Back then, Bernard, who began wrestling at age 10, had to find empty bathrooms to change in and do her weigh in away from the male wrestlers. But none of that discouraged her. Instead, she set lofty goals for herself.

“I remember when she was in high school, she had to made a goal list,” Sue Bernard said. “She wrote, ‘I’m going to go to the Olympics.’ ... When women’s wrestling became a reality four years ago in the Olympics, we all knew it was a real possibility. Everybody knew she had the talent.”

Bernard, who won the U.S. national championship in her weight class in April, does have international experience. She won junior world titles in 2003 an 2005, and, has dominated collegiate competition in Canada the last four years, winning four Canadian Interuniversity Sport gold medals for the University of Regina (Saskatchewan) women’s wrestling team. She has one year of eligibility remaining with the Cougars.

But there’s something different about the Olympics.

“It’s more prestigious,” Bernard said.

The Ali Cats are even getting new T-shirts. Red, white and blue, of course.