Taylor Williams Returns to the Top as 2-Time State Champion

GREENSBORO, NC The difference between Taylor Williams’ first state championship and her second wasn’t just the medal.

It was growth.

After winning her first NCHSAA state title in 2024, Williams returned the following year and finished third a result that forced reflection. This season, she responded by climbing back to the top, capturing the 6A 152-pound state championship with a calmer, free approach.

“When I won, I was finally able to relax,” Williams said. “Last year, I felt like I was wrestling not to lose, and it took me a long time to settle into big atmospheres like that. Once I relaxed this year, it was easier to just wrestle freely.”

That freedom mattered.

Her finals match came late close to midnight after a full day inside the coliseum. Early on, it was tactical and tight, requiring patience.

“It was really hard to get her to open up because she was so defensive,” Williams said. “Part of it was also me struggling to finish my shots, which was frustrating. I just had to stay patient and keep working.”

“Music always helps me focus,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how late it is as long as I have my headphones, I can lock in. That’s why I always have them on.”

The 6A title marks her second state championship overall and adds to a resume that includes an NHSCA national title and a No. 10 national ranking by Flo Wrestling.

But she’s learned not to let rankings control her mindset.

“Rankings are good for exposure. It puts more eyes on you, which is great for recruiting,” Williams said. “But I’ve learned that letting a number define you isn’t always good for your confidence. When I first got ranked, I became obsessed with trying to move higher, and it honestly stunted my progress. Once I stopped focusing on the number and just did me, everything got a lot better.”

Williams won her first title at 165 but says competing at 152 allows her to wrestle closer to where she feels strongest and most explosive.

“165 was a lot harder because I was usually undersized,” she said. “At 152, it’s a much better weight for me. I feel faster and stronger, and I can really perform the way I want to.”

Her senior year also included a transition off the mat.

Taylor Williams and Coach Larry Barron after she captured her NHSCA national championship last year.

“Most of it was because my mom was buying a house,” Williams said of transferring to Glenn. “But all of my coaches from East were retiring, so it just made sense to move to Glenn since Coach Barron was already my club coach.”

That relationship has shaped more than just her wrestling.

“He’s helped me with my confidence and with finding a way to be my own person in a crowd of followers,” Williams said of Coach Larry Barron. “He taught me how to use my voice in a way that wasn’t negative and how to build up my resilience. It wasn’t easy at first, but I’m in a much better headspace because of him.”

The victory capped an undefeated season for Williams and secured her place in school history as Glenn’s first women’s state champion.

She wasn’t alone atop the podium

Taylor Williams and Millyanes Rivera pose with Glenn Head Coach Larry Barron and assistant coach Martin Lawson following their 6A state championship victories.

Teammate Millyanes Rivera captured the 6A 107-pound championship as well, joining Williams as the second women’s state champion in program history and marking a historic moment for Glenn wrestling.

Back in November, Williams won the Eagle Madness College Open, stepping into a college-style freestyle environment and proving she could compete and win against collegiate competition. As a high school senior, she took out a returning college All-American in the process, making it clear she wasn’t just entering the bracket she was ready for it.

“It felt similar to wrestling in Virginia Beach, but it was a lot harder because I don’t consistently train freestyle,” she said. “It was a really good experience though, and I’m glad I went.”

Now, her focus shifts forward.

She plans to return to Virginia Beach to defend her NHSCA national title and is transitioning her long-term attention toward freestyle.

“I’m shifting my focus away from folkstyle even though it’s my favorite because freestyle is my future now that my high school career is over.”

And when it comes to college, she isn’t looking for comfort she’s looking for challenge.

“I plan on competing in college. I want to be a four-timer and be dominant when I go for it,” Williams said. “I’m looking for a program with a tough room. I don’t want to walk into a room and easily compete against people who have already been wrestling at the college level. I want to be pushed. I want good work every single day. Coming in and being one of the best won’t make me better.”

That mindset might be her biggest win yet.

“I’ve always liked striving to be the best, and I know I won’t be satisfied with just doing enough to get by,” she said. “I want to compete at a higher level and perform exceptionally. That’s the mindset I carry every time I walk into a room.”

Two state titles.

An Eagle Madness College Open title

An NHSCA national championship.

A top 10 national ranking.

Among many other accomplishments along the way.

For Taylor Williams, the journey isn’t slowing down.

It’s just getting started.