Community Champion: Parkland’s Zoe Hankins goes out on top as wrestling state champion

EL PASO, Texas -- For Zoe Hankins it was now or never.

The Parkland senior had been close to winning a state championship in wrestling before, but she was down to her final chance entering her senior year.

Hankins finished third at state her junior year, but she learned from her mistakes and vowed to return and win the state title.

Hankins did just that winning her first state title in wrestling.

"It was just amazing to know that all the hard work, all the practices that I didn't feel like going to sometimes really helped, and it just felt so rewarding," Hankins said.

Hankins then had a decision to make, either continue wrestling in college or focus on her studies.

She chose the latter despite receiving 8 scholarships to continue wrestling at the next level.

"It hurts to hear for some of my coaches, but I believe it's the direction that I'm being led," Hankins said. "I believe it will be the right decision."

Hankins plans to attend New Mexico State where she will be studying family and consumer science.

"That's something that I really wanted to do," Hankins said. "I want to be able to help families, and my community, and be able to help children, help teenagers and adolescents."

Hankins also offers some advice to other girls who have an interest in getting into wrestling.

"You get whatever you put into it, so if you bust your butt and that's something you want to do, it's a very rewarding sport," Hankins said.