Montgomery County’s very own Mckinley Jovanovic is a force to be reckoned with both on the wrestling mat and in the classroom. A proud product of Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Mckinley began wrestling in her sophomore year and quickly rose to prominence– earning accolades as a men’s varsity starter, team captain, and multiple championship titles. Her roots in Montgomery County not only anchor her identity but also connect her to a legacy of athletic excellence in the region.
Now a freshman at the University of Maryland, Mckinley is broadening her horizons by tackling a triple major in History, Secondary Education, and Public Policy (more here from UMD’s Department of History). Already, she has made her mark on campus by being named UMD’s first Women’s Regional Conference Champion and the first Female Wrestling All-American at the NCWA tournament, where she finished in fifth place.
At Montgomery Blair High School, where her journey in wrestling first took shape, Mckinley became a two-time Women’s County Champion, a three-time Women’s Region Champion, a three-time State placer, and most recently, the 2024 Women’s State Champion. In addition to these accomplishments, she set a historic milestone as the first All-American at her high school– a testament to her dedication, skill, and hard work.
At UMD, Mckinley competes on the men’s club wrestling team, a move that underscores her trailblazing spirit. Enthused by the state’s storied history in women’s wrestling– epitomized by hometown hero Helen Maroulis, the first U.S. Women’s Olympic Gold Medalist from Montgomery County– Mckinley recognizes the need for more opportunities in women’s wrestling. Despite UMD’s association with wrestling excellence, the university has yet to introduce a varsity Division 1 Women’s Wrestling Program. With only five Division 1 schools and a single Big Ten institution offering women’s varsity wrestling, she is actively involved in efforts to establish such a program at UMD– having created a petition that has garnered over 1,200 signatures.
Reflecting on her academic and athletic journey, Mckinley shared in a recent UMD Department of History article, “I am very passionate about education and come from a long line of educators on my mother’s side [she has a parent teaching in UMD’s School of Education]. I love history and I think that it is so vital that we understand our past in order to connect it to modern day or future issues. History is so much more than just memorizing dates and names which is why I want to teach social studies. I want to help students engage with the material and truly understand how history currently affects us. After college I am planning on being a History secondary ed teacher (I am currently thinking of high school) and then potentially going on to pursue a career in educational policy.”
Mckinley Jovanovic’s journey– from her formative years in Montgomery County to the competitive arenas of collegiate athletics and academia– paints a portrait of a dedicated leader and trailblazer. Her passion for both wrestling and education continues to drive her forward as she strives to break barriers and create lasting change in her community, on campus, and beyond.
Photo courtesy Caleb Steele.
