Women's Wrestling Club

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Tela O'Donnell

Member of the first U.S. Olympic women's wrestling team (Athens 2004, 55 kg, 6th); 2003 U.S. Nationals champion

Homer, AK · Homer HS · Pacific University

By Joe Spisak, Pennsylvania state champion and 4x NCAA qualifier at Virginia · Published September 3, 2026

Tela O'Donnell
Photo: Tim Hipps, U.S. Army, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Tela O'Donnell grew up near Homer, Alaska. She wrote to the school board citing Title IX so she could wrestle and joined the Homer High School boys' team as a junior. As a senior in 2001 she placed sixth at the state tournament against boys.

At Pacific University in Oregon she won a USGWA women's college national title in 2002. That spring she placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals at 55 kg, the international weight class of about 121 pounds.

In April 2003 she won the Women's University Nationals at 121 pounds. On May 10, 2003, in Las Vegas, she won the U.S. Nationals at 55 kg. She turned Tina George with a half nelson late to win the final 6-4. In June, George took their World Team Trials series.

At the 2004 Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis she won the challenge bracket and met George again. She pinned George in both matches, the second at 4:12 after trailing 6-1. She became one of four women on the first U.S. Olympic wrestling team.

In Athens on August 22, 2004, she trailed Olga Smirnova of Russia 5-0, then caught her with a crotch lift and pinned her at 4:26. Tonya Verbeek of Canada beat her 11-1. She lost the fifth-place match 10-7 to Mabel Fonseca of Puerto Rico and finished seventh. When Fonseca was disqualified for a failed drug test she moved up to sixth. In 2005 she moved to 59 kg, placed second to Sally Roberts at the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials, and retired.

She returned to Homer, married Paul Bacher, and raised three children. She joined the founding board of Wrestle Like A Girl in 2016 and co-founded Alaska Girls Wrestle. The Alaska chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame honored her as an Outstanding American in 2022.

She coaches the Homer girls' and middle school teams and leads coaching education for Wrestle Like A Girl.

She lives on the family homestead outside Homer, Alaska, coaches the Homer High School girls and the middle school team, and leads coaching education and special projects for Wrestle Like A Girl.

Results

SeasonLevelEventWeightPlaceNote
2000-01High schoolAlaska (ASAA) State Championships6thSenior year, wrestling boys at a co-ed state tournament; weight class not sourced
2001-02CollegeUSGWA Women's College Nationals1stPacific University; weight class not sourced
2002SeniorU.S. Nationals55 kg5thLost to Stephanie Murata in the semifinals; wrestling for Pacific
2003Age groupWomen's University Nationals, St. Joseph, MO121 lb1st4-0, all by technical fall. April 13, 2003; def. Marcie Van Dusen (Sunkist Kids) 13-3 in the final; Outstanding Wrestler; Dave Schultz WC
2003SeniorU.S. Nationals, Las Vegas55 kg1stMay 10, 2003; def. Tina George (U.S. Army) 6-4 in the final on a late half nelson; beat Stephanie Murata in the semifinals
2003SeniorU.S. World Team Trials, Indianapolis55 kg2ndChampionship Series vs. Tina George: lost 5-2, won by fall at 4:38, lost 6-3
2004SeniorU.S. Olympic Team Trials, Indianapolis55 kg1stWon the challenge bracket with two technical falls and a 5-2 final; pinned Tina George in both Championship Series bouts, the second at 4:12 after trailing 6-1
2004SeniorOlympic Games, Athens55 kg6th1-2. Aug. 22-23, 2004; pinned Olga Smirnova (Russia) 4:26 after trailing 5-0; lost 11-1 to Tonya Verbeek (Canada); lost the fifth-place match 10-7 to Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico); placed seventh, moved up to sixth when Fonseca was disqualified for a positive drug test
2005SeniorU.S. Nationals59 kg2ndLost the final to Sally Roberts (Gator WC) 4-0, 0-1, 2-1; Sunkist Kids
2005SeniorU.S. World Team Trials, Ames, IA59 kg2ndJune 19, 2005; lost the Championship Series to Sally Roberts 5-3, 4-1 and 0-4, 5-0, 2-0

What we could not confirm

Anything not on this page, a high school record, a final score, a season, was left out because no primary source stated it when this was written. If you have a bracket, a program, or a clipping, send it and the page gets the number.

