Zoey Tracy

CELINA, Ohio — Mercer County resident Zoey Tracy( 20) is making a name for herself in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a grappling-based martial art and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting, positional control, and submission techniques. It teaches practitioners how to use leverage and technique to control and submit opponents, regardless of size or strength differences.

Tracy, a Celina resident, represents Brazuca USA Martial Arts Academy and competes as a member of The Match Champ (TMC) Team. Despite having trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for just over 20 months, she has already achieved an impressive milestone on the international competition scene.

This past weekend, Tracy traveled to Chicago to compete at the IBJJF Chicago Open, where she earned a second-place finish. With the result, Tracy moved into first place in the world rankings in the Women’s Super-Heavy division and second place overall across all women’s divisions in her ranking category.

The rankings include more than 1,250 female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors from around the world, making Tracy’s accomplishment especially significant for a young athlete from Mercer County.

Her success has come with a demanding training schedule. At Brazuca USA Martial Arts Academy in Celina, Tracy typically trains four to eight times per week, taking advantage of early-morning, noon and evening classes.

Her involvement with the academy also extends beyond her own competition training. Tracy helps instruct the academy’s children’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program in Celina and also assists with programs at the team’s Covington and Sidney locations.

Brazuca USA Martial Arts owners Molli Schleucher, Adam Schleucher and Tiago Buogo said they are proud of the commitment Tracy has demonstrated and are excited to see where the sport takes her.

“We are extremely proud of the work Zoey has put into her training and everything she has accomplished in such a short period of time. It is important for other young women to see that with training, consistency and dedication, it is possible to grow in a sport while developing confidence, discipline and expertise. We look forward to seeing what Zoey’s future in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will bring.”

For Tracy, the accomplishments represent more than medals and rankings. She credits Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the people around her with helping her develop both on and off the mats.

Tracy said-

“I am so happy to achieve these results, and I’m looking forward to my future competitions.I love this sport and my Brazuca family. They have helped me not only gain knowledge in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but also build my confidence as a woman as I continue to grow. Training has helped me mentally as well, and it is definitely a great stress reliever.”

Tracy also hopes her journey will encourage more women to give Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a try.

“I look forward to seeing more women training and experiencing what this sport can do for them.”

With a No. 1 divisional world ranking, a strong work ethic and less than two years of experience in the sport, Tracy is quickly becoming an athlete for the Mercer County community to watch.