Ali Gerbracht earns 2020 Kirk Hageman Memorial Scholarship

ACKLEY – AGWSR graduate Ali Gerbracht recently was awarded the 2020 Kirk Hageman Memorial Scholarship, announced last week.

Gerbracht completed her four-year career with the Cougars with more than 100 wins, only the second female wrestler in Iowa High School history to do so.

A two-time Iowa Wrestling Coaches Association finalist and 2019 female state champion, and 2020 female state runner-up at 106 pounds, she was also named the 2019 Dan Gable Ms. Wrestler of the Year in Iowa.

“The scholarship mentioned Kirk had a passion for wrestling and was involved in the sport heavily,” Gerbracht said on Friday. “I am really just honored to be selected for the scholarship as I share his passion for the sports of wrestling.”

The board of directors of the scholarship committee was more impressed with her love of the sport and passion for which she displayed it while appreciating those who helped her reach her goals. Her application pointed to all of the years of hard work and sacrifice put in by everyone, including her family, coaches and how much it meant to her.

Gerbracht’s plans are to attend the University of Northern Iowa and major in biology.

This is the ninth year the scholarship has been awarded, starting in 2014. Hageman, a wrestling fan who graduated from Decorah High School, was involved in wrestling on several levels, including volunteer coaching. He passed away in 2009, but his family and friends started the scholarship to remember his passion for the sport and is passed to a high school senior who displays that kind of passion and wants to give back to the sport eventually.

Gerbracht is not the first female recipient of the award, in fact, the very first scholarship winner was Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Brittney England in 2014, a co-winner with Dallas Center-Grimes’ Trevor Murano.

She posted on Twitter after it was announced, “Humbled to be selected for the Kirk Hageman Memorial Scholarship and for the passion shared for wrestling.”

Previous Scholarship recipients

2014– Brittney England, Cedar Rapids Prairie

2014– Trevor Murano, Dallas Center-Grimes

2015– Jeren Glosser, Eddyville-Blakesburg

2016– Chase Lienhard, Crestwood, Cresco

2017– McGwire Midkiff, Council Bluffs Jefferson

2018– Michael Blockhus, New Hampton

2018– Blake Courtney, Decorah

2019– Daniel Kimball, Don Bosco

2020– Ali Gerbracht, AGWSR