MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) – On a wrestling mat where history was written for decades by boys, Emjay Neumann is helping reshape the future.
Girls wrestling officially joined the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state stage in 2022. One year later, as a freshman, Neumann stepped onto that mat and never looked back.
“I started wrestling in first grade,” Neumann said. “I really liked the competitiveness and learning new things.”
Inspired by her brothers, Neumann committed to the sport early.
“It makes me more confident, and I really like bonding with new people,” Neumann said.
Now competing at 120 pounds, Neumann has become one of the most dominant wrestlers Lincoln High School has seen. She recently earned her 150th career victory, becoming just the third wrestler in school history, boy or girl, to reach the milestone.
“Making school history is really exciting,” Neumann said. “It’s something most people can’t say they did.”
Her résumé underscores the achievement: a state runner-up as a freshman, state champion as a sophomore, and another trip to state last season. She is also nationally ranked and competes with Team Wisconsin against top talent from across the country.
Lincoln’s coach, Tyler Wetenkamp, said Neumann’s success stems from more than talent.
“Her mentality is the biggest thing,” Wetenkamp said. “She’s battled through injuries, but she never quits. She pushes herself and everyone around her.”
In the practice room, Neumann drills relentlessly while also mentoring other girls in the program.
“She sets the stage for where you want to be,” her twin brother Bram Neumann said. “Everybody sees it and thinks, ‘that’s what I want to do.’”
In a girls’ sport still establishing its legacy at the high school level, Neumann is doing more than chasing titles. She is building a blueprint for those who follow.
“I want people to look up to me and always be the best they can be,” Neumann said.
With 150 wins, national recognition, and another state run ahead, Emjay Neumann isn’t just making history at Lincoln High School; she’s setting the standard.
