestlers as the officials, and made sure everything ran smoothly," said Lincoln. "Organizing something that big taught me how to work with different people, think ahead, solve problems quickly, and stay calm when things got hectic."
He plans on studying aviation at Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, South Dakota. Lincoln believes his experience as a wrestling manager will help him in the next phase of his life.
"All of these experiences have built skills that I'll carry with me into the future," said Lincoln. "I've learned how to lead, communicate, stay organized, and handle pressure, all things that are important in any career or life situation. Being a wrestling manager wasn't just about sports; it was about stepping up, learning, and growing as a person."
As a wrestling manager at Grinnell Newburg High School in Iowa, Ashlyn Kephart has acquired several new skills and significantly improved other skills, like communication.
"First and foremost, my communication skills have improved," said Ashlyn. "Wrestling requires constant verbal interaction, whether it's talking to my team, speaking with the other school's coaches, or even the referees at meets. I've learned how to effectively communicate with wrestlers, coaches, and other team members to ensure that everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing and when things are supposed to be happening."
She wears many different hats in her role as a wrestling manager and often times has to be flexible to thrive in such a fast-paced environment.
"My ability to adapt and thrive in high-pressure situations has been a major takeaway from my experience as a wrestling manager," said Ashlyn. "Wrestling events are fast-paced and often unpredictable. Whether it's dealing with a tight deadline to have my iPads set up, a sudden change in plans, or managing an emotional moment for one of the wrestlers, I've learned to remain calm and focused under pressure. This skill has not only made me a better manager but has also taught me how to stay sensible in other aspects of my life, whether in professional environments or personal challenges. "
Ashlyn hopes to continue as a wrestling manager in college.
Organizational skills have been critical for Cylin Carey in managing the statistics for the Mineral Point (Wisconsin) High School wrestling team. She believes those organizational skills she developed as a wrestling manager will serve her well as she pursues an accounting degree at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
"Wrestling requires precise coordination for things like travel, schedules, and tracking athletes' progress," said Cylin. "As a manager, I've learned how to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, stay organized, and prioritize effectively. Managing the details of a wrestling season has taught me how to break down large tasks into manageable pieces, stay on top of deadlines, and remain flexible when unexpected changes occur. These organizational skills will be crucial in any future role where attention to detail and the ability to manage time effectively are required."
Cylin said using MatBoss made her job as a manager more efficient, further enhancing her ability to focus on helping the team succeed.
"MatBoss has played a significant role in making my job easier," said Cylin. "This tool allows me to track wrestlers' performance and how they are doing throughout the season. For many of the tasks, MatBoss has freed up more of my time to focus on the athletes themselves, ensuring they have the support they need. It has streamlined communication within the team. By making all aspects of the team's logistics more organized and accessible, MatBoss has greatly improved my efficiency as a manager."
Peyton Timm learned valuable leadership skills as a wrestling manager at Arlington High School in Nebraska.
"One of the most important skills I've gained as a wrestling manager is leadership," said Peyton. "In this role, I was responsible for guiding the team, supporting the wrestlers, and maintaining a positive environment. I quickly learned that leadership isn't just about giving instructions. It's about setting an example, motivating others, and earning the respect of your teammates."
Peyton plans on attending Wayne State University and the University of Nebraska College of Medicine.
"The skills I acquired as a wrestling manager will be essential as I move forward into my professional career, helping me navigate challenges, lead teams, and excel in any environment," said Peyton. "The added benefit of using tools like MatBoss has not only made my job easier but also increased my comfort with technology, preparing me for the increasingly digital workplace. MatBoss has streamlined many aspects of team management. It has made it much easier for me to keep track of wrestlers' records, manage practice schedules, and input tournament results. The platform's ability to track and analyze performance data also allowed me to assist the coaches in evaluating wrestlers' progress and preparing for upcoming matches."
