Escanaba senior Linnea Britton (center) signs her letter of intent to wrestle for Grand Valley State University on May 13, 2024 at Escanaba High School. ("The Big Dog" Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA –Some stories begin with a tragedy like Batman. Some start with drinking a glass of blue milk while looking at two moons in the sky like Luke Skywalker.

Linnea Britton’s story begins with trying a wrestling practice. She thought it looked fun, so she gave it a shot.

What she didn’t realize at the time was the amount of work and effort the sport of wrestling requires. She also didn’t know that she would pursue the sport for the rest of her high school career.

Now she gets to wrestle at the college level.

Britton put pen to paper with her letter of intent to wrestle for Grand Valley State University on Monday.

“I’m super excited and a little bit nervous,” Brirron said. “Wrestling has been a big part of my life. I’m ready to start the next journey.”

Britton will be part of the Lakers’ inaugural Women’s Wrestling roster. The rest of the roster will not be revealed until its filled to preserve a surprise for the GVSU faithful.

But they know now that Escanaba’s Linnea Britton is one of the first women to wear a singlet for the Lakers.

“It’s really exciting,” Britton said. “I either do good or do bad, and then it goes from there.”

While she can’t major in wrestling, she will pursue a major in physical therapy and a minor in business.

She’s grateful for the friends and family that came to her signing on Monday and everyone who helped her along the way. She hopes to be remembered as someone who didn’t give up and tried to help other people feel better.

She’s also grateful that she was able to bond with her father, Jeremy Britton, over the sport. He was the person who offered her a chance at her first wrestling practice.

“We go to meets all the time,” Linnea Britton said. “He was there for most of my meets. I think he only missed a couple. He was a big help for me.”