Alex Kovalick

Alexandra (Alex) Kovalick was a multi-sport athlete and one of the early leaders of girls wrestling at Antioch High School. Named the school’s Athlete of the Year in 2009, Kovalick competed in wrestling, track and field, and cross country.

She was a four-year varsity track athlete and a three-time North Coast Section qualifier in the 4×400-meter relay (2007–2009), also qualifying in the 100-meter hurdles in 2008. In the fall, she ran cross country, competing year-round as a student-athlete.

On the wrestling mat, Kovalick served as captain of the girls’ team. Placed three times at the North Coast Section Championships.  Her Senior year Alex placed second at the North Coast Section Championships in the 122-pound weight class and finished fifth at the CIF Northern Regional.  She closed out her senior season with a first-place finish at the 2009 U.S. Girls Wrestling Association (USGWA) State Championships. At a time when girls wrestling wasn’t yet sanctioned in California, her father and coach, Joe Kovalick, actively worked to find girls tournaments where she could compete.

Alex practiced with the boys’ team and regularly wrestled in JV boys’ matches. She was coached by Joe Kovalick, Brett McNamar, Jesse Unpingco, and Steve Sanchez. She also played a key role in growing the girls’ program at Antioch by recruiting other athletes—most notably Dana Karkar, who went on to become the head girls wrestling coach at Willits High School. Alex considers her role in building the program one of her most meaningful contributions to the sport.

Wrestling runs deep in the Kovalick family. Her grandfather, George Kovalick, is recognized as the “Father” of high school wrestling in the Ohio Valley and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, where he received the Lifetime of Service to Wrestling award.

After high school, Alex wrestled for three years on the UC Santa Barbara club team, earning a second-place finish at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Association (NCWWA) Regional Championship. She also attended Waldorf College on a wrestling scholarship, competing at 55kg for the women’s team.

Her high school and collegiate career came just before girls wrestling was officially sanctioned in California in 2011. Alex Kovalick’s leadership and perseverance helped pave the way for the next generation of female wrestlers in Antioch and beyond.