BUFFALO, N.Y. – Just over a week ago, New York State Section VI held the inaugural girl's wrestling championships at nearby Sweet Home High School. During the championships, Section VI recognized the pioneers of women's/girl's wrestling within the community. Among those that were recognized was DYU women's wrestling head coach, Carlene Sluberski.

Sluberski has been a pillar within the wrestling community ever since she took up the sport in the fifth grade. At that time, the girls wrestled with the boys as there was no girls wrestling at the time. This did not deter Sluberski as she found great success on the mats. Sluberski wrestled four years at the varsity level from Fredonia Central School where she compiled a record of 116-36. Sluberski won the Section VI title at 96-pounds in 2008 and later achieved fame as the first girl in New York State Public High School Athletic Association boys wrestling to reach the state finals in 2009. Sluberski placed second in the state due to a broken finger in the finals match.

Fast forward 16 years later, now high school girls in the state of New York have their own sectional and state championships to compete in. Though she may not take any credit, because that is the humble person coach Sluberski is, she is more than thrilled that the sport of women's/girl's wrestling is growing and was only a matter of time for this to happen.

"It's time," Sluberski said. "Wrestling is a hard sell for many parents if their daughters can only train and compete with the boys. There has been tremendous growth in women's wrestling at every level over the past decade and it's an exciting time to be part of the sport. It's amazing that these young ladies now have the opportunity to compete for their own Section and State titles."

After being a standout on the mats at the high school level, Slubreski continued to compete on the mats at Brock College in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada where she had a stellar four-year career. After her wrestling career, Sluberski got into coaching at the University of the Cumberlands, University of Providence, Eastern Oregon University, and now currently at D'Youville University. Sluberski has coached a total of 16 collegiate All-Americans during her time as well as being named the Cascade Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year during the 2020-21 season.

Sluberski has also had the distinct honor in coaching at the World level, coaching in the U23 World Team Trials during the 2017-18 season, the Junior Pan-Ams in 2018, and at the Berlin Open in 2019.

"I do appreciate the recognition," said Sluberski. "Looking back, I can now appreciate all the work and the struggles that came with navigating uncharted territory. I had an incredible amount of support from my coaches, teammates, and family- I wouldn't be in this position without them."

Sluberski is in her second season as head coach of the women's wrestling program at D'Youville as her team is coming off a four-place finish at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships Region 1 Championships, sending five wrestlers onto nationals. Sluberski and her five grapplers will no prepare as they will head west for the 2025 NCWWC Championships held in Coralville, Iowa. Action start on March 7th.