For state champion Milana Borrelli, it all starts with family

Lake Nona’s Milana Borrelli after winning her state title at the FHSAA State Wrestling Tournament in March of this year. (Photo courtesy of Borrelli family)

BY BRANT PARSONS — Every weekday morning at 5:45, Milana Borrelli’s family works out together.

The 2023 Florida state wrestling champion from Lake Nona credits all her success to the tight bond of her family.

"I wouldn’t really be anywhere that I am today without them," Borrelli said. “I’m just the front person but they’re the people who have made who I am.”

The middle child in a family of five, Borrelli started doing ju-jitsu when she was five years old. While she enjoyed doing jiu jitsu with her mother, her brothers were competing in wrestling. She eventually tried the sport and caught on fast.

“I would say I took to it pretty quickly,” Borrelli said. “At first it was something I would do for fun but over time it became more serious to me. I still try to keep it fun, but it’s not a sport you take lightly so I just do my best and work as hard as I can to be the best.”

Growing up, it didn’t take her long to become one of the best.

Borrelli was ranked No. 2 in the nation when COVID-19 struck but after working out for a few months with no promise of competition in the immediate future, she took a break from wrestling.

“I felt like I was training for nothing so I started weightlifting and I put on some muscle and then when this past year came around, I was ready to get back at it and see,” Borrelli said.

After three years away from the sport, getting back in the groove proved tough at times for Borrelli.

"For three months I was just training a lot and had lots of failures and mistakes that I wouldn’t normally make," Borrelli said.

Then halfway into the season, it all clicked for the sophomore.

The moment was at the Lady Bear Tournament at Cypress Creek where Borrelli went 5-0 and defeated Orlando Freedom’s two-time state champion Cameron Gallivan

“That’s when I said to myself that I’m done losing and I’m winning from here on out,” Borrelli said. “I’m not making mistakes and I’m just going to put on a show.”

Borrelli has already been traveling to train and compete since the end of the season and has big goals in her sights.

Along with wanting to win two more Florida state titles, Borrelli wants to be ranked in the Top 5 in the country and along with trying to make a world team next, she has also set winning a title at Fargo as a goal.

The work never stops for Borrelli and that comes in part because of her family because no matter what goals she does set for herself, she knows that each weekday will still start with a workout at 5:45 in the morning.

"Our family workouts help get us in the routine, waking up early and being productive and it sets the tone for the day," Borrelli said. “We really do everything together. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as we’re together, it’s going to be a good time.”

The Borrelli family: Merek, Milana, Denise, Brandon, Makara, Madux and Malec Boerrelli (Photo courtesy of the Borrelli family)

STATE CHAMPION FEATURES

Kabra Wrestling is looking to feature as many state champions as we can over the next few months and tell a little story about what makes them special.

If you won a state championship and would like to be featured, please contact Kabra Wrestling to set up an interview.

2023 State Champions

3A-106: Andrew Punzalan (Cypress Bay)

3A-113: Tyler Washburn (Palmetto Ridge)

3A-120: Luis Acevedo (South Dade)

3A-126: Ethan Vugman (Bartram Trail)

3A-132: Cavarius Liddie (Buchholz)

3A-138: Elvis Solis (South Dade)

3A-145: Anderson Heap (Kissimmee Osceola)

3A-152: Cooper Haase (Kissimmee Osceola)

3A-160: Adrian Ochoa (Southwest Miami)

3A-170: Lawrence Rosario (South Dade)