Sources

  1. https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/15661 · Joined Homer HS boys' team as a junior after a fight with the school board; second girl to place at the Alaska state tournament; one season at Pacific before the Olympic Training Center; three-time U.S. National Team member; beat Tina George to make the 2004 Olympic team; placed seventh then moved up to sixth after a disqualification; coaches HS wrestling in Homer; WLAG special projects director and national camps manager; Alaska: The Last Frontier; 2022 Outstanding American, Alaska chapter
  2. https://www.juneauempire.com/2024/12/21/southeast-girls-bring-state-championships-home/ · 2001 Homer Mariners alum; highest state placing sixth as a senior at a co-ed tournament; Homer girls' coach in December 2024; first Alaska wrestling Olympian; Alaska Girls Wrestle member
  3. https://goboxers.com/sports/2011/3/3/olympians.aspx · 2002 USGWA national champion for Pacific; left Forest Grove after that year for USA Wrestling's residential program; first member named to the first U.S. Olympic women's team
  4. https://goboxers.com/sports/2011/3/3/odonnell-olympics.aspx?id=79 · 2004 Trials: won the 55 kg challenge bracket with two technical falls and a 5-2 final, then pinned Tina George twice, the first with 10 seconds left, the second after trailing 6-1; Athens: went 1-2, seventh, pinned Olga Smirnova; first international event since joining the resident program in 2002
  5. https://www.themat.com/news/2002/june/05/2002-world-team-trials-preview-5128 · 2002 U.S. Nationals fifth at 55 kg for Pacific; had Murata in danger in the semifinals; won the NAIA Coaches Association event early in 2002
  6. https://www.themat.com/news/2003/april/13/o-donnell--wong-among-stars-to-7525 · April 13, 2003, Women's University Nationals, St. Joseph, MO: 121-pound champion, Outstanding Wrestler, four technical falls, 13-3 over Marcie Van Dusen in the final; Dave Schultz WC
  7. https://www.themat.com/news/2003/may/11/bono-and-gruenwald-finally-sta-7674 · May 10, 2003, U.S. Nationals, Las Vegas: 55 kg champion, def. Tina George 6-4 in the final with a late half nelson, beat Stephanie Murata in the semifinals; placed fifth in 2002
  8. https://www.themat.com/news/2003/june/04/10-questions-for-u-s--national-7774 · Born July 16, 1982; Homer HS; Pacific Univ.; Dave Schultz WC; Colorado Springs; 2002-03 Team USA ranking No. 5 at 55 kg; beat Murata and George at the 2003 U.S. Nationals
  9. https://www.themat.com/news/2003/june/22/2003-world-team-trials---final-7959 · 2003 World Team Trials 55 kg Championship Series: George dec. O'Donnell 5-2; O'Donnell fall 4:38; George dec. O'Donnell 6-3
  10. https://www.themat.com/news/2004/may/23/2004-olympic-teams-determined--9980 · 2004 Olympic Team Trials, RCA Dome, Indianapolis, May 2004: O'Donnell pinned 2003 World silver medalist Tina George in both bouts at 55 kg; trailed 6-1 at the break in the second and secured the fall at 4:12
  11. https://www.themat.com/news/2004/august/22/u-s--women-win-four-of-five-bo-10530 · Athens, Aug. 22, 2004: fell behind Olga Smirnova 5-0, scored a crotch lift counter and pinned her in 4:26
  12. https://www.olympedia.org/results/134292 · Athens 2004 55 kg: O'Donnell final rank 6; pool 1 record 1-1; Verbeek beat O'Donnell 11-1 (5:18); O'Donnell pinned Smirnova at 4:26; Mabel Fonseca (PUR) DQ
  13. https://www.themat.com/news/2004/september/15/olympians-o-donnell-and-montgo-10750 · Named to the U.S. team for the 2004 Women's World Cup, Tokyo, Oct. 8-9, at 55 kg; placed sixth at the 2004 Olympics; 2003 U.S. Nationals champion
  14. https://www.themat.com/news/2005/june/03/world-team-trials-preview-at-5-12450 · 2005 U.S. Nationals 59 kg: Sally Roberts dec. O'Donnell 4-0, 0-1, 2-1 in the final; moved up from 55 kg; Sunkist Kids; Roberts also beat her in the Dave Schultz Memorial final
  15. https://www.themat.com/news/2005/june/19/2005-u-s--world-team-determine-12570 · 2005 World Team Trials, Hilton Coliseum, Ames, June 19: Roberts beat O'Donnell 5-3, 4-1 and 0-4, 5-0, 2-0 at 59 kg
  16. https://www.win-magazine.com/2022/12/06/24106/ · Inducted by the Alaska chapter of the NWHOF Nov. 22, 2022; Olympics were her first World-level event; wrestled one more year then retired; finished degree at Trinity College, Hartford; returned to Homer and married Paul Bacher; three children; joined WLAG founding board in 2016; coaches the Homer HS team and the Anchor Kings club; leads WLAG special projects and coaching education
  17. https://www.homernews.com/2022/11/23/a-celebration-of-kenai-peninsula-wrestling/ · Ceremony Nov. 22, 2022, at Soldotna HS; Outstanding American Award; founding board member of Wrestle Like a Girl; volunteer assistant coach in Homer at the high school, middle school and club
  18. https://www.kbbi.org/local-news/2022-12-29/after-fighting-to-wrestle-with-boys-two-decades-ago-homer-olympian-continues-to-empower-girls-through-sports · Wrote to the school board citing Title IX to join the boys' team; coach of Homer High's girls' team; helped found Wrestle Like A Girl and led the Alaska Girls Wrestle chapter
  19. https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/7946369-tela-odonnell-is-using-the-power-of-wrestling-to-change-the-world · Raised in a log cabin outside Homer built by her mother Claire; WLAG National Camps Manager; lives in Alaska with her husband and three children on the family homestead
  20. https://www.homernews.com/2024/02/27/promoting-girls-wrestling-at-home-and-across-the-nation/ · February 2024: first year as head coach of Homer Middle School wrestling and assistant coach at Homer High School; 16 years coaching in Homer schools; co-founded Alaska Girls Wrestle
  21. https://www.homernews.com/2024/05/15/homer-coach-visits-azerbaijan-with-wrestling-delegation/ · May 2024: led a Wrestle Like a Girl delegation on a 10-day U.S. State Department exchange in Baku, Azerbaijan

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