Mat-Su Central grad, former Colony wrestler to continue career at Colorado Mesa University

Long before Noelle Buck stepped onto a mat for a high school match, her youth crossfit instructor, Daniel Graham, worked to convince her to give the sport of wrestling a shot.

It took some time. But Graham, also a local wrestling coach, was able to convince Buck. Now, Buck is a high school state champion taking the next step in her wrestling career.

Buck, a 2025 Mat-Su Central graduate and former Colony Knights wrestler, has committed to Colorado Mesa University and will compete with the Division II Mavericks wrestling team.

“I was like, heck no,” Buck said of her initial thought to Graham’s idea. “But he was persistent for like a month. Then I started and I (have not) stopped since.”

Buck enjoyed a decorated high school wrestling career. She was a four-time state qualifier, three-time state placer and the 2023 state runner-up. As a senior in 2024, Buck reached the top, winning the Division I girls state championship in the 235-pound class.

“It was like everything came to fruition,” she said. “It was kind of perfect, my last high school match. I think it was the most beautiful way to end.”

Buck said there were a number of programs she considered for the next level, including schools in Michigan, Kansas and Idaho. Ultimately, Mesa became the top choice.

Buck said she has a friend who is a former Alaska high school wrestler on the team, and had the chance to visit the campus in Grand Junction, Colorado.

“I got to go down there in January and meet everybody, and it was wonderful,” she said.

Wrestling has already helped Buck enjoy opportunities on and off the mat. One of her wrestling coaches at Colony got her involved in a certified nursing assistant program. She earned her license in February after receiving a grant courtesy of the Mat-Su Health Foundation that covered the costs of training and courses. Since, Buck has worked as a CNA at Maple Springs, a local assisted living facility. Buck said she plans to stay in healthcare and pursue a career in physical therapy. She will study exercise science and kinesiology at Mesa.

Buck carried a 3.6 grade point average at Mat-Su Central.

Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.