Before coming to Andover as a Junior, Co-Captain Ophelia Lee ’26 had never wrestled before. Yet, her background in Muay Thai sparked her interest in joining the team. Now, as a Wrestling Co-Captain, Lee leads with an emphasis on fostering connections among her teammates and promoting a hardworking atmosphere.
Lee did not find immediate success on the mat, enduring a difficult first season. Rather than discouraging her, she grew from her losses by training throughout the following summer.
“[In my first year,] I had one win with eleven losses, so not great. But then I joined my team back home at my local high school, and I trained with them over the summer. Because of that, I had a much better season the next year,” said Lee.
Remembering what encouraged her to continue competing in the sport, Lee shared that she prioritizes ensuring her teammates feel supported and explained how she works to create that environment.
“I am definitely trying to create a close-knit girls’ team. That is what really inspired me to stay in the sport. We would go to dinner together as a girls’ team for everyone to get to know each other, and I try to get to know all of them on an individual basis as best as I can, being there to support them in practice, helping them after practice, and also during matches. At the end of the day, I want everyone to have a good time wrestling,” said Lee.
Regardless of the sport, most athletes rely on a mentor or coach to guide their development. For Lee, that role was filled by Coach Thomas Pankey, a coach from her hometown, who Lee identified as a major influence for igniting her love for the sport. Lee reflected on how Pankey’s support pushed her to improve, shaping both her growth as a wrestler and her understanding of what makes a strong mentor and leader.
“Coach Pankey, my wrestling coach back home, is my main source of inspiration. There are a bunch of them back home, but he helped me a lot, especially. My team was all guys, and he really made me feel included and gave a lot of personal attention, [which] really helped me improve and made me love the sport a lot more,” said Lee.
Toni Elliott ’27 highlighted how Lee’s emphasis on building connections is evident in her leadership, as well as her commitment to leading by example. Even while injured, Lee continues to push herself to improve, remaining actively engaged in practices and supporting her teammates from beyond the mat.
“She is always really enthusiastic about helping people out, whether that’s learning a move, if somebody needs something at a meet, or if they have questions about how something works. Especially with new wrestlers, she is really good about always being ready to talk to them. On top of that, she does a really good job leading by example, putting a lot of effort in during practice and outside of practice, working even on days when we don’t have practice. Right now, she is injured, so she can’t actually wrestle during practice, but she is still always working on the edge of the mat,” said Elliott.
For newer members on the team, Lee’s leadership plays a key role in creating a sense of unity. By maintaining a consistent positive presence, Lee helps create a supportive yet hardworking environment. Devin Akyali ’29 shared how this approach has shaped his experience on the team.
“This is my first year, so I was pretty nervous at the start of the season, but [Lee] was always super friendly and always had a smile. She makes people, especially new wrestlers, feel comfortable. The day before our matches, she always tells everyone to do their best and give it their all, reminding us that at the end of the day, that’s all you can do. She’s never too intense and always has a positive demeanor, whether people are winning or losing. Even though wrestling is an individual sport, Ophelia makes it feel like we’re all working together as a team,” said Akyali.
This past December, Lee competed at the Beast of the East Tournament held in Delaware. In late February, she will compete at the National Prep Tournament in the 126-Pound division and hopes to cap her season with the best possible result.
“After I competed at Beast of the East, it made me really want to win All-American at [the] National Prep [Tournament]. So that’d be my biggest goal if that’s possible. I just want to end this season with a bang and do as much as I can,” said Lee.
