Lilly Luft receives first-ever IBA Student Athlete Achievement Award for girls wrestling

JOHNSTON, IOWA (Feb. 7, 2023) — State champion Lilly Luft took home another award at the Iowa High School Girls Wrestling State Tournament last weekend. She became the first recipient of the Iowa Bankers Association Student Athlete Achievement Award for girls wrestling.

Each year, the IBA presents the Student Athlete Achievement Award to student athletes who excel not only in their athletic participation, but who also are scholastic achievers and community leaders. Luft, a senior at Charles City High School, was presented the scholarship award at the first-ever, state-sanctioned Iowa High School Girls Wrestling State Tournament held Feb. 2-3 in Coralville.

Luft has led her wrestling team as a captain during all four years of her high school career and has been ranked as the No. 1 wrestler in the state of Iowa three years in a row — all while volunteering 100 hours of her time within her community.

“Lilly is an exceptional young lady, a strong student and has a great heart,” said Jim Miller, director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. “Lilly has continued to use her determination to push her limits and goals to her highest ability while maintaining an admirable humbleness. She uses every opportunity to give back to the sport and others.”

Bethany Hruska, assistant vice president of retail loans at Fidelity Bank & Trust in Charles City, presented Luft with the $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice.

“We’re honored to be able to expand our scholarship program to include girls wrestling,” said Tara Deering-Hansen, the IBA’s vice president of marketing and communications. “Lilly is a wonderful representative for girls wrestling in Iowa, and we’re excited to present her with the first-ever IBA Student Athlete Achievement Award in the sport. We look forward to recognizing many more girl wrestlers in the years to come.”

For three decades, the IBA has sponsored the Student Athlete Achievement Award program, which has grown to honor student athletes in football, boys and girls basketball and boys and girls wrestling. The IBA has awarded more than $295,000 in scholarships since the program began.