Former OCU wrestler Beatrize Martinez goes from mat to boat

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A two-time NAIA All-American in wrestling, Oklahoma City University’s Beatrize Martinez has now embarked on a new sport.

After four years of competing for the Stars on the mat, she is now racing for OCU in a boat, even though she doesn’t know how to swim and admits being afraid of the water, The Oklahoman reports (https://bit.ly/1hXNC01 ).

But Martinez, 23, has never backed down from a challenge, and the Fresno, California, native has had more challenges then most in her young life.

In high school, Martinez wrestled and played football against the guys, but she spent much of those years living in foster homes or with a friend’s family.

She came to OCU to wrestle for the women’s team and get away but has since repaired her relationship with her parents. “Forgive and move forward,” she said.

At OCU, Martinez led the Stars to two runner-up finishes, two NWCA National Duals titles and two national championships in the Women’s College Wrestling Association in her career. She finished fourth and fifth at nationals the past two seasons.

Twice, she has been elected as the university’s Student Government Association President. She was honored in April at OCU’s awards banquet along with golfer Elia Folch as the university’s top female student athletes.

Martinez’s four years of eligibility as a collegiate wrestler has ended, but under NAIA rules the fifth-year senior can still compete one more year in another sport. She is now a member of OCU’s novice eight rowing crew.

“It’s hard to not be an athlete after you have been one,” Martinez said, in explaining her decision to start rowing.

It’s been a different experience for Martinez, transitioning from a sport where she competed alone to one where she must be in sync with seven other teammates.

“In wrestling, you don’t have anyone else on the mat with you to help you,” she said. “In rowing, if I don’t have the exact focus, I can mess up the entire team and the balance of the boat. It’s kind of stressful to me because it’s something new and I don’t know how to do it as well just yet.”

OCU women’s coach Liza Dickson said Martinez is holding her own in the boat.

“It’s a big learning curve, but she is obviously a talented athlete,” Dickson said.

For someone who plans to tackle law school or join the U.S. Marine Corps after college, learning to row would seem to be a piece of cake.

“I am trying to make it not a stressor,” Martinez said of her new sport. “I want to be good for the team. We haven’t fell in the water yet.”

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Information from: The Oklahoman, https://www.newsok.com