McAllen News, McAllen TX News, athletics, wrestling
Staff Report
McAllen, TX - McAllen High School senior Ava Aragon captured the Class 5A state championship in the girls 105-pound wrestling division during the UIL state tournament held Feb. 13-14 at the Berry Center in Cypress.
Aragon secured the title with a first-round pin against an opponent from Canyon Randall High School. The match lasted less than 90 seconds.
Historic achievement
The championship marks the first girls wrestling state title in McAllen High School history. Aragon is also among a small number of athletes from the Rio Grande Valley to win a state championship in girls wrestling.
Her coach, Gina Reed, said Aragon’s focus and competitiveness helped drive her success on the mat.
“When she’s on the mat, when she’s competing, it’s like a little switch,” Reed said. “She’s hyper-focused. She’s like a machine. She’s very competitive.”
Career accomplishments
Aragon’s state title capped several years of improvement in the sport. She was named Newcomer of the Year as a freshman and went on to become a three-time district champion, two-time regional champion and three-time state qualifier.
After qualifying for the state tournament as a sophomore, Aragon finished fifth in Texas as a junior before winning the championship in her senior season. She entered the state tournament ranked No. 1 in her weight class by Wrestling Texas.
In summer 2025, she was named RGV Sports Female Wrestler of the Year.
Looking ahead
Reed said Aragon’s determination and ability to learn from setbacks helped her reach the top level of high school wrestling.
“She doesn’t let failures or losses sit in her heart,” Reed said. “It always made her motivated to get better.”
Aragon said the individual nature of wrestling is part of what drew her to the sport.
“You only have yourself to look back to,” Aragon said. “Did you put in the work? Did you put in the time?”
Aragon plans to continue wrestling in college and is considering majoring in computer science.
Source -- McAllen ISD