In a sport that demands both patience and toughness, Berlyn Davis learned early how to embrace both. Raised in San Clemente and introduced to grappling before most kids find their first team, Davis has quietly built one of the most accomplished wrestling resumes to come out of the city in recent years. From state medals at San Clemente High School to collegiate success at Westcliff University, her path reflects not only personal ambition but the rapid rise of women’s wrestling itself.

Now in her sophomore year and competing at the collegiate level, Davis has emerged as one of the most accomplished wrestlers ever to come out of San Clemente. A former CIF champion, 2X Masters champion and multiple-time state medalist at San Clemente High School, she has continued her rise at Westcliff University, where she competes in women’s wrestling while helping elevate a growing program. As women’s wrestling gains momentum nationwide - and with the 2028 Olympic Games set to take place in Los Angeles - Davis represents a new generation of local athletes whose ambitions stretch well beyond the city limits, even as her roots remain firmly planted at home.

 As women’s wrestling gains momentum nationwide - and with the 2028 Olympic Games set to take place in Los Angeles - Davis represents a new generation of local athletes whose ambitions stretch well beyond the city limits, even as her roots remain firmly planted at home.

Davis didn’t grow up chasing podiums or thinking about college lineups. Her introduction to competition came early, inside a jiu-jitsu gym, watching her dad train and wanting in. “I started jiu-jitsu when I think I was like six, almost seven,” Davis said. “My dad did it, and I really wanted to try. He thought I’d do it a few times and be done, but once I started, I fell in love with it.”

From the start, grappling clicked. Jiu-jitsu taught patience and problem-solving - how to stay calm, even when things feel uncomfortable - lessons that would later translate seamlessly to wrestling.

Wrestling entered the picture during high school, almost as an experiment. Davis originally saw it as a way to sharpen her jiu-jitsu, not replace it. “My whole idea was that I was going to start wrestling in high school to benefit my jiu-jitsu,” she said. “They both benefit each other.” That plan didn’t last long. “Once I started and I was finding success, I just kept going,” she said.

Davis didn’t begin wrestling until her sophomore year at San Clemente High School, yet she quickly made an impact. For a time, she balanced both sports before realizing she would eventually have to choose. “When I finally really loved wrestling and decided I could do it more as a career and for college, that’s when I stepped back a little bit from jiu-jitsu so I could focus,” she said.

The payoff was immediate. Davis became a CIF champion and a multiple-time state medalist, helping put San Clemente on the map in a sport that continues to gain traction nationwide. “There are definitely a lot more women competing now,” she said. “That’s a really great thing.”

College wrestling brought an entirely new level of challenge. When Davis arrived at Westcliff University, the pace, expectations, and competition all jumped sharply. “It was definitely a big change,” she said. “I wasn’t burnt out, but I was tired. I’d been go, go, go since I was six years old.”

There was also a technical adjustment. College women compete in freestyle wrestling - the international style used at the Olympic level - something Davis had limited experience with.

“I had never really wrestled freestyle before,” she said. “You go from wrestling 15- or 16-year-olds to wrestling girls in their 20s. It’s a different strength, a different style.”

What helped her through the transition was the support around her. “At Westcliff, our coaching staff really helped me mentally prepare for that next level,” she said. “They helped me fall in love with the sport all over again.”

The college season itself is a grind - long, demanding, and relentless. There’s very little downtime once it begins. “Our season starts in November, and then we have our national championships in March,” Davis said. “After that, in April, that’s when all the qualifiers start - World Team Trials and the U.S. Open.” That schedule means training rarely lets up. One phase flows straight into the next, keeping athletes locked in for months at a time.

With the season already underway, Davis is currently right in the heart of peak training – building strength, sharpening technique, and staying mentally dialed in as competition ramps toward its biggest moments. That intensity shows up in her daily routine.

“We practice from 8:30 to 10 in the morning, then go straight into a lift,” she said. “Later I’ll do recovery work, eat, and then go back for another practice from four to six. After that, it’s homework and getting ready to do it again the next day.”

As demanding as the schedule is, Davis says the mental side of wrestling matters just as much as the physical work. She’s learned to slow down, reflect, and stay grounded. “A big majority of the sport is mental,” she said. “I journal a lot, and I focus on talking to myself instead of listening to myself.”

That mindset represents a shift from earlier in her career, when rankings and wins often carried more weight. “The way I wrestle in the match is more important than winning or losing,” she said. “As long as I’m wrestling my best, that’s all that matters.”

With more than 19,000 followers on Instagram, Davis is well aware that people are paying attention. While social media has helped her connect with fans and brought support from sponsors, she’s careful not to let it distract from what matters most. “I’m really grateful for the sponsors I have - they help me so much,” she said. “But it’s honestly a lot of work managing social media while being a full-time student-athlete.” 

For Davis, the platform is less about image and more about authenticity - sharing her journey as it is, not putting on a front. “I just try to keep it real and be myself,” she said.

With backgrounds in both jiu-jitsu and wrestling, Davis is clear about what separates competitive wrestling - especially for athletes with long-term goals. “Jiu-jitsu isn’t in the Olympics,” she said. “For wrestling, the end goal would be the Olympics. There are big things you can accomplish in both sports, but wrestling opens a different door.” 

With the 2028 Olympic Games coming to Los Angeles, the timing is hard to ignore, even as Davis keeps her focus on the present. “My long-term goal is just to go as far as I can and push myself,” she said. “Wrestling shapes you as a person. Once you wrestle, I think everything in life is easier.”

She plans to attend the Games, if only to experience that level of competition firsthand. “Just being in that environment is important,” she said. “Seeing the difference between college meets and the highest level you can possibly compete at - that motivates you.”

No matter where the journey leads, Davis hopes her story encourages young athletes  especially girls - to step onto the mat and give the sport a chance.

“If you can wrestle,” she said, “you can do anything in life.”

For San Clemente, Berlyn Davis represents more than medals or match results. She’s a reminder that big goals often grow quietly - through early mornings, long days, and a steady love for the work that started long before anyone was watching.