Beat the Streets Academy's Aracelli Rodriguez wins 2025 PSAL Wingate Award

The Bronx native was a two-time PSAL girls freestyle champion and four-time finalist.

Aracelli Rodriguez earned the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) Girls Wrestling Wingate Award, which recognizes the most outstanding senior student-athletes in their sport from New York City public high schools.

Evin Gursoy of Midwood High School in Brooklyn earned the Boys Wrestling Wingate Award. The winners, who were nominated by New York City coaches, commissioners and sports coordinators, received their award Sunday prior to the New York Yankees' 4-2 win against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium.

Rodriguez started wrestling in the BTS Junior League, NYC's only middle school wrestling league, and was an active participant in the BTS Academy program throughout high school. Rodriguez won the 94-pound title last month at the PSAL Girls Freestyle City Championships to cap a legendary career at Harry S. Truman High School in The Bronx. She led the Mustangs to three PSAL girls freestyle dual meet city titles, including two as team captain. Individually, she was a two-time PSAL girls freestyle city champion and four-time finalist, two-time PSAL girls folkstyle city place-winner (first in 2024 and third in 2023) and 2023 NYC Mayor's Cup girls folkstyle champion.

Additionally, Rodriguez's success extended beyond New York City as she took third in girls freestyle at the 2022 New York state tournament and 2025 Eastern States Classic. Gursoy also found the podium at the Eastern States Classic, with first place in 2024 and 2025.

Gursoy made history this year by winning his second New York state title at the Division 1 level, becoming the first PSAL student-athlete to accomplish the feat in boys wrestling. He is the second PSAL student-athlete to win two state titles after Nathanel Rose of Eagle Academy for Young Men in The Bronx won two Division 2 state titles in 2014 and 2015. Gursoy went undefeated the past two seasons to complete the most accomplished boys wrestling career in PSAL history as a two-time state champion, three-time finalist and four-time state medalist (3, 2, 1, 1).

Rodriguez and Gursoy will each continue their wrestling careers close to home at the collegiate level. Rodriguez will cross the Hudson River to join New Jersey City University's women's team, which is coached by Wingate High School and BTS alumnus Barry Hart. Gursoy will stay in New York at Columbia University, where he will join BTS Academy alumnus and two-year varsity starter Sulayman Bah on the Lions' roster.

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Since being founded in 2005, Beat the Streets has pioneered a movement that now includes 150 individual wrestling programs, a youth league and the first girls high school league.

BTS works to develop the full human and athletic potential of New York City urban youth and strengthen the city's wrestling culture. We aim to make a lifelong impact on student-athletes through the lessons learned on the wrestling mat -- discipline, perseverance, self-reliance, humility and a strong work ethic. Discover how you can make a meaningful contribution to our work at btsny.org/donate.