Outside photo: Golston scores in the final seconds to win over Augello in the 2019 US Open. Photo by John Sachs.

Erin Golston is currently the No. 3 wrestler at 50 kg for Team USA’s Women’s Freestyle National Team. 

Although a native of Lake of the Hills, Ill., Golston attended high school in Marquette, Mich. and trained at the Unites States Olympic Education Center. She was a three-time Junior World medalist, winning bronze in 2011 and 2012 and silver in 2013 and a five-time FILA Body Bar national champion, winning as a Cadet in 2008 and as a Junior from 2010-2013.

Golston currently resides in Colorado Springs, Colo. where she is a member of the New York Athletic Club and trains at the OTC.

The 26-year-old is a three-time U.S. National Team member. She made her first team in 2013, then again in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, ESPN ran a video feature on Golston which can be watched HERE.

Golston took some time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions.

What is your favorite food?
Mac and cheese. Velveeta is liquid gold.

What is your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is A.I. Artificial Intelligence. It’s my favorite because it was the one movie able to get every emotion out of me. I was sad, happy, and excited. Plus it’s about robots and I pretty much love everything robot.

Did you play any other sports growing up?
I started paying soccer when I was six. Then I played baseball. Then I ran track when I was in seventh grade.

What is your favorite place that you’ve traveled to?
Japan for sure. It’s just like a completely different world over there. Everything is super high tech and I just loved it. I loved the culture.

What do you normally do to pass time on long trips?
I do a lot of reading. Right now I’m reading The Dark Tower by Stephen King.

What are some of your other hobbies?
I like to crochet when I get time. Besides that, really just hanging out with my teammates and friends. 

What is something most people don’t know about you?
I’m a big science fiction nerd. I love everything science fiction.

Who is your favorite wrestler, either past or present, to watch?
I would say past, Cael Sanderson for sure. Present favorite wrestler to watch, I can’t really pronounce her name, but the 57 kg for Nigeria, Odunayo Adekuoroye. 

How did you end up on ESPN and what was that like?
It was really cool. This woman from ESPN Latin America reached out to me on Instagram, and at first I thought it was a scam because it seems kind of random, but then I found out the next day she reached out to another athlete that trains here, so we both just said yes to it. Then we made plans and the guy came out about a month later and did all the filming. 

How did you first get involved in wrestling?
My dad wrestled in high school and college. He got my older brother involved in it when I was about five and my brother was seven. The whole first year, I just kind of watched all of my brother’s practices and tournaments. Then the next year, when I was six, I was like, “Okay, I want to do this.” 

How would you say wrestling has impacted your life?
I would say wrestling has impacted my life immensely. I know without wrestling, I wouldn’t be able to travel the world and I don’t think I’d have the same personality traits and characteristics. Wrestling has taught me how to be responsible and hardworking. 

What kind advice would you give a younger girl who is just beginning wrestling?
Just stick with it and don’t let anyone talk you out of it. Keep going and know you’re going to get a lot from this sport?

Do you have any prematch rituals?
I’ll do a lot of high knees and I have this mantra that I repeat in my head over and over again. It’s from the movie Cool Runnings. It’s when Junior is in that bar and about to get in a fight and he says, “I see pride. I see power. I see a badass muddah who won’t take no crap off of nobody.”

What is your main motivation during training?
Just wanting to be the best. As of lately, really just winning. I’ve been getting second place at all these tournaments and I’m like, “man, I just need to get that gold.” I know how ever much pain I’m in or how tired I am, it’s going to be worth it.

What are some of the best benefits of being able to train at the OTC?
At the Training Center, I have the opportunity to work with Terry (Steiner). He’s an awesome coach and an awesome leader. Also, the recovery center. I take advantage of that a lot. If I didn’t live here, I don’t think my recovery would ever be as good. And then also, sport psych. That is one thing that has really elevated my wrestling in the past year. 

Do you have any plans once your wrestling career is over?
Well, eventually I have to start going to grad school. I want to be an occupation therapist. I’ll probably jump right into that once I’m done wrestling.

The Golston file

Birthday: April 20, 1993
Hometown: Lake of the Hills, Ill.
High school: Marquette High School
College: University of Colorado at Colorado Springs 
Residence: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Club: New York AC
Twitter: @eringolston
Instagram: @eringolston
• Three-time U.S. National Team member (2013, 2017, 2018)
• Three-time U.S. Open runner-up (2019, 2017, 2016)
• University Nationals champion (2014)
• Two-time Junior World bronze medalist (2011, 2012)
• Junior World silver medalist (2013)