Ellia Poalillo, the top-ranked 152-pound girls high school wrestler in the country and a three-time New Jersey state champion, has had her 2026 state title vacated due to an "eligibility issue," her father Joe Poalillo told NJ.com.
The family learned in the spring that Poalillo's championship, secured after a March victory over Fatina Lozier of Pennsauken, had been vacated. "It wasn’t (her) fault. It’s more of something we could have prevented," Joe Poalillo stated, adding that the family attempted to resolve the issue without success.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) confirmed that a state title had been vacated but did not release specific details about the athlete or the reason. The NJSIAA's website now shows an asterisk next to the 2026 152-pound champion with a note stating, "State title revoked due to a violation of NJSIAA rules."
High Point superintendent Scott D. Ripley acknowledged awareness of the NJSIAA's statement but declined to comment further, deeming it "inappropriate." An NJSIAA spokesman, Mike Cherenson, confirmed to NJ.com that a girls wrestler violated the association's rules during the 2025-2026 season, leading to the vacating of the title in accordance with NJSIAA procedures. Both the student-athlete and her school were notified of the violation and consequence.
The vacated title marks a difficult conclusion to Poalillo's high school career. She had announced following her championship win, which capped a perfect 36-0 season, that she would not compete in high school wrestling the following year. She had previously won state titles in the 138- and 152-pound weight classes during her freshman and sophomore years, respectively, finishing her prep career with a 100-3 record.
Poalillo, who has committed to Iowa State, had planned to focus on freestyle wrestling and preparation for collegiate competition. "The decision is the decision," her father said. "It was something we were going to try and fight but there was no way to fight it. We’ve moved on."
Following these events, Ellia Poalillo has withdrawn from High Point High School and will now be homeschooled, according to her father. She is reportedly training in Arizona and is scheduled to attend the Olympic Training Center in Colorado in the fall. Her father noted that a move to the Olympic Training Center or a preparatory school was always part of the plan, regardless of the eligibility issue.