After reaching WPIAL meet last season, Fox Chapel girls wrestling duo back for more

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Emma Srodes and Lauren Bachman have benefitted from their experience in learning how to wrestle for the Fox Chapel girls wrestling team. Each wrestler is hoping to use those lessons to her benefit this season.

Srodes and Bachman each collected victories during their season-opening dual meet win over Hampton. The two returning WPIAL qualifiers for the Fox Chapel girls wrestling team were excited to get off to a good start.

Bachman — who finished 12-14 last season and reached the regional tournament at 136 pounds — collected a quick pin at 148 pounds against the Talbots. Bachman, a junior, was Fox Chapel’s lone wrestler to advance past the WPIAL tournament last season.

Last season, Bachman struggled with how to prepare from event to event. Girls wrestling is still growing in Pennsylvania, and many teams are still struggling to fill out their entire lineup.

What Bachman has focused on is working on her skills.

“I’ve been working on being in the mindset that I’m going to wrestle no matter what,” Bachman said. “If I check online and they don’t have a girl in my weight class, I still prepare myself. Whether I’m going to wrestle or not, I act like I am going to.”

Bachman had a tough draw at regionals last season. She lost her first match to Kiski Area’s Ava Golding, who went on to place sixth in the state after winning the WPIAL and regional crowns.

Bachman said she feels like she has been at her best when she is on her feet.

“I’m most comfortable when we are hand fighting,” Bachman said. “I like to be able to take people down while I’m standing rather than being on the top or bottom.”

Srodes was second on the team with 15 victories last season. Srodes, who helped Fox Chapel’s field hockey team win a WPIAL championship this fall, is 27-16 in her career.

Srodes was a little disappointed with how she did at districts. She felt like she was limited by a back injury during the postseason.

“I did more back strengthening stuff to try to prevent another injury from happening,” Srodes said.

Srodes said she is eager to have some tougher matches this season. Fox Chapel’s program is continuing to grow, and she said that she enjoys working with the new wrestlers.

“Last year was a building year,” Srodes said. “The team was still pretty new, but I think we have a lot more experience on the team now. I think we’re just looking to keep improving and win more tournaments.”

Tags: Fox Chapel