For Tricia Hull, stepping into the role of varsity head coach of the Geneseo High School girls’ wrestling team is more than a new title. It’s the continuation of something she helped build from the ground up.
Hull, who has been involved with the program since its earliest days as a club sport, takes over for Carley Rusk. Rusk led the program through its first four seasons and was named the first women's wrestling coach at St. Ambrose University last fall.
“It means a lot to me,” Hull said of the opportunity. “I helped build the program from a time when we were just testing things out to see if girls wrestling would be a good option to add.”
A native of DeWitt, Iowa, Hull attended the University of Northern Iowa, and just received a master’s degree in special education from Western Illinois University. She serves as a life skills teacher at Northside Elementary and is deeply rooted in the Geneseo community alongside her husband Matt and their four children: Grady, Dawson, Ivery and Hazel.
Athletics have always been an important part of Hull’s life. She competed in softball, volleyball and track during high school, and over the years she has coached and supported her own children through various sports. Wrestling, however, became a passion through family involvement and years of observing and learning the sport.
“I’ve been mat-side now for about 10 years with the boys,” Hull said. “Hazel wrestles also, and Ivory has wrestled a little bit. It’s been a lot of taking them to practices and sitting in, watching and learning. I’ve been around wrestling a lot and gotten to know the sport pretty well.”
What began as helping with conditioning and workouts eventually evolved into a much larger role within the girls’ program.
“Coach Jon Murray encouraged me to help because I have a background in coaching for workouts and physical fitness, personal training,” Hull said. “I was going to help Carley with that aspect of it. Then throughout the last few years, we just really built a program we are really excited about.”
Hull says one of the most meaningful aspects of wrestling is the confidence and resilience it develops in young athletes.
“Wrestling is unlike anything else,” she said. “You’re going out there one-on-one to battle in front of a crowd. Being able just to step on the mat in and of itself is a huge accomplishment.”
Hull is also quick to recognize the life lessons embedded within the sport.
“What it teaches you about resilience and grit and discipline is just something that I don’t think anything compares to,” she said.
Hull now inherits one of the state’s emerging girls’ wrestling programs. Since 2022, Geneseo has captured three consecutive regional championships and a sectional title, and produced 12 state qualifiers and two state medalists.
As she takes over the program, Hull says sustaining momentum while building upon the existing foundation is a top priority.
“Carley was amazing,” Hull said. “I’m sure I’ll lean on Carley a lot this year again and we’ll bounce ideas off of each other.”
Hull praised Rusk for creating a culture centered on empowerment, respect and confidence.
“She really showed these girls what our bodies can do,” Hull said. “It’s really cool for these girls to be like, ‘I can be really strong and aggressive, too,’ and be proud of themselves for the things they’re accomplishing on that mat.”
While Hull plans to maintain a culture that has served the program well, she also hopes to place an increased emphasis on strength training and mental toughness.
“We have the skill and we have the technique. We stress that a lot,” Hull said. “Now, to take it to the next level, we’re really going to implement more strength training into it.”
This summer, Hull plans to organize open gyms and high-intensity Tabata workouts designed to mimic the demands of a wrestling match while improving overall conditioning and functional strength. She also emphasized leadership development among upperclassmen and continuing to expose athletes to opportunities beyond high school wrestling.
Among those opportunities is a June 14 recruiting combine in Naperville featuring members of the U.S. women’s wrestling team and representatives from approximately 60 colleges.
“It’s an awesome opportunity to have these girls with female wrestlers at that high of a level and also to really start looking into what wrestling in college could look like,” Hull said.
As girls’ wrestling continues to rapidly grow across Illinois and the country, Hull believes the program’s culture itself will be the biggest recruiting tool for attracting new athletes.
“It truly is a sisterhood,” she said. “When you do these types of workouts and put your body to the test like we’ll do, they really create a bond quickly.”
Hull also sees wrestling as an avenue for girls to discover new levels of confidence and self-belief.
“It’s not just about wins and losses,” she said. “Stepping out on that mat, just competing with another girl out there, those are huge, huge confidence builders.”
Ultimately, Hull hopes her athletes leave the program with lessons that extend far beyond competition.
“I want them to remember their time wrestling and learning what they were capable of,” she said. “They are going to be able to take what they learn on the mat into every other aspect of their life.”
GHS Athletic Director Joe Nichols said he hopes to maintain continuity within the program while continuing its growth and momentum.
“Tricia’s ability to connect with our female wrestlers really stood out to us,” Nichols said. “We wanted someone who will challenge the girls physically while also supporting and protecting them mentally and emotionally, and Tricia brings that balance.”
Nichols added, “She’s earned the team’s respect through the relationships she’s built, and we believe she’s the right person to keep growing the culture and success of our program both on and off the mat.”