Miyah Palacios '24 Recruiting Profile

Hello, my name is Miyah Palacios. I am 17 years old and currently a Senior at Sahuarita High School. I started wrestling my 8th grade year but have been around it since my two brothers started wrestling.  

 Growing up with four older brothers was not easy. As the only girl and the youngest sibling I definitely experienced my fair share of horseplay. I have learned to be resilient, independent, yet kind because of my course upbringing. Looking up to my brothers’ successes and failures taught me not only right from wrong, but to push myself beyond my limits. More importantly, my faith in the Lord has shaped me into the young woman I am today. I credit all of my success to the Lord, as he has blessed me with all that I have.

Through wrestling I have learned the importance of the grind. Battling my way through grueling wrestling practices has shown me the boundaries I am capable of pushing. Getting ready for competitions, you have to prepare yourself mentally and physically. I have gone to state two times and the amount of pressure and nervousness you feel challenges you mentally. No matter the wins or losses there is still room for improvement. My coaches have led me through my accomplishments as well as guided me through the hardships. I am a two time state placer, All-American, two time National High School Coaches’ Association Academic All-American, along with two time National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-American. I encountered a difficult mental challenge my junior year, where I felt I was not prepared for the wrestling state tournament. Not only did I doubt myself, but all the hard work I had put in to get to that level. My coaches kept believing in me and pushed me through my challenge. 

My motto in my household is to “Be kind, loving and shine God’s light everywhere I go.” My faith in the Lord has always been an important factor in my life. Going to church every Sunday has helped me grow stronger with the Lord. I always pray before my matches, which I believe brings me success on the mat. I pray The guidance, strength, and protection the Lord gives me has helped tremendously in my personal growth. 

    Being in the medical field has always been a long time goal of mine. My passion started with wanting to be a veterinarian. I loved animals a lot but I was driven more in helping humans reach their goals, whether that may be medically or personally. My aspirations changed from being a veterinarian to a nurse. Both of my parents were in the medical field. My mom worked in the hospital and my dad worked in clinics. This inspired me more to become a nurse practitioner.

    My parents have always pushed me to do my best in and out of the classroom. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout high school as a student athlete was a challenge. Staying up late to do school work or not going out to get ahead on work because I was going to be gone for a tournament were sacrifices I had to make. Fortunately, my parents were there to help guide me and find a balance point between my school work and extra curriculars. With that, I got the opportunity to become an ambassador for my current high school. Currently I help students at my high school with college applications, FAFSA, and assisting them in reaching their goals.